Surgery to close the hole in my heart was two months ago already.

It's hard to believe all of the things that have happened to my health this year. Sometimes I have to deeply reflect to let it all sink in. And, I also have had to begin to let it all go.

This year was really scary.

I am facing up to that fact. Now that imminent risk of death by a massive stroke is behind me, I can look back on how scary all of the events prior to surgery were for me.

I think the fear of losing my good health and fear of the unknown were the two biggest hurdles for me to over come.

Thankfully, I had a supportive team and a complete toolbox of resources to get me through these past few months.

One resource I have relied upon HEAVILY is the PFO Research Foundation Facebook support group. OMG, these people are so incredible. Their stories, their triumphs, their pain, their cheerfulness, their kindness - have been MY ROCK. Thank you, especially to Wendean, MaryBeth, Kate, Holly, and so many others.

Heart Surgery.

Hard for me to really go in to full detail here about how surgery went (because, wow, the medical miracle, not to mention, anesthesia amnesia, ya know?!).

But, I can say it was actually a breeze - maybe the easiest part of my total journey. I find it quite amazing, really, how modern medical technology allowed a skilled interventional cardiologist to go in to my heart via a vein in my leg and close an almost 3 cm hole that has been there my whole life. Wow.

And, I was awake for the entire thing and watched my own 90-minute heart surgery on a monitor!

A few things about my hospital stay and surgery that I find interesting enough to share...

• I had excellent all-around care - nurses, techs, my doctor, the anesthesiologist, and everyone else - I felt safe and knew I was going to be OK
• I was enthralled by the hospital menu items and predominant lack of healthy/nutritional choices (this could really be an entire blog post of its own)
• I received an exorbitant amount of drugs in the hospital (antibiotics, blood thinners, two rounds of anesthesia, pain meds, etc.) and I do not do well with drugs - yuck
• I did not anticipate the reality of the recovery period and no one really shared with me the array of options for things not going perfectly smoothly (doctors downplay recovery, that is for sure)

Blood is Life.

I never really thought about my heart before all of this. And, until the days right after surgery, I admit now that I also never really thought much about my blood.

It's commonplace to be prescribed anti-platelet medication following a heart procedure. My doctor wanted me to take Plavix for 6 months. I shared with him some genetic information I know about myself - that I do not do well with certain classes of medications due to P450 enzyme polymorphisms. (A few years ago, I had myself and my whole family tested with 23andme.com so I could know more in-depth medical info about all of us.)

Check this out, I am an "ultra rapid metabolizer" and here is what the Cleveland Clinic has to say about that. So, my cardiologist agreed to just one month on a different medication, Effient. AKA "poison of death."

I bled from my nose, mouth, vagina, and anus (sorry, TMI) in the three days that I took the drug. I suffered from debilitating headaches, dizziness, bone pain, and exhaustion. I have never once in my life considered that being dead would be a better option. But, on Effient I did actually have that thought. Awful.

So, my doctor took me off the poison of death, and, then put me on Plavix anyway. Despite the risks as outlined in the link above. Ridiculous. After just three weeks, I told the nurse at my cardiologist's office that I had taken myself off the medicine so that I could function again.

What I know now is that Plavix likely caused me to have an internal GI bleed that lead to leaky gut, food intolerances (especially now to dairy), anemia and plenty of annoying digestive symptoms.

What is anemia exactly?

Great question. There are many different types of anemia. In my case, anemia is the condition in which my blood doesn't have enough healthy red blood cells.

I became anemic pretty quickly in the days that followed surgery. The trauma of surgery often causes some people to become anemic in and of itself.

I might have been on the path towards anemia (after all, I was an undiagnosed Celiac for 30 years of my life and I have experienced heavier menstrual bleeding since giving birth to my kids. Oops! TMI again). I certainly didn't think about becoming anemic.

I lost red blood cells due to the GI bleed which likely was a side effect from Plavix. On top of that, I am not digesting, absorbing or assimilating vitamins and minerals from my foods and supplements as well as I should be due to leaky gut. A double whammy.

In addition to follow up care with my cardiologist who performed my PFO closure, I also now see a hematologist because anemia is a LOOONNNGGGGG road.

Over the years, I have worked with many anemic clients, and I can honestly say now, ladies (and some fellas), I feel your pain. I understand now. I finally get it, I do. I am in this with you.

Even as I type this, I am waiting on additional tests to find out why my anemia is not responding better. With my healthy diet, proper supplementation and lots of self care, I should have better energy by now, if anything.

But, there are days when I struggle big time.

More to explore.

While I am looking "under the hood" so to speak on this health journey, I have decided to check and make sure that all my parts, systems and processes are working correctly.

With two known autoimmune diseases (Hashimoto's & Celiac), impending peri-menopause (eye roll), and being adopted (consequently, I do not know my family medical history and another reason I did the 23andme.com test), I figure now is as good a time as any to just get some solid baseline info on my total health package.

That, and I met my insurance deductible with surgery, so for the rest of this year, Western medical tests and consults are like an all-you-can-eat-buffet. If you like that kind of thing. I am frankly sick of doctors offices.

• Full eye/vision work-up and new glasses - check
• Hormone testing and work to balance what is out of whack - check
• Complete blood work-up - check
• Physical therapy for a chronic spinal injury - check
• Comprehensive stool analysis including a check for pathogens (bacteria and viruses of the GI tract) - pending
• Upper and lower GI evaluation to check on those Plavix-induced bleeds - pending
• Additional autoimmune testing to make sure nothing else has been triggered by the trauma of TIAs, heart surgery, etc. - pending

I feel like now I owe it to myself to make sure I am in tip-top shape. And, I don't want my "heart condition" to become an achilles heel.

In other words, I don't want to make excuses for why I can't or won't do things because of what I have been through.

Let's figure it all out, fix what we can, move on. Check.

Reasons to celebrate.

If I just look at day to day or even week to week "progress" it's easy to feel defeated. I want to feel better now (using my whiny Violet voice from the Willy Wonka movie).

But, I have to see the forest and not just the trees.

Here are the things which are so incredibly awesome and make me happy when I look back on these past 6 months:

• for medicines, I am only taking a daily baby Aspirin plus my regular thyroid hormone prescription (I am off the beta blockers, anti-anxiety meds and off the Plavix, thank God)
• three echocardiograms reveal 1) my device is in the right place 2) my heart is functioning well 3) scar tissue is endothelializing properly around my device 4) approximately 90% or more of the hole is closed and will continue to close with each passing month
• my peripheral vision is improving and I am driving more
• my PTSD from having two TIAs in my car is improving, thanks to therapy, tapping, mediation, breathing, etc. and I am feeling more confident and less fear
• nearly all of my pre-closure symptoms are gone or significantly decreased (such as racing heart, shortness of breath, vertigo, tingling)
• the post-closure migraine situation (that no one told me occurs in about 15% of people so naturally, that would include me) has improved and now I only get auras about 1-2 times per week, pain is minimal
• I have been back to my favorite exercise classes a handful of times (yoga and barre) and that felt good, even if I had to modify nearly every pose
• I walked a 5K on Mother's Day and had a pretty decent pace (yep, I ugly-cried at the finish line, proud moment)

Things I know and don't know following heart surgery.

• We have only one body - it can fail us but we love it anyway.
• We have only one life - make it great!
• Do only what really matters, the rest is noise.
• Take care of your body, mind and spirit always.
• Be present and love deeply with your loved ones, family, friends, community.
• Positivity makes all the difference.
• We can't know it all, we can only do the best with what we DO know.

This post concludes my 2018 heart journey. From time to time, I will update you through my newsletters. But, for now, thank you all for reading.

And, thank you for your kind wishes... and for the love and support that saw me through.

For part two of this series, I thought it might be helpful to share with you the resources and support I have leaned on these past few months to help get me through the medical challenge, both physically and emotionally.

When I got sick earlier this year, even before we knew about the hole in my heart, or PFO (patent foramen ovale) with atrial septal aneurism, I knew that my own toolbox of holistic care practices was going to be crucial to healing and recovery.

Prior to definitive diagnosis and scheduling of surgical closure of PFO (end of March, yay!) to fix my heart, complementary medicine played a part in getting me where I am today. (I will write about surgery and recovery in part three of this series.)

I was already pretty dang healthy.

It’s important for me to write that. To let that sink in.

I. Was. Healthy.

After months of feeling pretty badly thanks to the PFO, it’s sometimes easy to forget that before this started, I was feeling great. (Which I guess is part of what also makes acceptance of my condition even harder some days.)

But, thankfully, being healthy is probably what helps me to

• Suffer less
• Recover faster
• Advocate better
• Research and understand more
• Know what is and isn’t normal for me

Food first.

I am a nutritionist, so I eat healthy. Like the-butt-of-healthy-food-jokes-healthy.

Check me out on Instagram if you want to see some of my food pics.

Even my not-so-healthy is still pretty healthy.

My vices have always been coffee, wine, chocolate and cheese - in that order.

But, my standard food plan is mostly organic, gluten free, often grain free, high-quality, emphasizes fats and is loaded with veggies. I choose my meats consciously. I strive for balance on my plate.

I don’t have rules. I listen to my body; I eat what I crave; I practice mindfulness as a part of every meal.

So, luckily, just before my first transient ischemic attack (TIA also known as mini stroke) in mid-January, I had actually just completed a one-week detoxification program. I typically embark on a detox one or two times per year.

The benefits of detox for me:

• Reducing my vices if they have started to creep in more than necessary
• Inspiring new food choices, variety, different recipes
• Focusing on hydration
• Letting my digestive system rest and reset to improve my overall health

Since my mini strokes occurred, I have kicked my healthy eating in to overdrive.

Blood sugar imbalance was one of the initial struggles I faced. So I have boosted my protein to over 90 grams per day. I especially try to get protein in first thing in the morning - breakfast is a struggle since I have been feeling badly, so I sometimes eat two smaller morning meals.

Sometimes that includes a superfood-packed smoothie with this super yummy protein powder (available through your FullScript account).

I have strived to consume 10 or more servings of vegetables per day. In the form of soups, salads, curries, stir-fries, roasted veggies, steamed and fermented - variety is key.

Healthy fats are critical for a healthy brain and heart. Salmon, nuts, seeds, avocados, coconut oil and olive oil are a major part of each of my meals.

I have not had any alcohol, white sugar or caffeine.

My water consumption is around 80 ounces, plus several cups per day of herbal teas, 6-12 ounces daily of kombucha, and nut milks in smoothies, etc. Every few days I have a fresh pressed green vegetable juice - store bought brands like Evolution Fresh.

I have been strict with eating on a schedule and balancing the macronutrients (carbs, fat, protein). We have been blessed with home-cooked meals from friends and neighbors. I am cooking as much as my energy allows.

The important piece is keeping the menu simple for easy digestion and assimilation of nutrients.

Movement is key.

I have never been what I would consider an “athlete.” (My parents - if they are reading this - are laughing out loud remembering my foray in youth sports.) I am 100% non-competitive and lack total and complete hand-eye coordination.

I actually hated exercise until I found yoga.

And, honestly, only then did I start to move to help me feel better on the inside and out. Once I started stretching, bending, strengthening and flowing, I could not stop.

For years, I was practicing yoga 3-4 times per week, spinning once per week and speckling in a barre class here and there. I was walking my dog for 25 minutes or more every day. Sometimes it felt like I never sat down.

I love being active and moving and feeling my body.

When my PFO/hole in my heart started *beeping at me* around the holiday time, I lamented (truthfully, I had a fit) that exercise intolerance was one of the most annoying symptoms. I simply could not do it. I even had a hard time walking my dog around the block.

But, you know what, I can stretch. I can move my body in a way that still feels good.

I have had a night time stretching routine for years, and I continued to stretch EVERY DAY - even when my brain or my heart felt like it was going to explode.

For stretching, I use my foam roller. I use a yoga strap. I just hold the position for as long as it feels good. I make stuff up as I go.

Stretching every day since my first TIA has grounded me and kept me as connected to my body as I could possibly be.

The right supplements: personalized to my needs.

I reached out to my tribe of nutritionist colleagues and friends and asked for advice and ideas on what supplements my body needed in midst of this new set of circumstances. (I personally believe there is no one size fits all answer, and I believe our needs for nutrients change with age and health status.)

First, I tested my micronutrient status with a Spectracell blood test RIGHT AWAY, so I knew what my body was actually needing and then added on from there.

• Vitamin B12 plays several important roles in keeping the cardiovascular system on track, in particular the production of red blood cells, which are critical for transporting oxygen throughout the bloodstream. B12 also supports a healthy brain and nervous system.
• Manganese is a cofactor for an enzyme called manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD), which is a potent antioxidant associated with protection against free radical damage. I want to protect against free radical damage which can increase complications of heart disease and worsen my PFO symptoms.
• Essential fatty acids/EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) & DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) are crucial for the prevention of heart attack and stroke. Proper function of the nervous system, including the brain, also depends on the presence of DHA.
• Lithium Orotate easily crosses the blood brain barrier and is a powerful neuroprotective supplement and may help with neuro-repair after TIA/mini stroke.
• Iron plays a key role in transporting oxygen to tissues. Due to the shunting of blood from my right atrium to the left atrium, there is a mixing of oxygen-rich and oxygen-poor blood going to my brain, organs and muscles. Oxygen support is key.

In addition to taking the nutrients I tested deficient in, I also added the following supportive supplements:

• Betaine/hydrochloric acid helps digestion by supporting gastric acid secretions needed to denature proteins and absorb minerals and vitamins, including calcium, iron, and vitamin B12.
• GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) is a calming neurotransmitter which helps relieve anxiety, agitation, stress, panic and poor sleep, and instead provides feelings of calm and relaxation. Read more about calming neurotransmitter nutrients on my colleague Trudy Scott’s blog - she is an excellent resource for natural mood support!
• Pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ) is a micronutrient whose antioxidant capacity provides extraordinary defense against mitochondrial decay and may even stimulate growth of fresh mitochondria! (Low mitochondria activity is responsible for bone-crushing fatigue and brain fog - which were both affecting me dramatically for a period of time after my TIAs.)
• Vital Brain® Powder (available through your FullScript account) is a supplement for mental performance, brain vitality, and helping to restore brain function. The powerful nutrients support mental focus, memory, concentration, positive outlook and brain wellness and will help with neuro-repair after having many TIAs.

This regimen has been the right fit for me as I have noticed improvement in my vision, cognition, mood, sleep, energy, digestion and blood sugar control - all of which worsened immediately starting right after my first TIA.

And, worsened even further with each successive episode. I plan to stay on these nutrients for at least 3 more months to gain additional improvement.

Functional medicine to reverse the damage.

Seeing a functional chiropractic neurologist who understood what was happening to my brain and nervous system was my first step towards getting better. Without his support, I would not be writing for my blog already. And, I am driving (short distances) again. Yay!

Dr. Steadman and his team performed detailed neurological examinations, vision tests, metabolic and laboratory analysis and physical assessments in order to create a customized treatment plan. I completed 10+ hours of rigorous “brain camp.”

His approach quickly addressed the very subtle changes in the function of my nervous system.

Subtleties other neurologists weren’t picking up on.

I will continue to work with Dr. Steadman following my PFO closure procedure (did I mention - end of March, yay!!!!).

Once I reach a new baseline for enhanced brain oxygenation and see what improvements that brings on its own, I will know more of what I need to keep working on with him.

Acupuncture to rewire body, mind and spirit.

Leslie Huddart is my “body whisperer.” She listens to, understands and gently responds to the body’s energetic needs.

I have been seeing her for years for acupuncture, but never before was it more necessary than when (due to multiple neurologic events/TIAs) my brain was literally NOT COMMUNICATING with my body.

Each treatment with Leslie is both therapeutic and cathartic.

Leslie uses Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) and tapping methods to help unlock stuck emotions in the body. The post-traumatic stress I experienced from two TIAs while driving had me nearly paralyzed with fear - fear of driving, fear of never driving again and fear that because of my condition, I was somehow a danger to myself or others.

Leslie taught me how we could gently release those experiences and lay down new neural pathways. She gave me mantras, breathing techniques and visualization tools to overcome those traumatic experiences and move forward.

“Even though this happened...and it was scary...and it’s OK that I am worried it will happen again...I am safe...and I deeply love and accept myself…”

Meditation becomes my new normal.

I wish I could say that meditation has long been a part of my tool box. Honestly, I am better at my own personal style of “mindfulness” - like paying attention, slowing down, breathing and checking in.

But, a true meditation practice has always felt out of reach to me. Even with all my years and background in yoga, meditation intimidated me. I felt I had to be perfect before I could try it. Perfect at what?

I downloaded the “CALM” app on my phone for $100. Yes, that seemed pricey at the time - but it has paid for itself already. I have completed nearly 35 hours of meditation in the past month alone. Often I fall asleep. Most of the time, my mind is wandering.

I am far from perfect.

But, I am greatly enjoying the benefits. The slowing down. The turning inward.

I get it now.

I can’t say I have a schedule for this practice - I just listen to my body and pay attention to when I need it. And I do it right away.

I have used the app in doctors’ office waiting rooms, before bed, in the middle of the day, in the middle of the night, and even a few times when I got in my car to drive a short distance and felt a little off.

It immediately sets me straight.

 

Other self care rituals making a strong come-back.

Just a quick list of other things I have been doing to take care of myself in midst of this health crisis:

• Deep breathing.
• Sitting outside in the sun whenever possible
• Eating soup as much as possible
• Reading easy, fun books and favorite magazines and catalogs when my vision allows
• Taking baths or showers at bedtime to foster warmth and deeper relaxation
• Use of essential oils and herbal tinctures for energy OR relaxation/calming
• Sleeping with an eye mask to help promote deeper REM/restorative sleep
• Herbal teas - 6 or more cups per day of rooibos, lavender, lemon balm, ginger, turmeric, dandelion and more
• Music to lift my spirits
• Napping, lots of napping
• Saying NO to whatever does not serve me
• Letting go of things that do not matter
• Accepting help from family and friends who want to help (this is a hard one, I am an independent woman - usually I am the one making soup for others!)
• Being more present with the people I love - cherishing every moment and making mental snapshots of our connections, without thinking about what lies ahead
• Prayer - I often don’t even have anything to say...I just reach out to the universe for THE almighty being/God to come and just be with me...

A story to keep me going.

I love this story. My friend recently told me about her husband’s cousin.

This man, in his mid-40s, suffered a terrible heart attack and actually died in the emergency room.

Died.

He was brought back to life by an incredible team of doctors and staff in a great hospital. His body, deprived of oxygen for a period of time, suffered some damage. His stay in the hospital was 2 weeks and he was terribly sad to be away from his wife and four kids for that long.

But, he had to receive all kinds of healing treatments and procedures.

The man cried while talking to one of his nurses one day. “What did I do wrong? I was trying SO HARD to be healthy! How did this happen? I eat healthy and exercise!”

The nurse looked at the man and said, “Sir, it is precisely BECAUSE you were trying to be so healthy that YOU ARE HERE TODAY, having this conversation with me.”

You are as important to your health as it is to you.
-Terri Guillemets

Hello, Heart, I hardly knew you.

Last November, I started feeling a fluttering, vibrating sensation in my chest/heart. I remember distinctly the first time I felt this sensation - I was sitting in front of the fire and working on my laptop.

It felt like a phone on vibrate was in my chest pocket. Over and over, it went. What the?!

I saw my primary care doctor and she heard a sound called a PVC. We agreed to watch and wait.

The vibrations continued daily, sometimes all day.

I just kept doing what I normally do - exercising, working, volunteering, kids’ activities, holiday prep, etc.

A perfect storm.

A couple times, my racing heart and palpitations felt like something to be worried about. My doctor kept tabs and even made a special 10 pm visit to her office with me for an EKG.

Normal.

We decided on a 24-hour holter monitor test (which also later came back normal).

The night of January 18th, while driving to pick up my daughter from gymnastics, something happened to me.

A hot rush of weird tingly-ness went up the left side of my neck. I felt like I couldn’t take a deep breath. I was hot, then cold. Then I was nauseous.

The radio was bothering me, the lights of other cars were so bright. My heart rate went from 75 BPM to over 150 in about 3 minutes.

I felt like someone had pulled a hood over my head from behind. My peripheral vision was black and soon I had tunnel vision.

I was driving, so my first thought was who to call, where to pull over, what to do next.

Before I was able to pull over, within seconds I lost full vision. While driving.

I ended up on the other side of an intersection and THANK GOODNESS no one was hurt.

I called 911 and they came.

I said “I think I am having a heart attack.” A trip to the ER revealed that I did not have a heart attack.

Everything checked out ok. I went home.

I felt like I had a hangover the whole next day or two.

I called this a “fainting episode.”

Nothing else was in my realm of understanding.

I fainted while driving?! Really scary and hopefully a flukey thing.

Was I stress-provoked? Low blood sugar? Overly tired? A week went by and I went (relatively) back to normal.

Exactly one week after the first “episode,” the same thing happened again while driving. But, this time I pulled over before I lost vision. My vision stayed blurry. My sense of space and dimension was off. I felt like I was driving a spaceship. Vertigo set in.

Thankfully, an Uber driver got me and my car home safely. I ended up back in the ER that day due to a heart rate that never came down (98 BPM while laying down) and I checked out fine.

Again.

Nonetheless, I decided to stop driving until I knew more.

Over the course of the next couple weeks, I had approximately five or six more of these episodes and every single one was the same:

• A sensation on the left side of my neck.
• Shortness of breath.
• Body temperature dysregulation.
• Digestive upset like nausea, or even diarrhea.
• Photo and phono-phobic.
• Elevated heart rate.
• Loss of peripheral vision or “tunnel” vision.

Despite the episodic suffering, I have also had consistent daily symptoms of fatigue, heart rate increase, shortness of breath, chest pain, dizzy feelings and more.

I admit, my quality of life has been decreased due to my inability to work, exercise, care for my family properly, have the freedom to drive safely, and so on.

And with that comes a lot of emotional suffering.

Medical mystery tour.

On my quest to figure out what is wrong with me, I have been to my primary care doctor half a dozen times.

I have also seen two cardiologists, an endocrinologist, THREE neurologists, a functional chiropractic neurologist and a rheumatologist. Tests and labs were mostly “unremarkable.”

After two MRIs, a chest X-ray, urine study, and more EKGs than I can count - nothing.

(Thank Goodness for the things we were able to rule out with those tests!)

I went to the Emergency Room a total of three times, and the third time, the attending PA’s first words to me were “I doubt we are going to be able to help you.”

Everyone’s professional opinion? Migraines and/or anxiety.

The solution? Anti-anxiety medications.

This is not my first rodeo. In 2001, prior to being diagnosed with Hashimoto’s, the medical modicum was much the same: “You are depressed and need medication.”

Well, listen, I know my body, and I know how to advocate for my health.

While I know with certainty that anxiety is not the root cause of my symptoms, my symptoms have in turn caused me to feel anxious, worried, nervous and sad.

Luckily, I have spent nearly two decades filling my “happy & healthy toolbox” with strategies for self-care, coping, healing and reflection.

(I will write more in part two about the complementary and alternative modalities I have been using to help me feel better.)

Finally, progress.

My primary care doctor suggested a revisit to the cardiologist to get an echocardiogram (ultrasound of the heart) to just “double-check”.

I am so glad she circled back on this.

The echocardiogram revealed a rather large hole (patent foramen ovale or “PFO”)  in my heart, between the atria.

A place where the tissues should have sealed at birth, didn’t.

Actually, it’s a common congenital heart defect, affecting about 1 in 5 people. Most adults never know they have this hole in their heart because they do not have any symptoms.

However, adults who become symptomatic typically do so around the age of 40. Symptoms like increased fatigue, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, chest pain or tightness, dizzy feelings and more are common.

One primary concern facing adults with PFO is an increase in risk of transient ischemic attack (TIA) or full-blown stroke.

In addition to the PFO, I have something called an atrial septal aneurysm (ASA).

Basically, it’s a piece of heart tissue branching off my PFO. It looks like a giant jump rope AND flips and flops with every beat.

The ASA also apparently acts like a two-way valve, allowing blood to mix between the atria.

It means the side of my heart that is supposed to supply oxygen-rich blood to my brain is supplying oxygen-poor blood instead, giving me an almost constant dizzy or lightheaded feeling.

My heart is essentially my body’s blood pump - for all things: oxygen, glucose, nutrients, hormones, neurotransmitters, etc. - so if my pump isn’t working properly, my body and brain aren’t getting the crucial things they need via the blood.

The affected heart/pump in turn affects every system and organ in the body.

Next steps

I insisted on getting to the root cause of my symptoms.

I have spent countless hours researching my symptoms, my condition and the connections between my heart and brain.

I have met with or talked to dozens of healthcare providers, holistic healers, colleagues, friends, and several other women around my age who have a PFO too. I even joined an online PFO Research Foundation support group.

I can certainly tell you there are still a lot of hoops to jump through before this saga is over.

Additional tests will tell us if I am a good candidate for surgical closure of the PFO/ASA and if so, what kind of surgery.

They can fix it percutaneously by inserting a closure device through a vein in my groin, or with a more complex surgery.

My fingers are crossed for a simple closure and resolution. With closure, my lifetime risk of stroke will be less, and my symptoms will hopefully go away.

There will be a period of recovery and of finding a new homeostasis or balance in my body after closure. And, I will probably have a different outlook on a lot of things, first and foremost my heart.

The heart I never even thought about before all this.