A lifelong journey with congestive heart failure: Joanne Matos shares her story of resilience and adaptation while living with serious heart conditions from birth.

Nearly 6.7 million American adults live with heart failure, a condition where the heart can't pump enough blood to support the body's needs. For Joanne Matos, born with an enlarged heart and congestive heart failure, this has been her reality since birth.

Despite doctors' warnings about pregnancy risks, Matos had two sons - her first at age 16 and another eight years later. Both pregnancies were successful, though challenging, given the extra strain on her heart.

In 2018, Matos suffered a stroke while training for a 5K. This was followed by a pacemaker implantation in 2019 and two silent heart attacks within a year. Her condition continued to deteriorate, leading to severe symptoms including:

• Difficulty breathing
• Extreme swelling in legs, ankles, and feet
• Significant weight gain
• Limited mobility

By 2020, her organs began shutting down, forcing her to accept a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) as a life-saving measure. While the LVAD restricts certain activities like swimming and contact sports, it immediately improved her breathing and quality of life.

Today, Matos maintains an active lifestyle within her medical restrictions. She uses an elliptical machine for exercise and hopes to participate in a 5K. Her doctors plan to place her on the heart transplant list next year.

Common Heart Failure Symptoms:

• Shortness of breath
• Persistent coughing or wheezing
• Fluid buildup
• Fatigue
• Confusion
• Weight changes
• Increased heart rate

Regular monitoring through screenings such as:

• Electrocardiogram (ECG)
• Echocardiogram
• Chest X-ray
• Blood tests
• Stress tests
• Cardiac MRI
• Cardiac catheterization

Matos's advice for others with heart failure: "It's not a death sentence. It's a bump in the road. Stay positive, trust your doctors, and follow prescribed medications."

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