37-Year-Old Mother of 2 Shares Her Story

37-Year-Old Mother of 2 Shares Her Story

Stroke and heart attack survivor Joanne Matos with her two sons
Joanne Matos, a 37-year-old mother of two, lives with congestive heart failure, a form of cardiovascular disease. Image Provided by Joanne Matos

  • Nearly 6.7 million adults ages 20 and older have heart failure.
  • Joanne Matos shares her lifelong journey with congestive heart failure and an enlarged heart and how she learned to thrive after a stroke and two heart attacks.
  • With treatment and consistent visits with her doctor, Matos is able to lead an active life.

Nearly 6.7 million adults ages 20 and older have heart failure, a form of cardiovascular disease that develops when the heart is unable to pump enough blood and oxygen to other organs in the body.

Because of her condition, doctors informed her at a young age that having children could put her health at risk. However, at 16 years old, she became pregnant with her first son.

“I told my parents when I was around 5 or 6 months. They weren’t very happy at first but then it was this biggest miracle,” Matos told Healthline.

“Pregnancy puts extra strain on the heart and can make heart failure worse,” Aeshita Dwivedi, MD, a cardiologist at Northwell Lenox Hill Hospital, explained to Healthline.

Matos said having her son changed her life for the better. Eight years after having him, she had her second son.

As a kid, Matos loved sports. She played basketball and soccer despite her two heart conditions. However, many times after playing, she experienced seizures.

“Doctors told my parents, ‘We don’t want her playing sports or doing any excessive activities.’ All I knew was sports. I continued basketball and soccer. I was the star,” she said.

When her sons came into her life, she stayed active with them. In 2018, while she was training for a 5K on her treadmill, she felt nauseous, and her vision became compromised.

“I thought I was dying… at first, it felt like a seizure — the spinning, the dizziness. I thought, OK, I know I’m going to fall and hit my head, so I’m just going to sit down and get on the floor now,” said Matos.

Her youngest son, who was 5 years old at the time, was home with her, and she feared leaving him alone, so she didn’t call 911. Eventually, her vision returned.

“I just rode it out. It felt like forever,” she said.

The next day, she went to work with a swollen, drooping face. The following day, she still felt unwell with a massive headache and decided to go to the hospital.

“I kept thinking I had internal bleeding because my mom passed from bleeding in the brain. I guess [she had] heart failure,” said Matos.

However, during a weeklong stay at the hospital, the doctors determined she had a stroke.

“With a very weakened heart muscle, there is no longer robust flow of blood through the heart, and when blood is slowed down, it can cause a blood clot, which can then be ejected from the heart and increase a person’s risk for stroke,” Isla McClelland, MD, who specializes in adult congenital heart disease at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, told Healthline.

Silent heart attacks occur without warning signs or symptoms. The onset results from a blockage in one of the heart’s arteries, which restricts blood flow to the heart muscle and causes damage.

“I didn’t even know I was having them,” she said.

Due to Matos’ condition, her doctors recommended she get a heart pump called a left ventricular assist device (LVAD), which helps the heart pump blood.

“In very severe cases of heart failure, patients may need LVAD. It can sometimes be a bridge to [a] heart transplant,” said Dwivedi.

Matos declined to undergo surgery for LVAD because having one comes with restrictions on activities like swimming, contact sports, and anything that could lead to a fall.

“If I have any regrets, I wish I would have gotten an LVAD sooner,” she said.

While medications are the first line of treatment for heart failure, if a person has advanced heart failure where medications alone are not sufficient for treatment, McClelland said advanced therapies include LVAD and evaluation for heart transplant.

  • shortness of breath
  • persistent coughing or wheezing
  • fluid buildup in the body
  • exhaustion
  • confusion
  • weight changes
  • increased heart rate

In 2020, Matos’s symptoms reached a high. She experienced weight gain and difficulty breathing, and her legs, ankles, and feet were swollen to the point where she had to crawl up the stairs because she could no longer make it upstairs by walking. Still, she continued to work and get her kids to their activities.

“Being a mom always pushes me. Just because I’m over here struggling, I don’t want my kids struggling,” she said.

Matos said she remained diligent about getting regular screenings to evaluate her heart failure. Doctors typically use the following screenings to evaluate people with heart failure:

  • electrocardiogram (ECG)
  • echocardiogram (echo)
  • chest X-ray
  • blood tests to check for BNP levels
  • stress tests
  • cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
  • cardiac catheterization

“If someone has congestive heart failure it is important to have regular heart screenings to assess the strength of their heart as well as the effectiveness of any treatment they may be undergoing,” said McClelland. “Regular follow ups with their cardiologist can also help determine any next steps in treatment that need to be taken.”

During an appointment at Matos’ hospital to perform a heart catheterization, which examines the blood flow through the heart, doctors informed her that her organs were shutting down and that an LVAD was the only option to keep her alive. Matos received the Abbott HeartMate 3 LVAD.

“So it was a no-brainer at that point: life or death. They told me you’re not going to live to see the weekend,” said Matos.

While recovery involved a challenging six months, Matos pushed herself to move more each day.

She said she continues to exercise by engaging in activities her doctor has cleared her for, like using the elliptical machine.

As the spring approaches, Joanne Matos has her sights set on participating in a 5K walk or jog. Despite facing challenges due to her heart condition, she remains determined to stay active and push herself to new limits.

Matos, who has been living with congestive heart failure and an enlarged heart, had to give up activities like swimming and kayaking to protect her LVAD, a device that helps her heart function properly. However, she believes that these sacrifices were necessary for her overall health and well-being.

After waking up from surgery for the LVAD, Matos felt a profound sense of relief as she took her first breath without struggling. This moment solidified her belief that every breath is a gift and should never be taken for granted.

Looking towards the future, Matos’s doctors are planning to add her to the heart transplant list next year, a significant milestone in her journey with heart failure. She wants others facing similar challenges to know that heart failure is not a death sentence but rather a detour in life’s path.

Matos emphasizes the importance of believing in oneself, trusting medical professionals, and maintaining a positive outlook throughout the journey with heart failure. With nearly 6.7 million adults in the U.S. living with heart failure, Matos’s story serves as a reminder that with the right mindset and support, it is possible to thrive and lead an active lifestyle despite the obstacles.