Hi, my name is Abbey Cannon and here is a glimpse into my heart journey.
As a child, I did not have any heart issues. However, my mom told me later in life that I was born with a murmur, but the doctor wasn’t concerned, so neither was she. In 8th grade, I had knee surgery, which excused me from gym class from 8th to 12th grade. I wasn’t a physically active child, but I was deeply involved in music/arts during high school, singing and theater specifically.
Fast forward into my 20’s, I got married and had 2 children. Both of my children were born by c-section. I was later told by a physician after diagnosis that if I had attended gym class as a child or gave birth naturally, I may not be here today.
In early September 2012, I started having strange symptoms, including a racing heartbeat, fatigue, and chest pounding when I would lay down. I called and made an appointment with my PCP for the next week, and that very next day, my entire left arm went numb and tingly. This scared me enough to go to the ER. I told my husband and sister that I would be fine driving there by myself, and it was probably just a bad virus. Once I arrived and mentioned chest pain, they immediately brought me back for testing and found that I had a dangerous rapid heartbeat pattern, and mentioned tachycardia and heart palpitations. They immediately admitted me and began testing my heart the next morning, diagnosing me with HCM. Due to my symptoms, they placed an IDC/pacemaker the very next day. I was so shocked by all of this information. Just the prior week, I was fine, working a full-time job, caring for my children (5 & 6 years old at the time), and now I have a pacemaker?! I accepted it, and once discharged, I expected to feel much better.
Unfortunately, I never felt better; in fact, my symptoms just continued to increase from that point. I was constantly short of breath, fatigued, and had chest pain. I made a follow-up appointment with the cardiologist who helped to explain more about HCM, along with what my test results had shown from the hospital. My husband was with me in the appointment when he explained that he had never seen a heart with so much scar tissue and in such bad shape. He also stated that I will likely need a heart transplant in the future. I was crushed, and my whole life changed.
I received Social Security Disability Insurance for 5 years before transferring my care from Vanderbilt in Nashville to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago to be closer to my family. During our time in Nashville, my husband worked full-time, cared for our kids, and took care of me, but it became too much. Since I'm originally from the Northwest suburbs of Chicago and my condition was worsening, we decided to move in with my parents so they could help us. We moved in May 2016, and by the summer, I was seen by a cardiologist at NM who specialized in HCM. After a few visits, she sent me to the heart failure team, and by December 2016, the decision was made to list me for a heart transplant while waiting in the hospital. I was admitted on 1/25/17 for balloon pump placement and waited in the hospital until I received my perfect heart on 2/27/17. Life after transplant was challenging, with many ups and downs. I returned to the workforce 6 months after the transplant, and I was excited to be working after 5 years, finally! I am now many years post-transplant and doing amazing. I can work and attend other outside activities without shortness of breath or fatigue. My donor changed my life, and I am forever grateful they chose to be an organ donor.
My heart journey has been a rollercoaster, and it has shaped who I am today. To be alive today and share new memories and experiences with my husband, kids, family, and friends is nothing short of a miracle. When I was admitted, doctors told me I had approximately 3 months to live. Now, I never take a day for granted. I live a positive, healthy, and balanced life.