Ebony's Smith Thomas Ebony's Heart to Heart

First post: Mar 26, 2019 Latest post: Mar 29, 2019
In 2016 I was diagnosed with PPCM. It is a form of heart failure that is brought on by childbirth.  That year was blessing though because I met my littlest heartbeat,  Clay.  I am many things to many people, but I think everyone would agree that I am first and foremost A MOTHER! A  mother to Khamari, Clay and my nieces Mareah and Mykinzi.  My heart may be weakened because of this condition, but my faith is strong and so is the love for my family and many supporters.  By looking at me  you wouldn't  believe I am in complete Heart Failure!? 9 weeks after the birth of my baby boy I started feeling bad. When trying to lay flat at night, I  would cough constantly, causing me to throw up and I having trouble breathing. I  remember telling my cousin "this must just be a summer cold or a bug that will eventually go away", but this was not the case! I called the Obstetrician and asked what could I take for the horrible summer cold I thought I had, since I was breastfeeding. A few days after, there was still no relief. I  had mentioned the symptoms to my mother, who felt like it was pneumonia and she sent me to the ER. Once getting there, they did a CT scan since I could barely breath. I had been told that my heart was enlarged and had fluid in my lungs and  around my heart. They did an Echocardiogram (measures heart Ejection Fraction) and saw it was functioning at only 27%. I was then diagnosed with Peri Partum Cardiomyopathy aka PPCM, a rare type of heart failure which occurs during pregnancy or up to 5 months post partum. The condition weakens the heart muscle and causes the heart to become enlarged. As a result, the heart can't pump blood properly to the rest of the body.
Today I am still fighting for my life, trying to be the best mom I can be, and raising awareness for PPCM. I refuse to give up! 
 
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