Open-hearted: My Life with Cardiomyopathy and Heart Failure

Open-Hearted – My Life with Cardiomyopathy and Heart Failure Patricia Vlasman leads her life with a heart condition since birth: hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. She is strongly advised against pregnancy and always takes oral contraception, but suddenly finds herself pregnant. She and her husband decide to keep their baby. Patricia gives birth to a wonderful son whilst having three cardiac arrests. Soon thereafter she suffers serious arrhythmias and loses her ability to work. When Dutch cardiologists say they have little left to offer her, the only option is to ask for a second opinion at the Mayo Clinic in the US. A fundraising concert with well-known artists enables Patricia to find the means to do this. In the US she gets recommendations for treatment to buy her more time. Back in the Netherlands Patricia tries to be a mainstream mother in between checkups and hospital admissions, but her life is not at all normal - every hiccup leads to looming arrhythmias. Open-hearted is not only recommended reading for heart patients and their family and friends, but for anybody who wants to get inspired by someone with an extraordinary fighting spirit, and a never ending optimism – against all odds.