Four years ago, Jacky Fields awoke in the middle of the night feeling ill. Her husband suggested making a doctor’s appointment, but Jacky knew this was urgent and asked her husband to call 911. By the time the ambulance arrived, she couldn’t even make it down the stairs. Jacky lived an active lifestyle, often swimming and sailing with her family. How quickly she had gone from a healthy woman to a heart failure patient so sick she may not even qualify for a heart transplant.Jacky had been previously diagnosed with a left bundle branch blockage, but it had never presented a serious issue. After Jacky was transported to her local hospital in New York, physicians implanted a pacemaker. She was discharged home but returned a week later to discover her ejection fraction, the amount of blood that your heart pumps each time it beats, was severely low (11%). Jacky was immediately flown to a hospital in Cleveland, OH. Her health was worsening, preventing her from the possibility of a new heart. Physicians implanted two Impella® heart pumps to provide biventricular support. As her condition stabilized, she became a candidate for a new heart and, just in time, she received a heart transplant. Jacky remained in the hospital for a little more than a week before returning home.

Over time, Jacky has continued to regain her strength. Though she still manages other health issues, she has experienced very few limitations following her heart transplant. Jacky is excited to fully live her life again. She wants women who may experience health issues like her to know that life is worth the fight and though there are challenging days, there are also days where you feel normal – and as Jacky says, “there is nothing better than feeling normal.” She continues to visit the Adirondacks with her loved ones. Jacky family has become even closer since her heart event, so she believes there is good that has arisen from this difficult experience.