Mother of two is new face of CHD
Christine Miller of Surprise is thankful to be alive after suffering a serious heart ailment after the delivery of her second child.
Diagnosed with a congenital heart disease (CHD) as an infant, Miller has faced many risks associated with her heart condition and has beaten the odds by surviving into adulthood and having healthy children.
In January 2009, Miller developed a a blood clot in her heart valve, a life-threatening condition. She was closely monitored by physicians at St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center, and within days of delivering a healthy baby girl, she went into congestive heart failure. Miller underwent emergent mitral valve replacement surgery at St. Joseph's.
The mother of two was born with multiple congenital heart defects, including a heart murmur, two holes in her heart and a malformed heart valve. She was one of the first children to undergo a valve replacement and pacemaker implantation at two years of age. She has had six pacemaker surgeries and has been monitored by physicians throughout her life.
Medical advancements have given Miller the opportunity to live a full life - something that, until recently, was not possible.
"In the past, patients like Christine would not have lived into adulthood and certainly would not have been able to have children of their own," says John J. Nigro, MD, director of the Scott and Laura Eller Congenital Heart Center at St. Joseph's. "New treatments are making it possible for people with congenital heart disease to live full lives."
Since her surgery, Miller has been released from the hospital and is enjoying her children and husband. She will continue to have close medical follow-ups the rest of her life.
"I grew up not knowing if it would be possible to have children, but new and advanced medical care has helped me deliver two healthy babies and given me the opportunity to live a normal life," Miller says.
