Pili’s Heart Surgery

Aloha!

My name is Pili, Im a 26 year old Cardiac Patient and for the past 13 years I have been on a rollercoaster of a medical journey. In my early teen years, I would faint, lose feeling in my body, or have migraines that would never go away. As I got older I continued to have those fainting spells but when I hit my adult years things really took a turn. I started to have weakness in my body, having a harder time moving around, difficulty breathing, then I developed what felt like my heart thobbing or pounding out of my chest. My symptoms were overwhelming and not normal for my age.

In October of 2023 I met with a Neurologist who was helping with my dizziness and migraines when his attention to detail found a problem.

His finding proved my diagnosis to be Mitral Valve Prolapse w/ regurgitation, in other words my heart valve leaflets dont open/ close properly causing blood to flow backwards in my heart.

On May 6, 2024 I had open heart surgery at the Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio to repair my valve and stop the regurgitation. The procedure was SUCCESSFUL, however after a month of returning home my symtoms continued. I had another procedure done to implant a loop recorder (heart monitor) in August 2024 by an electrophysiology team at Queens Medical Center due to an AV block that was found. They explained that my hearts electrical system stopped communicating with itself causing my heart to stop beating for about 3-5 seconds.

My current goal is to fly back to Cleveland Clinic to continue getting medical attention asap. As time goes by my symptoms continue to be more unpredictable and overwhelming. Although my incisions are “healed” im still in pain everyday.

I hope that I can one day be well enough to get back to enjoying life rather than taking medication and hospital visits. To actually feel like im 25.. and not have to plan a route to the ER anytime we go out.

I appreciate if you took the time to read this, I ask that you keep me in your thoughts and prayers as I continue on with this this journey. Please share my story with your friends, family, or social medias to help me raise enough money not only for me to go back to Cleveland, but also to pay for all of my ER visits and ambulance rides Ive taken.

Some people have shared their concern of donating through gofundme so please feel free to donate through venmo to my mom @Richelle-Esperas (last 4 of Ph # 6183)