A Story of Courage and Persistence

In late 2022, Monica experienced sudden discomfort, including dizziness, sweating, and shortness of breath. Recognizing the severity, she called for an ambulance, which transported her to Oldenburg Hospital in Germany. The diagnosis was acute cardiogenic shock, revealing that Monika's heart had an ejection fraction of less than 10 percent.

The attending physician, heart surgeon Dr. Harald Eichstaedt and his team do not waste any time but decided to insert an Impella® heart pump. This allowed Monika's heart to rest before the stenosis in hear coronary arteries could be treated with a stent. Following a successful surgery and Monika's initial recovery, the support provided by the Impella heart pump is gradually reduced until the pump can finally be removed. After a few more weeks of convalescence, Monika is finally able to leave the hospital. Following this procedure, the ejection fraction of her heart improved to 45 percent. 

Today, Monika can enjoy her life again: She is actively engaged in her profession - producing handmade decorative articles from natural materials - and loves spending time with her husband.