From Stethoscope to Fetal Echocardiogram: A Personal Story of Evolving Heart Care

From Stethoscope to Fetal Echocardiogram: A Personal Story of Evolving Heart Care

February is Heart Health Awareness Month. Read below as Valerie Badillo, Assistant Deputy Director of the Illinois Office of Communication and Information, shares her personal heart health journey from open heart surgery as a child to having an echocardiogram when expecting her own child.

"Valerie, stay with us. Keep talking to me, keep your eyes open. Don't fall asleep. You're almost done."

Phrases and words that I hear sometimes when I close my eyes. I guess you can define them as nightmares, but I use them as motivation in my everyday life for how I am as a person, how I treat others and how I approach my work as I serve the State of Illinois. I am very lucky and grateful to be alive today. Growing up on the South Side of Chicago I had many hopes and dreams for myself as an adult. Among those dreams was the hope to be someone who helped people. I felt that I was here for a purpose and to make a difference. When death feels closer than it should be because of an illness or a lifechanging event, it shapes the person you become.

For me, my first second chance at life appeared in 1997 when I was 7 years old and had open heart surgery. I was born with an atrial septal defect and pulmonary stenosis. It's the official name for a heart murmur and a leaking heart valve. An atrial septal defect is a hole that forms between the upper heart chambers. It also increases the amount of blood that goes to the lungs, according to the Mayo Clinic. Pulmonary stenosis happens when a valve is narrowing, which forces the heart to work harder. Having both at the same time is considered rare and despite having two heart issues I really had no symptoms prior to my diagnosis. I could run, play baseball, dance, and swim without feeling overly tired. The only sign looking back was that I was very thin and small in height compared to other children my age. These two things were something my parents had thought were genetics. I was a seemingly healthy child.

Undiagnosed heart murmurs were common in the 1990s as detection was done mostly with a stethoscope. No doctors had alerted my parents that I had a murmur until I was 7. I had fallen during summer camp and had hit my head. My mother took me to the emergency room to ensure I did not have a concussion. During my exam the doctor told my mother she could hear the heart murmur clear. I can still remember locking eyes with my mother as we both looked at each other confused and scared. I was referred to Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, where I was diagnosed and treated with care and attention.

Echocardiography started advancing from 1980s and 1990s, according to the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine. As technology increased, digital imaging expanded what ultrasound could show.

I did my best to prepare for my birth both mentally and physically. On the day of my induction in January 2022, I went in very optimistic, but my experience became another life-and-death moment. I had complications during my C-section that almost ended my life. My mother was once again by my side as I heard panic and chaos around me. She and I gave each other that same look of confusion and fear we did when I was a little girl. I laid for a long time as the team continued their work in surgery. I did not get a chance to see my baby girl, and my mother was eventually escorted from the room. From there I watched as my vitals dropped. My anesthesiologist spoke words of encouragement for me to stay awake, and to hang on because we were almost done. Thankfully, the amazing team in the room succeeded in saving my life, and so did the surgical team in 1997. My heart withstood the stress of the C-section, and today I am here with my daughter enjoying all the milestones I am so blessed to be sharing with her. I also continue listening to my body and get my heart health screenings when needed.

For more information and resources on heart health, visit Be Well Illinois: https://cms.illinois.gov/benefits/stateemployee/bewell/awarenessmatters/february26-heart-health-awareness.html