If you are faced with a tough decision, someone might tell you to follow your heart but that phrase takes on a whole new meaning for a woman being treated for a rare medical condition. April Pinkard's doctor discovered her condition when he couldn't find her heartbeat. A complete examination found that her heart had moved to the other side of her chest. The problem started because she had another organ removed. April was born 31 years ago with lung disease. At four years old, doctors removed one of her lungs. The surgery left an open space in her body and over time that emptiness caused a new problem - a condition so rare April says her doctors don't even have a name for it. "He listened to my heartbeat one day and it just wasn't there. He was all over my chest looking for it," said April. "I said I'm dead. I know it. I said I'm the walking dead, that's it." April can laugh about it now, but three years ago it was no laughing matter. Her heart floated from where it should be to that empty spot.A couple of weeks after that, it had moved again. It became like "Where's Waldo." Her heart continued to float making her sick. The movement was also killing her. Dr. Mohammed Choudhury, April's doctor, had never seen a case like this. Three years ago, Dr. Choudhury sent April to the Mayo Clinic to fix that floating heart. Surgeons used something unique to keep April's heart in place. "They're breast implants. They put one here and here to kind of hold." says April. "If I sprout boobs out my back, nobody will know if I'm coming or going!" April's positive attitude and sense of humor keeps her going. "You can hear it move...if I push on my chest you can feel the squishes." But 30 years of medication have done its damage. "The steroids over the years, it damaged my heart and damaged the bones. I'll sneeze or cough and I'll break 10, 12 ribs." says April. Even so April says she has a blessed life with a loving husband and four adopted children. "Always realize whatever causes you grief or pain makes up the person who you are. You make a choice to have a good life or a bad life. I chose to have a good life." April's only lung is also bad and she will most likely need a lung transplant in the future.
In your voice
