Alix Furer: Congenital Heart Disease
Alix was born with a complex series of heart defects and has had 4 open heart surgeries - two of which were around the young age of 7. Now thriving thanks to great medical care and concern she is enjoying her life with her kids and friends.
Part 16 | Staying Healthy Post-Surgery?
About Alix Furer
Learn more about the 360 interview series.
Previous Chapters:
Part 1 | Diagnosis As an Infant
Alix discusses being diagnosed with Congenital Heart Disease as an infant.
Part 2 | Did You Feel Different as a Kid?
Alix reflects on her childhood and growing up with Congenital Heart Disease.
Part 3 | Getting Information
Alix tells us how she and her family found information about her condition when she was a child.
Part 4 | Major Surgery As a Child
Alix recalls her first major surgery as a young girl.
Part 5 | First Surgery Results
Alix tells us about her results after her first two surgeries.
Part 6 | "Growing Up" in a Hospital
Alix recalls her experiences "growing up" in the hospital.
Part 7 | Advice for Families
Alix shares advice on how families can cope with similar health situations as well as what support groups, if any, were available when she was a child growing up with Congenital Heart Disease.
Part 8 | Cause of CHD
Alix talks about how her mother figured out how she developed congenital heart disease in utero.
Part 9 | Staying Healthy
Alix talks about her efforts to stay healthy but also how she is living her life in the moment.
Part 10 | Back to the Doctor
Alix talks about having a third surgery due to developing a tricuspid valve regurgitation.
Part 11 | Outcome of Surgery
Alix talks about her recovery in the ICU after her procedure to repair her tricuspid valve. After she got out of the hospital she continued to go about life independently but it wasn't long until she started to feel like something wasn't right, again.
Part 12 | Reuniting with Childhood Doctors
Alix talks about her fourth surgery and that although it was at a pediatric facility, she was more comfortable because the team knew her complete history from when she was child being treated for congenital heart defect. She also shares about the importance of listening to your body and getting to the doctor if you feel something is wrong.
Part 13 | Telling the Doctors
Alix talks about how she actually didn't want anyone to know about her illness and her surgeries as she wanted it to be a private experience. She also didn't want her husband to visit her in the hospital and bring their children along.
Part 14 | Something Didn't Feel Right
Alix discusses experiencing a build-up of abdominal fluid retention that, because of being a female with an adult congenital defect, was masking as Stage IV ovarian cancer.
Part 15 | "Battle Mode" for Ovarian Cancer
Alix was told that she had ovarian cancer, but due to her surgery for her heart condition, she developed a build-up of fluid in her abdomen.