Trouble opening small packages. A shooting pain down her left side. Andrea knew there was something wrong.
"When I was wheeled into the hospital, I had a resting heart rate of 130 beats per minute.” That was the day Andrea was diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy. And she soon realized that only a heart transplant would bring her "real life back."
Luckily, she received a match. After the transplant, she noticed a difference right away. "The first thing that I noticed was that I had a heartbeat, and it was so loud… I knew I had a strong heart in there."
Though it was a joyous time for her and her family, Andrea thinks often of her donor's family and their grief. "Every moment a thought goes out to them. I want to make them proud by living and taking care of what's been given to me."