A Hole in My Heart

Abstract

I have never had a broken heart … But since the day I was born, I have had a small hole, three millimeters in circumference, in my heart. When I was eight, I began experiencing symptoms like shortness of breath, irregular heartbeats, and fatigue. Following an appointment with my pediatrician and subsequent visits to a cardiologist, I was diagnosed with an atrial septal defect (ASD), an opening in the wall (septum) between the two upper chambers (atria) of the heart.