A Story of Courage and Persistence

In late 2022, Monika experienced sudden discomfort, including dizziness, sweating and shortness of breath. Recognizing the severity, she called for an ambulance, which transported her to Oldenburg Hospital in Germany. The diagnosis was acute cardiogenic shock, revealing that Monika's heart had an ejection fraction of less than 10 percent.

Acting swiftly, heart surgeon Dr. Harald Eichstaedt, and his team at Oldenburg Hospital implanted an Impella heart pump without delay. This allowed Monika's heart to rest before the stenosis in hear coronary arteries could be treated with a stent. Following a successful surgery and Monika's initial recovery, the support provided by Impella was gradually reduced until the pump could finally be removed. After a few more weeks of convalescence, Monika was able to leave the hospital. Following this procedure, the ejection fraction of her heart improved to 45 percent.

Today, Monika can enjoy her life again. She is actively engaged in her profession producing handmade decorative articles from natural materials and loves spending time with her husband.