Ebony Smith-Thomas was handling the challenges of caring for her 2-month-old son while trying to keep her 11-year-old and two teenage nieces occupied when her air conditioning failed. The stifling humidity of a May evening in St. Louis became unbearable, prompting her to load the children into the car and head to her mother’s home in the north of the city.
That night, Debbie Thomas-Smith heard her daughter’s intense, persistent cough. Concerned about her daughter’s health, Debbie advised Ebony to seek medical attention the following morning, suspecting it could be walking pneumonia.
After visiting an urgent care center, Ebony received troubling news: tests indicated fluid accumulation in her lungs, a sign that she might indeed have pneumonia. To confirm the diagnosis, medical professionals referred her to the emergency room, where another X-ray was performed. Shortly thereafter, a technician arrived with an ultrasound machine.
Confused, Ebony questioned the necessity of the ultrasound, given that she had recently given birth. The technician clarified that it was for assessing her heart. The results showed that Ebony was suffering from peripartum cardiomyopathy, a rare type of heart failure that can occur during the later stages of pregnancy or, as in her case, in the postpartum period.
This condition meant that her heart was struggling to pump blood effectively throughout her body. A healthy heart functions with an ejection fraction of 50% to 70%, while heart failure is diagnosed when the ejection fraction drops to 40% or lower. Ebony’s ejection fraction was alarmingly low at 27%. Over the following years, she underwent various treatments and medication changes in an effort to improve her heart’s condition. During this time, discussions about the possibility of a heart transplant began.
In October 2019, five years after her initial diagnosis, Ebony was placed on the transplant waiting list. She felt as though her life was suspended in uncertainty, filled with both hope and trepidation regarding what lay ahead. “I would tell her, ‘You’re still here. You still have a chance, and you’re not going to give up,'” said Debbie, ever the supportive mother.
On August 18, 2020, Ebony received the life-changing news that a new heart would be available for her the following day. The surgery lasted nearly 23 hours. When she woke up, her mother couldn’t help but notice the transformation in her demeanor. “She was bubbly and happy and clearheaded,” Debbie recalled.
More than four years have passed since that monumental surgery, during which Ebony faced additional health hurdles, including a blood clot in her new heart that necessitated another open-heart surgery, along with a hysterectomy and a double mastectomy. Despite these challenges, she has cultivated a profound appreciation for life. While many dread the passage of time, Ebony views aging as a gift. “It’s a blessing to wake up every day,” she expressed. “Whether I’m feeling down, upbeat, or unwell, I’m thankful that God has given me another day.” Stories From the Heart celebrate the uplifting experiences of individuals who have triumphed over heart disease, stroke, and their respective journeys of recovery and resilience.