Congestive heart failure can be found in conjunction with any disease of the heart--cardiomyopathy, coronary heart disease, hypertension, or rheumatic heart disease. It happens when the hearts ability to pump blood has been weakened by disease.

In my case this was caused by cardiomyopathy, which was brought on by the birth of my daughter. Cardiomyipathy is a general diagnostic term. It designates primary myocardial disease. This means that the heart increases in size and decreases in output. At my weakest point, my cardiac output was only 19%.

Now, back to the heart failure. To say that the heart has failed does not mean that it has stopped beating. The heart continues to beat, but it lacks the strength to keep the blood flowing through the body properly. When the heart does not pump correctly, the flow slows down. This then causes the blood returning to the heart through the veins to back up. When this happens, some of the fluids in the blood are forced out through the walls of the smaller blood vessels. This fluid then goes into the surrounding tissue causing congestion.

When the fluid goes out into surrounding tissue, swelling occurs through out the body. It can happen anywhere, but is most commonly seen in the legs and ankles. Sometimes the fluids build up in the lungs making it difficult to breathe.

Heart failure also affects the kidneys. It makes it difficult for the body to rid itself of water and sodium. This then can add to body swelling.

Treatment of congestive heart failure includes a combination of diet, drugs, rest, and restricted daily activity. Digitalis is often given to strengthen heart function. It is also helpful in slowing down the heart rate and decreasing heart size. This then helps the body to rid itself of the extra fluids.

During the time of finding correct medication doses, one must work closely with their doctor. The amount of digitalis needed will vary from person to person.

Another medication that your doctor may choose is a diuretic. These are given to help speed up the elimination of excess salts and fluids.

A sodium-restricted diet is almost always necessary. Bed rest will be necessar4y for a while. There will be a gradual return to a somewhat slower paced life style.

The most important thing to remember is to treat the underlying disease that causes the heart failure to begin with. This, in my case was, the cardiomyopathy.

Now that we know what congestive heart failure is, I would like to talk a little bit about how I survived and how I continue to live with it. I am a mother of seven children and am determined to watch each one of them grow up, gratuate, get married and have children. To do this I had to make some vary major changes in my life. I had to give up my job of many years. It was to much for me to run a houshold and work both. I had to make a choice.

There are daily medications and an exercise program. I must be careful to maintain a weight that is exceptable for my heart to handle. My diet has changed a great deal. I, a salt lover, have gone to a sodium free diet.

My activities have changed the most. I love to spend time in the mountains, but am no longer able to do that as the altitude change affects my heart function. I was a very active mom and loved to golf, swim, hike, and just keep up with the boys. Now, I just watch.

I have made all these changes so that I can be here for my family. That is what was most important for me. When I was diagnosed four years ago, I was told that I would never make it out of the hospital. Now, all these years later, my heart function has raised from the 19% that I left the hospital with to 58%. This is amazing according to the doctors, and I hope to keep shocking them and raise my function even more.