The Art
After Heidi was
diagnosed with
migraine and had
a mini stroke,
she came to us
for a second
opinion—and
learned she had
a
hole in
her
heart
known as a
patent foramen
ovale (PFO). She
became the first
Texas patient to
receive the
lifesaving PFO
Occluder. Today,
Heidi is growing
her own
business,
enjoying her
family and
living without
limits.
After learning
that Heidi is a
painter who uses
art as a form of
healing, Laragh
Gallagher found
a way to honor
Heidi’s recovery
and her style of
art. She painted
a portrait of
Heidi using
patterns and
brushwork that
matched Heidi’s
personal style,
with both eyes
surrounded by
hearts. Each
heart featured a
small loop at
its center,
symbolizing the
hole repaired by
our care team.
The Science
The PFO, present
in the heart of
every developing
fetus, typically
closes after
birth. But that
was not the case
for Heidi. While
many
people
with a
PFO
never experience
symptoms or
complications,
the condition
can potentially
allow dangerous
clots to travel
up to the brain
and cause a
stroke. The PFO
Occluder device
we placed closed
the hole in
Heidi’s heart
and reduced her
risk of having
recurrent
strokes.
Today, Heidi
feels at ease,
knowing her risk
of having more
strokes is low.
She sees her
diet as a form
of medicine. She
eats healthier
foods that make
her feel good,
and she enjoys
all of her
normal
activities. She
believes it’s
important to
move forward—to
believe in the
power of healing
and live life to
its fullest.
*Heidi was the
first patient to
receive this
device that had
been in clinical
trials prior to
her procedure.
