What seemed to be a normal day, on our way to the target minute clinic. Scheduled to get a strep test for my sore throat. Thinking I would just be going home with some antibiotics. Little did I know, I was going home with a hole in my heart.

 The doctor checked my heart beat longer than normal. Shivers shivering up my standing scared self. She told my mom it was irregular and what came out to be a murmur. Both at sea to what a murmur was. Listening to the “boom…boom boom” “boom…boom boom” scared stiff, knowing it didn’t sound right. Hearing the fear in my mom’s voice as she informs my dad about this disbelief. I was on my way home with a dime-sized hole in my heart. 

Fast-forward 2 months, staring at the blank ceiling of the operating room. The repeating pattern of my irregular heartbeat running through my head as the doctor tells me to count down. 

10…

9…

8…

7…

6, my eyes starting to feel heavy

5…

4…

3…

2…

1…

 The nurses, doctors, and my parents surrounding me as I drift off.

Hoping for the best outcome.