Follow Your Heart

by Em Petrova

When I received my November 2010 issue of the Romance Writers Report, I was surprised to see an ad for Go Red for Women. As most of you know, Go Red is the American Heart Association’s campaign to educate women about the prevention of heart disease. As this topic is very close to me, I fired off an email to the RWA, letting them know how fabulous I think it is that they support the cause.

I'm a 36 year old mother of 5. My first daughter passed away in infancy from a heart defect. Ten years later, I started to get short of breath walking upstairs to do chores or tuck my kids into bed. Chronic fatigue plagued me, and I chalked it up to waking too early, doing too much. I’d just emerged from a seven-year-long writer’s block following my daughter’s death, and I hated that I had to struggle to find energy to write again.

When the chest pains began, I ran to the doctor. After a few tests, it was determined that I have a major heart condition called Aortic Valve Regurgitation. I was born with a faulty valve, which over time, stopped working efficiently, and now it's leaking severely. Eventually, I'll need a valve replacement, which is no small thought to a busy mom!

I have daily symptoms. Living with angina or shortness of breath are so normal to me, I actually notice when I feel healthy. And believe me—those instances are few and far between.

I thank God every day for my wonderful husband, who takes a big load off me, and for my kids, who understand why Mom won’t go into the swimming pool with them. Also, I plow on for my writing career, which has just hit its stride.

I began writing at the age of twelve, and during my teen years was hardly ever seen without a Bic pen (generously gnawed on the end) and wide-ruled spiral bound notebook. Of course, those first stories were young adult, Flowers in the Attic meets Stephen King’s Misery novels. After the fog of my daughter’s death cleared, I picked up the pen again and began to write a broad range of genres, but at the heart of the story, there was always romance.

On October 1, 2010, I celebrated the release of my debut novel, Runes, and simultaneously mourned my daughter’s Angel Day. Later that month, I sold three more books—one of these a literary fiction novel with over forty previous rejections—and two of those sold in two days!

I love my life, and though my health is not what I wish it to be, I encourage all of you to follow your dreams, no matter what obstacles arise.

Most women won’t have the heart condition I have, or suffer the loss of a child, but we all must care for ourselves. Go Red helps us to learn how. Thanks for hearing my story and supporting the cause.

Em Petrova

http://www.empetrova.com

American Heart Association http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/