16/01/2026
Our first story of 2026❤️🩹🫀🩺💕. Thank you to heart-mom, Corlia Hegter for sharing it with us ❤️. All words below are those of Corlia.
Micaila was a competitive swimming athlete and when she could no longer perform better and improve her results at age 13, is where it all started.
She was complaining a lot that she was very tired. Physically tired and her body cannot do more.
We thought it was only being a teenager or her loss of passion for swimming, because her blood tests turned out good and normal so it wasn't iron deficiency or such cases.
Once apon a time when she was sick with sinuses and flu like symptoms we took her to our GP Dr Loube de Ridder in Bloemfontein and Dr could hear her heartbeat and listen to her heart without a 🩺 stethoscope. She immediately sent her to the clinical technologist Hennie Cloete for ECG testing with 24 hour holter monitoring and from there we were referred to Prof Daniel Buys where he diagnosed her with HOCM: Hypertrophic Obstructive Cardiomyopathy.
The obstructive side of this condition only grew more even with medication treatment.
Genetic blood tests were done and it was confirmed that she received both non-working genes from both parents sides.
Luckily for us Dr de Ridder and Prof Buys picked up the condition before it was one of those cases where the student suddenly collapses on the field without a known cause or chance to heal or do something about it.
Micaila slept a lot because of tiredness.
She was and still looks very pale from time to time.
She got car sick when we travelled long distances and it is commonly known or signs for having heart conditions.
She could feel and hear her heart beat at times.
Migraines became more frequent.
Nauseous at times.
Continuous blood pressure monitoring and Drs visit more frequently.
Her skin was even showing all this with more than usual acne breakouts.
When it was time to decide to continue with the surgery, she was admitted to casualties at a hospital in Bloemfontein for having heart pain and Dysrhythmia from her heart to arms for more than a specific time frame.
She never fainted as Prof Buys always asked, but she has felt sometimes and experienced dizziness.
Her obstruction gradient rating was 120 at this point.
The cycle continues as the heart is overworking, causing the heart muscle to thicken, causing more obstruction for the blood flow from the heart to the rest of her body and back and more severe side effects.
After the procedure the obstruction gradient was reduced to 11.
That is a total removal of an obstruction gradient of 109 with a cut out of the heart muscle as thick as a kitkat bar.
She also needed the pacemaker for assistance and for the Dysrhythmia from the cause and genetic condition.
In a few years from now she will and maybe must have another piece of the growing and thickening heart muscle removed again.
The 4 hour procedure [with Dr Erich Schürmann] was worth it all for her to gain more life, to be more lively and feel more alive even though the 6 week post operation is only on 08/01/2026.
There is still life long aftercare treatment that is needed for and by herself and continued chronic medication treatment.
We are highly delighted and blessed with the procedure being successful and in such very capable experienced healing hands.
To all the Drs, healthcare providers, hospital, nursing staff involved we salute you and thank you is such a small saying, but from the bottom of our hearts and in our prayers and testimony to other people.
Especially a thank you to Liesl at Dr Schürmann's rooms for all the arrangements and care from her side and for being the contact person for following up with us telephonically and receiving us at the hospital and recommendation of accommodation just opposite the hospital, made the stay more convenient.
A big shout out to both world class, the best of the best, Drs Schürmann and Dr Kloecks and the best and the one and only Maboneng Heart and Lung Institute.
Our biggest shout out goes to Prof Buys from diagnosing the condition to still walking with us today and his continued healthcare services is beyond what we can describe and if not for all his arrangements, relationship and partnership with Drs Schürmann and Kloecks, the procedure would not have taken place.
You are all much and deeply appreciated.
Be Blessed, Take Care and Continue doing a great job not only a good job.
Thank you.
All glory and honour goes to God above.
