Even in the most routine pregnancies, sometimes there can be unexpected complications. It happened to Dena Jalbert. She had her baby and was sent home. Everything seemed routine — until suddenly, it wasn’t. On her third day at home, she swelled up, sending her back into the hospital. She kept getting worse and struggled to breathe. Her condition seemed to stump doctors, until they finally diagnosed her with the heart condition peripartum cardiomyopathy.

Frustrated and still confused, she sought out care at Florida Hospital and it changed everything. Dena explains how everyone, from the nurses to the doctors, helped her through every step of the way through her recovery, even giving her the confidence to try pregnancy again. Listen to her powerful message about women’s heart health and how important it is to surround yourself with the right team of care.

Dena’s story was featured in an episode of our Emmy-nominated show, “Surviving & Thriving,” presented by Florida Hospital in partnership with WKMG Local 6. Click here to watch the entire episode with limited commercial interruption.