Taliyah Symonette spent most of her childhood feeling “different” without really knowing why. She got tired faster than other kids, avoided sports, and brushed off chest discomfort as just being “out of shape.” What she didn’t know was that a hole in her heart had silently pushed her body to its limits—until her heart became so enlarged it nearly filled her chest.


By the time doctors at Corewell Health in Grand Rapids, Michigan, rushed her into emergency surgery, her condition was life‑threatening. Yet with coordinated, highly specialized care, surgeons were able to repair the defect, reshape her overworked heart, and give her a second chance at a more active, less breathless life.


In this article, we’ll walk through what happened inside her body, how modern heart surgery can correct such severe problems, and what her story can teach you about listening to your own symptoms and protecting your heart health.


A Heart So Enlarged It Filled Her Chest: Taliyah’s Story

Taliyah was born with a congenital heart defect—most likely a significant hole between the chambers of her heart. Defects like this are often called:

  • Atrial septal defect (ASD) – a hole between the upper chambers of the heart, or
  • Ventricular septal defect (VSD) – a hole between the lower chambers.

For years, the defect went largely untreated. Her heart had to work far harder than normal to push blood through her body and the abnormal hole. Over time, this constant overload caused the main pumping chambers to stretch and enlarge. Imaging eventually showed that her heart had grown so big it filled nearly her entire chest cavity, pressing against lungs and surrounding structures.


As a 21‑year‑old, she experienced:

  • Extreme fatigue, even with mild activity
  • Shortness of breath and chest discomfort
  • Episodes of pain and a feeling of “tightness” inside her chest

When these symptoms worsened, she sought care at Corewell Health. There, cardiologists and cardiothoracic surgeons recognized that she was in danger of heart failure and dangerous rhythm problems. She needed emergency, highly complex surgery.


Surgeons and care team supporting a young woman with a serious heart condition in a hospital setting
The Corewell Health heart team in Grand Rapids, Michigan, coordinated emergency surgery to repair Taliyah’s severely enlarged heart.

What Happens When a Heart Is Severely Enlarged?

An enlarged heart—also called cardiomegaly—isn’t a diagnosis by itself. It’s a sign that the heart has been under stress for a long time. In conditions like Taliyah’s, a hole in the heart lets blood flow in the wrong direction. That extra flow:

  1. Makes the heart pump more volume than it was designed to handle.
  2. Stretches the muscle fibers, causing the chambers to dilate (get bigger).
  3. Thins and weakens the heart muscle over time.
  4. Raises pressure in the lungs and can damage lung blood vessels.

When the heart gets extremely large, as in her case, it can:

  • Press on the lungs, making breathing even harder.
  • Disrupt the heart’s electrical system and trigger dangerous arrhythmias.
  • Lead to heart failure, where the heart can’t meet the body’s demands.

“By the time we saw her, her heart was occupying almost the entire chest cavity. If we didn’t intervene, she risked progressive heart failure and life‑threatening arrhythmias.”
— Cardiac surgeon involved in the case, as reported by Corewell Health

Research on adults living with unrepaired congenital heart defects shows that chronic volume overload like this can shorten life expectancy and significantly reduce quality of life if not treated. Early detection and repair offer the best outcomes, but as Taliyah’s story shows, even advanced cases can sometimes be turned around with modern surgery.



How Surgeons Saved Her: Inside the Emergency Operation

The heart team at Corewell Health faced two challenges at once: fix the structural hole and help a dangerously enlarged heart recover. While each case is unique, operations like Taliyah’s often include several key steps.


1. Stabilizing a Failing Heart

Before surgery, doctors typically:

  • Support breathing with oxygen and sometimes mechanical ventilation.
  • Use medications (inotropes and diuretics) to help the heart pump more effectively and to remove excess fluid.
  • Perform detailed imaging—like echocardiograms and CT scans—to map the heart’s anatomy.

2. Repairing the Hole in the Heart

In the operating room, the surgical team:

  1. Opens the chest (through a sternotomy in many cases) to access the heart.
  2. Connects the patient to a heart‑lung bypass machine, which takes over blood circulation and oxygenation.
  3. Carefully opens the heart chamber and locates the defect.
  4. Closes the hole with sutures or a patch made from synthetic material or the patient’s own tissue.

3. Helping an Enlarged Heart Recover

Repairing the defect stops the abnormal blood flow and reduces the chronic overload. In severely enlarged hearts, surgeons and cardiologists also:

  • Adjust medications to support the heart as it relearns to pump under normal conditions.
  • Monitor for rhythm disturbances that can occur as the heart remodels.
  • Use imaging in follow‑up visits to track improvement in size and function.

Over months to years, with the underlying defect fixed and good medical follow‑up, many enlarged hearts can partially remodel—shrinking toward a more normal size and improving in strength. Not every heart bounces back completely, but symptom relief and quality of life often improve dramatically.


Cardiothoracic surgeons performing an open heart surgery in a modern operating room
Complex heart surgery relies on a coordinated team of surgeons, anesthesiologists, nurses, and perfusionists using advanced technology.


Before and After: How Life Can Change After Heart Repair

In the weeks after surgery, recovery can feel slow. Pain, fatigue, and emotional ups and downs are common. For someone like Taliyah, whose heart had been struggling for years, it’s also a major psychological shift: moving from “I can’t do what others do” to cautiously testing new limits.


Before: Breathlessness and fatigue limited daily activities and social life.
Young woman smiling outdoors and walking confidently after heart surgery recovery
After: With the defect repaired and rehab, many patients enjoy more energy and confidence.

People who undergo this kind of surgery often describe:

  • Improved ability to walk, climb stairs, or work without stopping to catch their breath.
  • Less chest discomfort and fewer episodes of palpitations.
  • A renewed sense of possibility—returning to school, work, or hobbies they had avoided.

“I didn’t realize how bad I felt until I started to feel better. It’s like my body finally got the oxygen it had been missing for years.”
— Composite reflection based on common patient experiences after congenital heart repair

It’s important to be realistic: some people continue to need heart medications or have exercise limits. Prior lung damage or long‑standing heart enlargement can’t always be fully reversed. But even then, surgery often prevents further decline and stabilizes the condition.


What You Can Learn from This: Recognizing Heart Symptoms Early

You may never face a situation as extreme as Taliyah’s, but her story highlights something crucial: long‑standing symptoms are worth taking seriously. Many people, especially young adults, downplay warning signs because they “seem too young” for heart problems.


Key Symptoms You Should Never Ignore

  • Shortness of breath with mild activity or while lying flat.
  • Unexplained, persistent fatigue that interferes with daily life.
  • Chest pain, tightness, or pressure, especially with exertion.
  • Racing, pounding, or irregular heartbeat (palpitations).
  • Swelling in the legs, ankles, or abdomen.
  • Fainting or near‑fainting episodes.


In children and young adults, additional clues to possible congenital heart disease include:

  • Failure to gain weight or grow as expected (in infants and kids).
  • Getting unusually tired during feeding or playtime.
  • Bluish discoloration of lips or fingertips in some defects.
  • Repeated lung infections or persistent cough.

Doctor listening to a young adult patient's heart with a stethoscope in a clinic
Regular check‑ups and early evaluation of symptoms can catch heart problems before they become severe.

Protecting Your Heart: Practical, Evidence‑Based Steps

While not every heart problem can be prevented—especially those you’re born with—there’s a great deal you can do to support your heart’s health and catch issues early. Here are science‑backed steps you can start now.


1. Know Your Numbers

  • Blood pressure: Aim for <120/80 mmHg if possible, unless your clinician sets a different target.
  • Cholesterol: Keep LDL (“bad”) cholesterol in a healthy range through diet, exercise, and medication if needed.
  • Blood sugar: Screening for diabetes or prediabetes (A1c, fasting glucose) is important, even in younger adults with risk factors.

Regular primary care visits can help catch concerning trends early, often years before symptoms appear.


2. Move in Ways Your Heart Can Handle

Research consistently shows that 150 minutes per week of moderate exercise (like brisk walking) or 75 minutes of vigorous activity lowers the risk of heart disease. But if you have symptoms, a known heart condition, or a strong family history, talk with your clinician before starting anything intense.

  • Start with short walks and gentle activity.
  • Increase duration or intensity gradually over weeks.
  • Stop and seek medical advice if you feel chest pain, severe shortness of breath, or dizziness.

3. Support Your Heart with Food, Not Fads

Large studies suggest that dietary patterns like the Mediterranean diet or DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) can reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke. Common themes include:

  • Plenty of vegetables, fruits, legumes, and whole grains.
  • Healthy fats from nuts, seeds, and olive oil.
  • Moderate amounts of fish and poultry; limited red and processed meats.
  • Reduced added sugars and highly processed foods.

4. Don’t Skip Specialist Care if You Have a Heart Defect

If you were told you had a heart murmur, a small defect, or “a hole in the heart” as a child, it’s worth confirming whether you still need follow‑up. Adult congenital heart disease is a distinct specialty, and guidelines recommend regular monitoring in many cases—even if you feel well.

  • Ask your primary care clinician for a referral to an adult congenital heart disease clinic if you have a known defect.
  • Keep copies of old records or imaging if you have them.
  • Discuss exercise limits, pregnancy plans, and long‑term monitoring with your specialist.

Heart healthy foods including vegetables, nuts, and olive oil arranged on a table
Heart‑healthy eating patterns like the Mediterranean and DASH diets are backed by decades of research.


Common Obstacles to Getting Help—and How to Overcome Them

If you’ve been living with symptoms for a long time, it’s completely understandable if part of you wants to keep pushing them aside. Many people in situations like Taliyah’s describe a mix of fear, denial, and practical barriers. Naming those obstacles can make them easier to address.


“I’m Too Young for Heart Problems”

Heart disease is more common with age, but it’s not limited to older adults. Congenital defects, genetic conditions, and some autoimmune or infectious diseases can affect the heart in children and young adults.

What can help: Reframe check‑ups as a way to stay in control of your health, not a sign that something must already be wrong.


Worry About Costs or Access

Financial concerns are real. Yet delaying care often leads to more serious illness and higher costs later.

  • Ask about community clinics or financial assistance programs.
  • Check if teaching hospitals or large health systems offer lower‑cost care or payment plans.
  • Use free nurse advice lines where available to decide if urgent evaluation is needed.

Fear of “Bad News”

It’s human to fear the possibility that something serious is wrong. But as Taliyah’s story shows, knowing the truth opened the door to life‑saving treatment. Problems don’t disappear if we ignore them; they just become harder to treat.

Gentle reminder: Reaching out for help is an act of courage, not weakness. You deserve to understand what’s going on in your body.


Moving Forward: Listening to Your Heart, Literally and Figuratively

Taliyah’s journey—from a childhood of unexplained exhaustion to an emergency operation on a heart that had grown to fill her chest—is both sobering and hopeful. It’s a reminder of how resilient the human body can be, and how powerful timely, specialized care is, even when things have gone far beyond ideal timing.


You don’t need a dramatic crisis to make your heart a priority. Start with small but meaningful steps:

  1. Schedule a routine check‑up if it’s been more than a year—or sooner if you have symptoms.
  2. Write down any chest discomfort, breathlessness, palpitations, or unusual fatigue you’ve noticed.
  3. Ask your clinician clearly, “Is there anything about my heart health we should look at more closely?”
  4. Choose one heart‑healthy habit (a daily 10‑minute walk, swapping sugary drinks for water, or cooking one extra home‑made meal per week) and build from there.

You deserve a life where climbing a flight of stairs, laughing with friends, or walking across campus doesn’t leave you gasping. If something doesn’t feel right in your chest or your energy levels, let this story be your permission to get checked. The earlier you listen to your heart, the more options you—and your care team—will have.