Austin (KXAN) — The vertical scar on Anastasia Allen’s chest comes with more history than the 38-year-old would hope. Ten years ago, a blood infection led to her losing a leg and one of her heart valves being replaced.
“Every movement first, basically, it’s like, if you could have stopped breathing, I would have gladly done that,” Allen said about the pain of the surgery.
For weeks, every movement, every giggle, every sneeze felt like torture. “The knowledge that you were about to sneeze is like, it’s something you have to prepare yourself for.”
Ten years later, that valve needed a replacement. This time, Allen, a cardiac nurse, got a different type of open-heart surgery. This one was a lot colder…