Lauren Bednarz
My name is Lauren Bednarz and I am 26 years old. I was born with a complex congenital heart defect called tricuspid atresia, hypoplastic right ventricle or simply put "half a heart." I have had two open-heart surgeries, the last being the Fontan Procedure 24 years ago. I was also born with two other medical issues: the first was an eye muscle disease for which I had patch therapy as a young child. I got my first pair of glasses at 9 months old and have had three eye muscle surgeries so far (at ages 18 months, 7 years old, and 20 years old). I also have congenital scoliosis, which was not formally diagnosed until about 14 years of age. X-rays revealed I have an extra vertebrae in my lower back. My first liver MRI a few years ago showed I have a small non-cancerous tumor on my spine as well.
