Imagine waking up each day and knowing that you could be suffering unbearable pain at any moment. That’s the reality for sophomore journalism major Alexi Herman. But she doesn’t let her heart condition slow her down.

Herman, of New York City, suffers from Wolf-Parkinson-White syndrome, which means that there is an extra pathway in one of the chambers of her heart.

“That means that the normal electrical impulses will go into the extra pathway rather than the correct pathway which causes symptoms like very rapid heart rate (up to 240 beats per minute), passing out, faintness, dizziness, chest pain and shortness of breath,” said Herman. “The episodes may last from a few seconds to a few hours.”

Other symptoms of this heart condition include palpitations, murmurs, problems with the coronary artery and poor blood circulation.

Herman learned about her heart condition when she was a sophomore in high school.

“I was having a lot of chest pain, shortness of breath, a quick pulse and I began passing out. One day I was sitting in class and I just passed out, so my parents and I decided I should go see my doctor who told me I should contact a cardiologist,” said Herman.

Since being diagnosed, Herman has learned how to balance her heart condition with everything else in her life.

“For the most part it doesn’t really affect my schoolwork, other than sometimes between doctor appointments and having episodes I don’t have as much time or energy to spend on homework as is sometimes necessary,” said Herman.

Even though she has accepted her situation, others do not understand the challenges and lifestyle of someone with such a condition.

“In regards to my social life, I think it definitely has an impact on it,” said Herman. “Often people begin to treat me differently after they find out about my heart condition.”

Most people do not know what the day will bring, but for Herman, not knowing how the day is going to go is the biggest challenge of having Wolf-Parkinson-White syndrome.

“I could have a really good day and have no pain, or I can have a really bad day where I have up to five episodes in one day. Those days leave me drained and with more pain than a lot of people can imagine,” said Herman. “Part of the challenge is that the uncertainty of the disease can be unnerving.”

Herman recently suffered from a ‘bad day’ when she got up one morning to answer the phone and her left leg was completely numb.

“When I went to stand on it, I just fell. Unfortunately I had a computer monitor on my floor, because I haven’t gotten rid of it yet, and I fell onto it which led to my having to go to the hospital,” said Herman.

The doctor’s concluded that the reason she fell is because her circulation is not so great anymore.

Herman has felt support from DU staff in regards to her uncertainty of what each day may bring.

“I think most of my professors and advisors have been really helpful,” said Herman. “When I have had to go to doctor’s appointments during class times, they really understand and work with me to make sure I don’t fall behind.”

Herman doesn’t let her heart condition keep her from looking to the future either. She plans on going to law school after finishing college.