Hello, Facebook friends and family! Because I am undergoing surgery tomorrow, I wanted to give you all an update. I hope that this holiday season finds you all happy, healthy, and looking forward to a wonderful new year in 2015. As you may know, 2014 has been a phenomenal year for me, filled with many ups and downs! I completed my master’s degree from Brown University, won the title of Miss Rhode Island, competed in the iconic Miss America Pageant, and got engaged to the love of my life (photos on Instagram @missri2014)! It has truly been an amazing experience, and I have made so many memories and met lifelong friends along the way. I’m sure that most of you are aware that I made national headlines after collapsing onstage following the Tuesday night preliminary competition. A diligent medical team was able to diagnose me with a sphenoid sinus infection, a serious but rare condition that can be fatal if left untreated. Although I never meant to make the headlines in that manner, I believe everything happens for a reason, and I went to Miss America to literally have my life saved. Upon returning home and undergoing numerous tests, it was also discovered that I have a separate but related condition called autonomic dysfunction, characterized by orthostatic hypotension and neurocardiogenic syncope. In plain English, the signals between my heart and brain sometimes get mixed up! It is a totally manageable condition, and I have amazing health professionals taking care of me. With proper medication, I have been able to return to most of my day-to-day activities and have enjoyed meeting people from across the state and fulfilling my duties as Miss Rhode Island. My cardiologist is confident that with proper care, my condition is not dangerous - just inconvenient! However, there has been another bump in the road of 2014 for me. After several follow up visits, it has been determined that the sphenoid condition discovered during Miss America has created some issues that need to be corrected surgically. The amount of love and support from people across the globe has been awe inspiring, and I cannot thank you enough for your thoughts and prayers! I’m going to ask that you continue to send them as I undergo surgery on Wednesday, December 17th and during the recovery period thereafter. I will try to keep everyone updated as much as possible, but I will likely be offline for at least a few days! Writing this message, I feel like the luckiest woman in the world, knowing that I have friends and family that have stuck by my side during this year and will be standing alongside me in the future! Although surgery is never something to take lightly, it is just a drop in the bucket compared to the blessings that I have received in 2014! Thanks again for all of your support. Hoping that your holidays are merry and bright, I will see you in the new year! With all my love, Ivy DePew Miss Rhode Island 2014
Posted on: Wed, 17 Dec 2014 04:19:16 +0000
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