How Sandra outran a life-changing heart condition
For Sandra Kelly, movement has always been a way of life. A former collegiate swimmer, high school chemistry and physics teacher and mother of three energetic boys, Sandra built her days around staying active, running, swimming, biking, teaching water aerobics and keeping up with her family. Even after being diagnosed with a serious heart condition more than 20 years ago, she never allowed it to slow her down.
Sandra’s heart journey began in 2004, when she was 41 years old. After years of Sandra going without a routine checkup, a well visit revealed something unexpected: an EKG showed a third-degree heart block, a condition caused by a disruption in the heart’s electrical system. Looking back, Sandra can now recognize the symptoms – lightheadedness, headaches and fatigue – but they had come on so gradually that she barely noticed them at the time. As a lifelong athlete, Sandra’s low heart rate masked the warning signs, making it harder for her to recognize something was wrong. In her case, the challenge had been noticing the symptoms, not diagnosing the condition. She was referred to Dr. Steven Crowley, cardiologist at HCA HealthONE Aurora and he knew just what to do. Dr. Crowley implanted her first pacemaker, and the results were immediate.
“The first thing I said was, ‘I can feel my heart beating,’” Sandra recalled.
At the time, Sandra’s sons were just 5 and 7 years old. About a year after receiving her pacemaker, she welcomed her third child. As a science educator and mother, Sandra approached her diagnosis the same way she encouraged her students and her children to face challenges: with curiosity, critical thinking and confidence. Grounded in science and understanding how the heart works, she met her treatment plan with calm determination rather than fear.
Over the next two decades, her pacemaker kept pace with her life. Pacemakers typically last about 10 years, and Sandra is now on her third device, but she never let it define her limits. She continued to run, swim, teach fitness classes and stay constantly in motion.
That began to change in 2025. Despite remaining extremely active, Sandra noticed she was becoming short of breath and experiencing frequent headaches. At first, she attributed it to aging. But when climbing the stairs in her own home left her winded, she knew something wasn’t right.
She returned to Dr. Crowley, who performed a series of diagnostics to find the cause. After more than 22 years, Sandra’s pacemaker leads, the thin wires that connect the device to the heart, had shifted out of place. The leads were no longer where they needed to be to keep her heart beating properly. Over time, scar tissue had also formed around the leads and inside the heart valves, making it harder for her heart to work the way it should. The only solution was open heart surgery.
Sandra was referred toDr. Jason Shofnos, cardiothoracic surgeon at HCA HealthONE Aurora. While the procedure would be the most significant surgery of her life, Sandra didn’t hesitate.
“I couldn’t wait to schedule the surgery,” she said. “My symptoms were interfering with how I live my life, and I was excited to be able to do something about it.”
On Dec. 4, 2025, Dr. Shofnos performed the surgery. Once inside the heart, he discovered extensive scar tissue that had formed over two decades. One lead had shifted, extending up to the pulmonary valve, and the tricuspid valve was so obstructed that it needed to be replaced. Dr. Shofnos also replaced the pacemaker's leads, attaching them to the outside of the heart to restore proper function.
Sandra spent six days recovering in the hospital. She credits the cardiovascular care team at HCA HealthONE Aurora for helping her through those early days.
“The nurses were incredible,” she said. “They did everything for me in those first days. I felt so supported.”
Still, Sandra was eager to return home, and back to movement. For her, exercise is essential not only for physical strength, but for mental well-being. Recovery required patience: She used a walker, couldn’t lift her arms and was instructed to take things slowly. For someone fiercely independent, that was one of the hardest parts.
Just one week after surgery, Sandra asked Dr. Crowley if she could start walking on a treadmill and riding a stationary bike. Despite lingering pain, she began rebuilding her strength step by step.
Seven weeks later, she was running again.
Before surgery, Sandra struggled to run even half a mile without stopping. Now, she easily completes a 1-mile run, climbs 75 flights on the stair machine, rides 5 miles on a stationary bike and is easing her way back into the pool. Sandra knows her heart journey isn’t over. She will need continued cardiac care, future pacemaker replacements, and possibly another valve replacement down the road. But today, she’s focused on what matters most, living fully and staying active.
“I wouldn’t recommend open heart surgery to anyone if they can avoid it,” Sandra said with a smile. “But I’m grateful to live at a time when medicine and technology make this kind of care possible. I know I’m in good hands.”
Recognized as one of the nation’s Top 50 cardiovascular hospitals by Premier, HCA HealthONE Aurora provided the expertise, compassion and advanced cardiac care Sandra needed to reclaim her active lifestyle. And for Sandra, that means one thing: her heart will never be what slows her down.
Is your heart healthy?
Understanding your heart health is critical to getting the care you need. We offer a health risk assessment to help get you started.
Take our heart health risk assessment
Heart care in Denver
Our cardiologists work to keep your heart strong so you can live life the way you want. HCA HealthONE has one of the largest, most comprehensive networks of cardiovascular services in the Denver area. These include specialized imaging, catheterization and surgery services as well as a holistic, low-risk chest pain program. Learn more and find a doctor.