Low Sodium - Where To Start?From personal experience, adjusting to a low sodium diet can be overwhelming at first. As a newly diagnosed patient, once you start looking into it you realize that salt is... By Morgan Drutchas3 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments0 comments
Why Don't You Buy a Bigger House?To give some background information, my partner and I live in a teeny tiny house. The other day a well intentioned family member asked us when we are going to... By Morgan Drutchas3 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments0 comments
It Is Happening to Them, TooYou have been diagnosed with heart failure. Firstly, I am sorry. I am sorry that it exists and that it has affected you directly. There is so much to unpack... By Clair G3 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments0 comments
Mental Health TherapyWhen you go through something as traumatic as being diagnosed with something like heart failure, it changes your entire life. My first taste of this was when I suffered a... By Olivia Rose3 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments2 comments
Depression Is NormalEditor's Note: This article was written in summer 2023. Depression...for some reason even in 2023 it still feels like it is something you should not talk about. Something that is... By Amber Blackburn, RN3 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments0 comments
Explaining My Heart Journey to Medical StudentsLast August I was lucky enough to get a call from the University of Maryland Medical School. The emergency room physician was also a professor at the University of Maryland... By Olivia Rose3 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments0 comments
Battling Fatigue as a Result of Heart FailureMany of us have experienced the symptoms of heart failure. The hardest of which, I think, is fatigue and feeling exhausted. Sometimes being too tired to even get out of... By Olivia Rose3 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments0 comments
The New Meds Are Making Me Sick!I often see posts from people who are new to heart failure, or have switched their medicines, and remark that the new meds are making them feel terrible. And they... By Morgan Drutchas3 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments0 comments
Pushing Past the PainCan you recall a time you went for day surgery and did not get discharged until a week later? That was my experience with this last procedure I had, removing... By Kimberly Connell3 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments0 comments
Setting Boundaries for My HealthMy whole life I have been a people pleaser and over the years this has often been to my detriment. As I have continued to take my health seriously, I have... By Clair G3 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments2 comments
The Loss of Friendships Due to Heart FailureWe all know what it is like when we get the diagnosis of heart failure. It is a feeling of panic, uncertainty, and many other emotions. With everything changing in... By Olivia Rose3 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments6 comments
Consistently ExercisingOne of the directives I, along with many heart failure patients, have received from their cardiac medical team is consistent exercise is important. I can also tell you that I... By Morgan Drutchas3 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments0 comments
When Would You Meet Me in the ERAs a respiratory therapist, I have a clear role in helping patients with heart failure. So, at what point would I be called to help you? Here’s what to know... By John Bottrell, RRT2 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments0 comments
Interview with AVNRT PatientToday I was able to sit and talk with Laura Wyman, who is a Certified Registered Nurse Practitioner. She has specialized in Pediatrics her entire career. I wanted to talk... By Amber Blackburn, RN5 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments0 comments
Pacing!What is pacing and why am I writing about it? To me, pacing is a skill set that requires acceptance and practice! It has been an essential skill set for... By Morgan Drutchas2 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments0 comments
Promoting a Healthy Lifestyle for a Healthy HeartAlmost everyone has heard about the importance of a healthy lifestyle, but some people still do not understand what that means. Does it mean we should only be eating salads... By Olivia Rose3 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments0 comments
Questions to Ask Your Doctor After Your DiagnosisYou have just been diagnosed with heart failure. And while your doctor might have covered the basics, it is normal for questions to flood your mind once you are back... By John Bottrell, RRT2 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments0 comments
Palpitations – Dealing with the Extra BeatsThere are a lot of new experiences that result from a heart attack or any diagnosis that points to a problem with your heart. We get new doctors, medications, and... By Maggie Teliska-Parke4 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments6 comments
Educating Family and Friends on Heart DiseaseHeart disease is hard for everyone to process and most people do not know how to address it when it comes to explaining it to friends and family. We have... By Olivia Rose3 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments2 comments
Eating More While Cooking Less - Work Smarter Not HarderI have been a heart failure patient for several years, and diet is one area that remains a challenge. Less of a challenge, but still a challenge. The issue, for... By Morgan Drutchas3 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments0 comments