Living

When it comes to healthcare, a lot of abbreviations are thrown our way! I created this cheat sheet to help you understand some of the common abbreviations associated with heart...

As I have written before, when eating a reduced sodium diet for heart failure it's helpful to think about incorporating others taste's into your foods. Believe it or not, salty...

No matter what age you were diagnosed with heart failure, we all remember receiving the news. We all remember what life was like before the diagnosis. For me, there wasn’t...

When I found out that I had advanced heart failure it felt like the ending of my story was near. There were suddenly all these feelings of things I’d never...

According to www.selfcarefederation.org, “self-care is the practice of individuals looking after their own health using the knowledge and information available to them.” It can range from going for a walk...

Feeling like a burden because of heart failure is one of the hardest feelings to overcome. You may feel that everything is your fault and people have to rearrange their...

I remember when the doctors found out that my heart was in the advanced heart failure stage. My parents and I were shocked because when I was diagnosed with dilated...

As a respiratory therapist, I have observed a curious phenomenon: People with heart failure (HF) may have audible wheezing, even when their condition is stable. While this may seem perplexing...

I was diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy at the end of the summer of 2014. The doctors told me to stop exercising and start a medication regimen. They were hoping that...

As a fellow heart failure patient, I understand that there are many limitations that come with this diagnosis no matter what stage of life you are in. The fatigue, low...

Winter is on it's way... earlier nights and slower mornings. Everything slows down in my world in winter and sometimes I think it slows down too much. This winter I have...

Whether you are having new heart failure symptoms or just feeling a bit off-kilter, you may need to make a beeline for the emergency room (ER). Once there, you'll encounter...

For those who are on a low-sodium diet, one helpful tidbit that I wanted to share is to embrace fiber! Per the Mayo Clinic, not only is (soluble) fiber a...

Many of us have had times when we were admitted to the hospital because of heart failure. Depending on what the doctor says, you never know how long you’ll be...

I am a 42 year old women with congestive heart failure (CHF), who really tries to stay on top of my fluid levels. I am very aware of my fluid...

It’s October, which means it is spooky season. While some people may be getting ready to get a good scare from costumes and haunted houses, some people are dealing with...

In my most humble opinion (and it really is just that- my opinion) gut health is one of the most underrated ways to take care of our bodies. I wish...

"You can’t go into any water," are the words I heard when Sharon was explaining how the LVAD works. An LVAD is a battery-operated mechanical device that pumps the left...

I celebrated my 3rd Heartiversary on February 2nd. I cannot believe it has actually been 3 years since I was given my gift. On or close to my anniversary the heart...

For other people with heart failure, who, like myself, follow a low-sodium diet, I have found in order to maintain consistent adherence planning is key. It becomes challenging when you...