Living

I remember waking up from my heart transplant strapped to the bed, confused and lost, trying to utter words and realizing there was a tube in my throat. I tried...

Being chronically ill is hard. The things we deal with on a daily basis are more than anyone ever should. Many of us have been there and done that when...

Heart failure has a fascinating history. Well, at least it’s fascinating to a history buff/nerd like me. I would think that heart failure has plagued mankind since its beginnings. That...

How did my heart failure and previous incidents cause me to mistake a stroke for heart-related complications? That’s a good question and one I will answer for you so you...

Living with a chronic illness like heart failure brings many struggles. The impact of symptoms on daily life is significant. It can be hard accepting and adjusting to the changes...

When you are newly diagnosed with heart failure, the many life changes can feel overwhelming. Implementing all the recommendations for staying healthy can feel impossible and unrealistic. Fortunately, this community...

For starters, being approached, harassed, and discriminated against by a complete stranger while having an invisible disability is intimidating. This type of action has caused anxiety and PTSD. These ordeals...

Disparities in health care access have prevailed in the health system for centuries. While these disparities are recognized today, many reports continue to highlight the inequality that people who identify...

November 2007 was the second turn of my life. I had been having some chest pain that was becoming unbearable so the Texas Children's Hospital was the next place for...

I had an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) implanted almost six years ago to prevent fatal arrhythmias from turning into cardiac arrest. It wasn't an easy decision at first, but I am happy...

I was diagnosed with CHF at 35, never married, and with no children. While I always wanted to find a partner, the diagnosis made it even more important as I...

“You have reached the Melville Nauheim Shelter. This shelter was built in 1977 and sleeps 8. There is water just north of the shelter side trail on the AT.” As...

Nearly everyone remembers the first thought that popped into their head when their doctor first told them about their heart failure diagnosis. The types of thoughts – from fear to...

Editor's note: This is part 2 in a 3-part series. Check out part 1, PPCM Changed My Life: I Don’t Have Heart Disease – or Do I? and part 3...

This hasn't been Invisible Disability Chronicle #1,000,000; however, the weight, trauma, and anxiety of these types of chronicles sure feel like it at times. One of the hardest parts of...

I want to write about my heart transplant journey because I’ve noticed that transplants are a popular thing. Maybe they always have been but I just wasn’t in that light...

I found out I had heart disease at the age of 12 years old. It changed everything for me quickly. The greatest battle for me was being 1 of 7...

One of the most common symptoms of heart failure is fatigue. Let me know if the tips I share here help you! If there are tricks or tips I have...

As a patient advocate, I meet a lot of newly diagnosed patients. Their experience, the fear, and the terror always bring me back to the day I received my heart failure...

Editor's note: This is part 1 of a two-part series. Be sure to check out part 2! Issues surrounding the disparities faced by communities of color are at the forefront...