Community Views: My Diagnosis ReactionYou may feel a range of emotions when first hearing that you are living with heart failure. It can be difficult to consider how it can change your daily life...Reactions0reactionsComments12 comments
Community Views: Frustrating Myths About Heart FailureAs someone with heart failure, you may have heard a few myths about your condition. People may believe in myths because they do not have a full understanding of heart...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
5 Tips For Cleaning With Chronic IllnessCleaning… One thing I do not enjoy at all. It’s a joke in my family because when I was younger I was quite the slob, but honestly, what teenager isn’t?...Reactions0reactionsComments7 comments
How I Learned to Embrace My ScarsLearning to embrace your scars is always hard at first. When I had my first surgery scar it was after getting a subcutaneous defibrillator. It was a small slit on...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
What To Expect In The ERI am a respiratory therapist with 25 years experience. A good part of my job involves working in the emergency room (ER) and taking care of people with heart failure...Reactions0reactionsComments2 comments
Cooking Strategies for a Low-Sodium DietOne of the things that was the biggest adjustment for me after my heart failure diagnosis was the amount of work it takes to eat a low-sodium diet. Sodium is...Reactions0reactionsComments1 comments
What’s in My Pre-Packed Hospital "Go Bag"When you are chronically ill, you’ll have seasons where you are constantly running around between different doctors appointments. At times, it even feels like trips to the ER aren’t that...Reactions0reactionsComments8 comments
Advocating for Youth Heart ScreeningsMany people don’t realize they have heart disease until it's too late. Also, most people don’t know that young people can have heart disease. The only reason I am familiar...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Acceptance of My DiagnosisWhen I was first diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy, I never knew that my journey would end up changing the trajectory of my life. I didn't realize I was in heart...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Staying Cool in the Summer HeatWith summer almost here, it's a good time to talk about tips for staying cool. For those who are newer to their heart failure journey, heat makes your heart work...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
CHD BabyOn April 19, 1973, my young teenage mother was informed by her obstetrician that he saw signs of me being considered a "blue baby" or a baby with limited oxygen...Reactions0reactionsComments2 comments
Back to Basics, Heart Failure and Heart HealthA new heart failure diagnosis can feel so overwhelming. Clair talks about a few things she wishes she had known when she was first diagnosed: "Heart failure" is a phrase...Reactions0reactionsComments2 comments
Living in Survival ModeI was diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy in 2014 at the age of 25. At that point in my life, I had finished grade school, high school, and college. According to...Reactions0reactionsComments1 comments
Women's Health Month: Spotlighting Patient Leaders With PPCMMay is designated as Women's Health Month. We want to raise awareness about heart failure and its impact on women's health. One form of heart failure that affects women is...Reactions0reactionsComments1 comments
I'm Writing a Heart Journey BookWhen I got diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy, I never knew that I would be writing a book about my heart journey. When I look back on all I have been...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
It All Came TogetherI was 17 years old when doctors told me I wouldn't be able to bear children. When I heard that news, it really didn't affect me at the time. I...Reactions0reactionsComments4 comments
Pelvic Floor 101When I started taking Lasix, I started experiencing acute pelvic floor issues, including pain, pressure, sexual issues (pain during intercourse), and urinary urgency issues, among others. I have been going...Reactions0reactionsComments1 comments
How I Survived Heart FailureMy name is Olivia, and I am a 2-time stroke survivor, former LVAD patient, and heart transplant recipient. I was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy in 2014 after suffering a stroke. I...Reactions0reactionsComments3 comments
Small Scale Gardening - Flowers in Your HeartGrowing plants in your mind and heart is as effective as growing them in your home. Often with heart failure, we may need to give up or downscale our major...Reactions0reactionsComments1 comments
Let's Get in AweHeart failure has caused many of us to slow down, as we no longer have the same level of functionality as before. For instance, I have less energy, and the...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments