Telling Your Story May Be Good for Your Health...“While writing about my health issues has not cured them, it has helped me develop better coping skills and even contributed to...reactions1comment
Dream Big...Julia encourages people with heart failure to dream big. She also recommends making a plan for medication if you will be traveling...reactionscomments
Heart Failure, Learning a New Language...In 10th grade biology, my teacher, Ms. L, made us read Latin and Greek word roots and their meaning every day to...reactionscomments
I'm Dreading Mother's Day This Year...Does anyone else feel this way? With Mother’s Day quickly approaching, I cannot help but reflect on the past year. The worry...reactionscomments
Heart of a Giant Support System, Part 2: In Sickness and in Health...Editor's note: Part 1 of this series, Even a Giant Needs Shoulders to Stand On, can be found here. I am very...reactions2comments
Heart Transplant Qualifications...Receiving a heart transplant is both a happy and sad occasion. On one hand, the recipient was given a new lease on...reactions2comments
How Nicotine Affects Your Heart...Yes, yes we all know by now - smoking is not good for you. It’s sure a change in perspective from the...reactionscomments
Community Shares: How Old Were You When You Were Diagnosed With Heart Failure?...A heart failure diagnosis can affect anyone. It may happen at any age, regardless of race, class, physical ability, or family history...reactionscomments
PRETTY LADY CHRONICLES: Invisible Disability Chronicle #1,000,001...For starters, being approached, harassed, and discriminated against by a complete stranger while having an invisible disability is intimidating. This type of...reactions1comment
Sexual Orientation and Access to Heart Healthcare...Disparities in health care access have prevailed in the health system for centuries. While these disparities are recognized today, many reports continue...reactions1comment
Non-Invasive Route for CHF Management...My heart journey started with a damaging, silent heart attack at age 38. The damage destroyed 25% of my left ventricle, putting...reactionscomments
6 Interesting Facts About Your Heart You May Not Know...Earlier I wrote a post describing the basic anatomy of the heart. In this post, I’d like to talk about some other...reactions2comments
Community Shares: The First Thought After Your Heart Failure Diagnosis...Nearly everyone remembers the first thought that popped into their head when their doctor first told them about their heart failure diagnosis...reactions4comments
Surviving a Stress Test...I was prescribed a stress test a few months back by my cardiologist. At my last appointment, I complained about some chest pain...reactionscomments
The Link Between Erectile Dysfunction and Heart Failure...Erectile dysfunction (ED) is not an easy topic of discussion for those who experience it. Some people choose to suffer silently rather...reactions1comment
Energy Saving Tips...One of the most common symptoms of heart failure is fatigue. Let me know if the tips I share here help you!...reactions3comments
Importance of Community...Living with heart failure, whether you are newly diagnosed or have lived with it for a long time, can at times feel...reactions2comments
It Takes Time – Don’t Give Up...As a patient advocate, I meet a lot of newly diagnosed patients. Their experience, the fear, and the terror always bring me back...reactionscomments
Donna Hacker Smith...Donna Hacker Smith is a native of Chicago who now lives in Champaign, Illinois. She was ordained a Lutheran pastor in 1983...
Clair Gardiner...I am a single mom to a firecracker little girl residing in the tip of Africa. I am also a sister, a...
