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Starting Cardiac Rehab
I’ve tried to write this blog article a few times and my thoughts haven’t flowed together in a cohesive manner. Bare with me as I work this out in my head and through my writing. I am starting cardiac rehabilitation. Most people go to cardiac rehab for heart attacks or heart failure, so this referral didn’t come easily. As I’ve been working to get back into running post surgery, my heart rate has been a prevalent problem. Running has always been the activity that makes my heart rate spike but particularly now it’s important that my muscles are functioning properly. As it was explained to me, when your body is…
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Surgery on the Horizon
For a minute, I really thought I was done with surgery. Everyone kept telling me to stop saying that my right hip was my last. Low and behold, they were right because I am back on the path to surgery. My heart is heavy facing that reality. It’s something that I really wasn’t mentally prepared for. My knees have an abundance of swelling within the joint. It’s clear from the cortisol injections that there is a problem within the joint itself. It is causing the problem and pain. I went to my three month follow up for my hip excited but weary. I was well aware of the possibility that…
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Ways I Prepare For Traveling with POTS
I have done my fair amount of travelling lately. It has been thrilling to see my world open back up. As it has though, I’ve seen my limitations become more present. I have less control over activities sometimes. Other times I have to opt out of activities all together due to my health. In general, I have some strategies for preparing for travel and extra activities. I hope these five tips help you like they have helped me! Salt and Electrolytes This is obvious but I LOAD UP on salt and electrolytes while I’m on vacation. After having a difficult conversation with my doctor, it was apparent that our current…
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Staying In Minnesota
It’s hard for me to write this article. It is not the news I wanted to share with you. I am staying in Minnesota. While I feel there are a lot of benefits to this reality, the cons are present and weighing on me. I had hoped that I would share with you that I was headed to Canada for Graduate School. Due to the fact that I only applied to two programs and the limited space available, I am not. I received this news while I was at work. To say that it was a devastating blow is an understatement. For the past few months I have been sitting…
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Health Updates
Since it’s been a while, I thought I’d give you some updates on my health. Great news to start, I have still remained out of the hospital. Bad news, I have had a few run-ins with the ER. I also had syncope for the first time in quite a while. Both were difficult blows. That being said, I’m working really hard to maintain my health. I’m working closely with my doctors to find a regiment that works. I’m utilizing both medication and home remedies that keep me up right and functioning. My allergies have been kicking up. As normal allergy season comes around, I start to struggle a little more.…
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I Graduated
It has been a while since my last update. Allow me to fill you in on the highlights of the last few weeks. First off, I graduated! I wanted to wait to post something about this. Despite celebrating my graduation in May, I didn’t finish my degree until last week. As of last Friday, I am completely finished and a college graduate with a BA in Theatre. This feels incredibly exciting. Not just because I graduated college but because I did it while battling with my health. The last four years have taught me a ton. Not only about theatre and education but more than anything, it has taught me…
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What to Expect With Knee Injections
I recently got cortisone injections in my knees. I had no idea what to expect. Googling let me down a lot of paths that honestly scared me more than anything. That’s par for the course when using the internet to give you any guidance on healthcare. I thought since I’ve now been through it and had similar injections in my hip that I’d let you know what to be prepared for. That way you don’t have to follow the same Google deep dive I did. Pain I would say that these shots were similar to my hip injections. Both types of injections are semi painful. By no means is it…
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Having a Job and Chronic Illness
If you’ve been following my blog, you know that I recently got hired at a company. I am a receptionist for a senior living facility. It’s a great fit for me. I absolutely love it so far and so does Crush. This is my fifth job but my first time having a job while being chronically ill. It’s not what I expected in a lot of ways but my employers have made the transition seamless. I knew that my work life would look different from the average person. Other than having Crush, I need various accommodations to ensure my health and safety. That ranges from simple things like eating at…
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What You Need For Surgery Recovery
I have recently completed my seventh surgery. That feels crazy to say. I have learned quite a bit since my first and I wanted to share that wisdom with you. I’ve written before about what to expect. I highly recommend checking that out if you haven’t. Now we’re going to talk about items that you need for recovery. This will obviously depend on your specific surgery but these are the basics. Notepad and pen This is great to have handy to write down medication times. It’s also good for pain tracking. In general, I find it incredibly helpful to have. I have always still accepted calls post surgery and if…
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I’m Starting a Youtube Channel
I’m in the process of trying to start a Youtube channel. After taking a poll on instagram, it’s clear that Youtube is an accessible platform. It can also reach the largest audience. I’d love to be able to grow my advocacy beyond my Instagram and blog. I love both and I am excited at the prospect of expansion. Please be patient with me while I’m in this transition phase. By no means am I accustomed to editing, filming, or technologically savvy in any way. That being said, I am trying my hardest to get it started as quickly as possible. In my ideal world, I’d love to have blog posts…
