Author Archives: Brittany Foster

Alex Karev, a fictional doctor on the TV series “Grey’s Anatomy,” once said, “Trauma always leaves a scar. … It changes our lives. Trauma messes everybody up, but maybe that’s the point. All the pain and the fear, … maybe going through all of that is what keeps us…

I can’t count the number of times I’ve heard U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt’s assertion that “comparison is the thief of joy.” Although I’ve tried to apply its lesson to my everyday life, on some days, I find myself trapped in a cycle of comparisons.

“Numbers don’t lie.” Members of my medical team have used this phrase, and I have caught myself saying it lately, too. Doctors say “numbers don’t lie” when congratulating me on improving my pulmonary function test or when my six-minute walk score is better than my previous one. Unfortunately, this…

Trigger warning: This column discusses sexual assault and rape. If you need assistance, please call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673. I left a procedure last week feeling shaky, unwell, anxious, and upset. The procedure, draining an ovarian cyst, unfortunately was unsuccessful. I found out shortly after waking…

When looking through pictures on social media, I see so many body-positive influencers making powerful statements about the “ideal body.” I see women and men on Instagram trying to show others that beauty standards aren’t realistic. Skin folds, bends, and changes shape for countless reasons. The message is that society’s…

My dog, Bernie, turned 1 last week. In the nine months that I’ve had him, he has taught me more about unconditional love than I could ever teach myself. I wake up to puppy snuggles and feel his tiny paws resting somewhere on my…

Living with congenital heart disease and pulmonary hypertension has taught me to let my physical health “be what it is.” This past year, giving myself permission to “be” helped me accept my bad days as they happened. I had to learn how to rest, listen to my body, pay…

“How have you been feeling mentally? How are your anxiety and depression with all that is going on?” Every week when my therapist calls me for our appointments, I am asked how I am doing. Usually I respond sarcastically and say, “Oh, you know, just living the dream!”…

Expressing vulnerability has always been difficult for me. I thought that “showing my brave face” would keep others from worrying. I have always been more concerned with how everyone around me was feeling, and never gave myself permission to show worry, sadness, or fear. I focused on the positive if…

Whenever I am feeling defeated by my body or mind, I throw on some Whitney Houston classics. One of my favorites is the song “Greatest Love of All.” The lyrics to this song are so uplifting and positive. They have the power to help me reflect and make changes…

When I first named my column “Recharged and Rewired,” the word “recharged” referred to my use of oxygen. I was thinking of my oxygen home filler system I needed to “recharge” my portable oxygen tanks. At the time, I didn’t go anywhere without making sure…

“Why can’t I just be happy for someone else? Why am I still so hurt when this has been my reality since I was 22? There are other ways to have children — I should be grateful for that.”  So many thoughts and questions come to…