Brittany is the HR associate for BioNews (the publisher of this site) and a columnist for Pulmonary Hypertension News. Brittany is from the smallest state in the U.S., Rhode Island. She manages multiple chronic conditions including pulmonary hypertension and congenital heart disease. Some of her illnesses are visible, but most are invisible. She hopes that her column, “Recharged and Rewired,” will show those reading that having a body that’s wired a little differently doesn’t keep her from being the best version of herself every day. Brittany is happy to work in the HR department at BioNews because she is passionate about advocating for herself and others who may be going through physical and emotional challenges of living with a rare disease. “Her face looks a little purple out on the ice. Should you let the coach know? Should she take a break from the game?” This is what was said as family members watched my hockey games when I was younger. My entire life,…
Think back to when you were a child in the school yard. There was always someone who never liked playing by the rules and ruined recess for everyone. The first time the rules weren’t followed, you may have stopped and tried to calmly explain…
“How is your anxiety?” a doctor asked me in the ER. The sarcastic side of me would have loved to say, “I am handling being transported by ambulance from my pulmonary clinic with a 70% oxygen level and burning lungs pretty well. In fact,…
“I just hate it so much.” This is what I said through tears as I sat crying during a therapy session. I admitted that I do what I’m medically supposed to do 85 percent of the day. Why do I do this?…
Celebrating the Fourth of July looks a lot like wearing red-white-and-blue bathing suits, sipping drinks with a straw in a festive cup, floating around on inflatable flamingos in a pool, relaxing in the sun, cookouts with family and friends, going to parades, and watching fireworks. My…
“Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will.” ― Mahatma Gandhi What is strength? What do people think of when they hear this word? Instead of thinking about what others would associate with strength, I decided to do my own social experiment. I…
“The scale can only give you a numerical reflection of your relationship with gravity. It cannot measure beauty, talent, purpose, life force, possibility, strength, or love.” –Dr. Steve Maroboli Seven years ago, while in the depths of my…
There is an inner dialogue that often goes on in the mind of someone who is chronically ill when asking for help. Ultimately, the outcomes of these inner conflicts are feelings of guilt, shame, and uselessness. It is hard to break out of this…
The five stages of grief were first proposed by Elisabeth Kübler-Ross in her 1969 book “On Death and Dying.” Mourning the loss of your health is similar to mourning the loss of a loved one. We are faced with…
I found out that I was infertile at the age of 20. According to the Mayo Clinic, “Ten to 15 percent of couples in the United States are infertile.” Among that percentage, I am one of them. I was born with a genetic condition…
It’s inevitable. The stares from strangers will happen. It isn’t every day that someone sees a young, otherwise healthy looking woman carrying supplemental oxygen around in a backpack. I understand why people will give a double glance in my direction, but, when the stares are…
Warmer weather is upon us. It is an exciting time of year with graduations, weddings, and children finishing school. Summer is the season that so many of us look forward to: a time to relax, unwind, head to the beach, and forget about worries. But managing a chronic…
Get regular updates to your inbox.