Get regular updates to your inbox.
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. “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…
The morning of my 29th birthday, on May 30, looked different than it did a year earlier. On my birthday last year, I rolled out of bed crying in pain. It was only a few weeks after I had a thoracotomy to repair a congenital heart defect. I…
When a new doctor enters my hospital room and asks for a brief medical history, the best I can offer is a 15-minute overview of the last few years of my life. Realistically, for a proper understanding of my medical condition, my story should start…
Taking care of my body requires getting the right nutrition, exercising in ways I can handle, and paying attention to my mental health. Lately, I have noticed that anxiety and fatigue have increased at the end of my day. When I brought this up…
A few years ago, I thought that talking openly about my fears and worries was a sign of weakness. I convinced myself that being strong meant putting on my bravest face for others to see. I may have fooled some people in my life with my “everything is going…
Going to college, starting a new job, finding the right person to love, and getting my first apartment all seem like wonderful life accomplishments. I would have thought that graduating from college and moving into a new place with my boyfriend would be some…
After so many years of struggling to find my voice in advocating for my healthcare, today I am proud of how far I have come. Speaking up for my needs and advocating for the best available care hasn’t been easy. Processing medical trauma…
In recent years, I have heard the words “you’ll get used to it” more times than I can count. It’s as if my body and mind are programmed to adapt to whatever may come next. Trying to adapt to what life throws my way prompts…
For almost an entire year, I felt completely lost. Some mornings, I lacked motivation to even get out of bed. I was trapped in a vicious cycle of anxiety and depression; stuck somewhere between worrying too much and not caring at all.
When I was younger, I had recurring nightmares about a kidnapping. Usually, I was the hero chasing the kidnapper. These nightmares would spark panic attacks when, in my waking hours, I couldn’t quickly locate my sisters in public places. I had an irrational fear of…
I remember attending a Tim McGraw concert a few years ago. I could have heard a pin drop during a pause in his song, “Live Like You Were Dying,” before the entire stadium erupted to join in the chorus: “Skydiving / I went Rocky mountain climbing /…
Sometimes I think my emotions are too much to handle. I find myself wondering if I am overreacting or feeling things too strongly. However, chronic illness has taught me that I need to feel my emotions. I can’t bottle them up, hide…
Get regular updates to your inbox.