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…
Recharged and Rewired
— Brittany Foster
Brittany Foster lives in Cranston, Rhode Island, and has a passion for teaching, writing, and advocating. She was a special educator for four years before beginning her work at Bionews in 2017. She was diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension at birth, 1991, due to a congenital heart defect. Brittany writes openly about how chronic illness and rare disease impacts her daily life and mental health. She wants people to know that there is still a very high quality of life possible for those with medical conditions despite all the inevitable challenges, treatments, and procedures. On good days, you can find Brittany playing street hockey with her nephew or listening to country songs while driving to the beach.
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H.O.P.E.: Hold on, pain ends. This acronym came across my phone screen as I was scrolling through social media last month. Despite my physical pain and emotional discomfort, I laughed and thought to myself, “Whoever came up with this acronym has clearly never dealt with chronic pain. Pain doesn’t…
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…
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…
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