A Little About My Journey: Heart Transplant & Cancers

At 15 years old, I had bone cancer and one of the chemo drugs gave me heart failure. At 39 years old, I had a heart transplant. Four months after my transplant, I discovered I had breast cancer. I had a double mastectomy, then weeks later and just 2 days before my 41st birthday, my …

Setbacks After Heart Transplant 🙄 & Seeking Joy 💗 (Originally Published in November 2016).

I originally wrote this 4 years ago in November 2016 as a Facebook post. Trump had just been elected and I was 9 months post heart transplant and experiencing a series of setbacks: back to living 3 hours away from home, so that I could be near the transplant hospital, healing from a Grand Mal …

How I Survived Quarantine After Heart Transplant…

I've been in quarantine before coronavirus. For the first year after my heart transplant, I wore a mask everywhere I went and was homebound for months. The first 3 months, I even wore a face mask when I was sat outside in the backyard. My immune system is suppressed, so that I won't reject my …

I’m in PAIN from my Cholesterol Medication, no really. 😟

I'm statin intolerant (which means, I can't take typical cholesterol medication) because the med causes me debilitating muscle cramps. This side effect happens when people are just starting out on the medication and usually subsides.

5 Secrets About Blogging About Death, Dying and Surviving 🤯

I thought I would take a moment to reflect on some patterns in my writing, some secrets about writing about death, dying and surviving.

Organ Donation: Receiving the Ultimate Gift of a Heart Transplant ♻️❤

This is my first public speaking event about my heart transplant. I talked about my journey and the need for people to register as organ donors.

The Day I was Officially Listed on the Heart Transplant Wait List ❤🌈🦄

A 4 year update, since the day I was list on the Heart Transplant Wait List. "As of today at 4:26:05 CST I'm officially on the ♡ Transplant List! I'm excited because I've given blood, sweat & tears since mid-June to this process, so I'm relieved. I'm also fearful. Mixed emotions-today is a big day. I'm so grateful to you for your ongoing support. I need it!"

When You and Your Mom are Dying at the Same Time…

Warning: This article is about death and dying. If you or your loved one are dealing with death and dying, this article might be triggoring or I hope that it may bring you a sense comfort. While I can't predict how this article will affect you, I can tell you that it has difficult topics …

How I Avoided Death in 10 Steps…❤🙏😤🤞

My survival guide of how I overcame bone cancer, then later a heart transplant, breast cancer and the death of my Mum from ovarian cancer all within the same time period. I relied on some strategies to endure this time in my life. May my experience possibly lift your burden in some small way.

Writing about my Mum…🕊❤🇺🇸

Two years ago on this day my Mum died at 5:59pm. The time of her death interests me because it's the moment she left this planet. It's now the moment I light my memorial candle and even though she's gone this Jewish ritual (called a yarzheit candle) somehow makes me feel close to her. I've …

Am I’m rude for being diabetic at the dinner table? 💉💊🦶

I was called rude for checking my blood sugar and giving myself pen injections at the dinner table.