How I Help My Mom Rise Above Heart Failure

There are some moments in life that stick with you. Through my career, I've shared many of these moments with the public. And then there are the moments that are just mine, for me to keep for myself and my family. These I rarely share. However I want to share one of these personal moments for National Family Caregivers Month. It's one that will always stand out with me and my family, and it may resonate with others going through similar situations. It's the day my mom was diagnosed with heart failure, and the moment I became her caregiver and advocate-in-chief. Heart failure is a condition where the heart cannot pump enough blood around the body. It affects nearly 6 million in the U.S., including my mom. It's estimated that 1 in 5 people over the age of 40 will develop heart failure in their lifetime. When you consider all the people who are caring for those with the condition, the number of people this disease touches multiplies. I remember the day my mom was diagnosed like it was yesterday. I got a call that my healthy, 40-something mother who loved her job as an art teacher, had passed out at school. I immediately rushed to the hospital, worried, scared and prepared for the worst. After a barrage of tests, and hours of waiting, we got the diagnosis of heart failure. I think the failure part was hardest to hear that day. All your life you try to avoid failure, but then there it was right next to my mom's heart. Over time, I gradually took on the role of caregiver to my ...
Source: Healthy Living - The Huffington Post - Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news