Fontan With a Future Taylor Wesley
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- Health & Fitness
My life, like the lives of so many people living with congenital heart defects, is a medical miracle. For decades, Fontan and single ventricle patients were consigned to permanent sickness and disability. But today, thanks to advances in medicine and surgery, patients like me can not only enjoy life, but hope for the future! This podcast is created by a person with congenital heart defects for the CHD community and anyone interested in stories of medicine, perseverance, and hope. Join me, Taylor, as I share about life with a single ventricle, my journey through medical training, and important information all heart warriors should know.
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Lessons from the Heart: Alex's Surrogacy Journey
Join me this episode as I speak with Alex about starting a family through surrogacy. She shares about life with CHD, the decision-making process surrounding carrying a pregnancy, and the experience of having two beautiful children with the help of gestational carriers. Whether or not you have though about starting a family or received support from your cardiologist to become pregnant, surrogacy is an important topic to discuss in the CHD community as more patients live into adulthood.
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Lessons from the Heart: Tyler's Athletic Pursuit
Join me as I interview Tyler, a fellow heart warrior, about his experience playing sports, receiving a pacemaker, and healing from vocal cord damage. He shares tips and tricks about how his family empowered him to be a competitive athlete and how a doctor in Iowa fixed his life-long vocal cord damage with a new non-invasive technique.
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Lessons from the Heart: Lorrie's Road to Transplant
Join me as I chat with Lorrie about her experience with CHD and receiving a heart transplant. She shares about adapting to life in college with heart failure, undergoing transplant evaluation, recovering from transplant surgery, and living with a new heart.
To learn more about Lorrie, follow her here:
Instagram: @the_heart_of_the_journey -
Lessons from the Heart: My Mother's Story
Join me as I interview my own mother about her experience as a heart mom. She shares about her pregnancy with me, receiving my cardiac diagnosis, and living at the hospital during my surgeries. She also discusses what it was like raising me and gives advice to other heart moms as they navigate childhood and beyond. It was such a privilege interviewing her and I hope you find her story to be encouraging and hopeful.
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Lessons from the Heart: Meagan Houpt's Exercise Journey
Join me as I kick off this season with fellow heart warrior Meagan Houpt and learn about her journey with exercise. From struggling to walk half a mile to completing intense workouts on a daily basis, Meagan shares how small goals can make a huge difference. She refuses to use her cardiac condition as an excuse and encourages cardiologists to have open conversations about the importance of exercise for everyone.
To learn more about Meagan and her story, follow her at these accounts:
Instagram: @meaganhoupt_hlhs
Facebook: My HLHS Story - Meagan Houpt -
Fontan 101: Mental Health
Did you know that Fontan patients have a 7 fold higher burden of anxiety, depression, and PTSD? In this episode, join me as I discuss mental health in the Fontan population, fostering resilience in the face of chronic illness, and important coping mechanisms for patients and families.
To read Dr. Tom Glenn's paper "From Patient to Physician: A Journey of Resilience" click the link below:
https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIRCOUTCOMES.122.008891