Private Chef, Writer & Podcaster
A quick trip to the store turned into an unexpected memory about life with chronic illness, oxygen tanks, and the hilariously awkward way two grown men with invisible diseases failed to communicate. If you’ve ever lived with sarcoidosis, heart failure, or just the chaos of being human, this tiny moment might hit home.
A chef living with heart failure and sarcoidosis reflects on what it feels like to age into the very demographic whose medical brochures once made him feel like an anomaly—and why finally fitting the picture is both comforting and unsettling in equal measure.
Living with sarcoidosis and heart failure means sharing life with a quiet, loyal device that tracks every flutter, every scare, and every stubborn heartbeat. This is the story of the strange, funny, and unexpectedly comforting friendship that has kept me alive for nearly two decades.
A reader from Europe recently scolded me about the “slice-and-dice” American medical system—but as someone living with sarcoidosis, heart failure, and a knack for collecting diagnoses like airline miles, aggressive treatment is the reason I’m still breathing. Here’s what really happened, why “wait and see” nearly destroyed someone else’s life, and why I’ll take over-tested over overlooked any day.
A heartfelt, humorous look at loving someone who stands by you through sarcoidosis, heart failure, and every medical plot twist life throws at you — a reminder that the strongest medicine is the person who refuses to let go.
Tate Basildon 