heartfailure – Tate Basildon

When Your Brain Dreams in Seconds: Micro-Sleep, Chronic Illness Fatigue, and the Strange Art of Rest

Living with chronic illness fatigue from sarcoidosis and heart failure can trigger strange micro-dreams that appear in just seconds. As a private chef, debut novelist, husband, and pet parent, I’ve learned to see these surreal mental snapshots as my body’s way of processing stress and restoring energy. Here’s how micro-sleep, creative imagination, and humor can help you survive fatigue and find meaning in the chaos.

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When My Heart Rebelled for Two Minutes—and My AICD Stepped In

Back in 2010, a simple walk with my dog turned into a two-minute dance with death when my heart went into fibrillation. Thanks to my implanted defibrillator, I lived to tell the story—and to learn what it means to actually listen to my body when it decides to go rogue.

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Raised by Women, Tempered in Kitchens: How Respect Became My Quiet Rebellion

Growing up in a household full of brothers but shaped by strong women, I learned early that respect isn’t optional—especially in male-dominated kitchens. As a private chef living with sarcoidosis and heart failure, I’ve seen how words, attitudes, and compassion impact everyone. Here’s how childhood, chronic illness, and the culinary world taught me why speaking up matters.

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The Dad Who Showed Up

Living with sarcoidosis and heart failure, I’ve learned a thing or two about showing up even when life doesn’t make it easy. My biological father didn’t, but my stepdad—my real dad—did. This is a story about humor, strength, and learning to face illness with a smile instead of a complaint.

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Prednisone, Diabetes, and My Not-So-Reliable CGM Adventure

Since 2006, prednisone has ruled my life, dragging me from prediabetes into type 2 diabetes and forcing me to test every trick in the blood sugar book. From finger sticks to a CGM that lied straight to my face, here’s what living with sarcoidosis, heart failure, and now diabetes really looks like.