Private Chef, Writer & Podcaster
Living with sarcoidosis, heart failure, and a grab-bag of medications means my energy cycle runs on its own chaotic schedule. Some days I’m unstoppable; others I’m barely upright. Here’s how I navigate the ups, downs, and surprisingly emotional middle ground of chronic illness.
Chronic illness can feel like a grief rollercoaster — denial, anger, and all the feelings in between. As someone living with sarcoidosis, heart failure, and a whole list of “don’ts,” I’ve stumbled my way through the stages of grief and found acceptance in the most unexpected places, like garden pots I can’t lift and reversible pulmonary hypertension. Here’s my real talk on surviving, adapting, and laughing through it all — with a side of stubborn positivity and sarcasm.
In a world overflowing with self-help books and symptom-specific blogs, what are we really searching for? As someone living with sarcoidosis, chronic illness, and a whole choir of organs trying to retire early, I’ve noticed that beyond the medical terms and hashtags, the word we’re truly chasing is simple: peace. My most-read post ever proved it.
Living with sarcoidosis, heart failure, and a body that treats oxygen like a luxury upgrade means learning to laugh at what hurts, carry what scares you, and drag that oxygen tank around even when you’re tired of feeling “not like the man you used to be.” This is my messy, honest, slightly sarcastic reminder that using oxygen doesn’t mean giving up—it means choosing to stay alive.
Tate Basildon 