Private Chef, Writer & Podcaster
On Veterans Day, I find myself thinking about the soldiers who fought in wars they never chose—especially the Vietnam vets who came home to rejection instead of honor. As someone living with sarcoidosis and heart failure, I understand battles that never really end. This is a personal thank-you to those who fought for a country that didn’t always fight for them.
Living with chronic illness takes more than blind faith—it takes grit, humor, and a little rebellion. As a chef with sarcoidosis and heart failure, I’ve seen how spirituality can both heal and harm when people rely too heavily on divine intervention instead of their own strength. Here’s my honest take on faith, health, and the real work of living through it.
As a chef battling sarcoidosis and heart failure, debris from a life that refuses to behave, I’m here to tell you why Halloween — creepy skeletons, gore-fest lawns, serial-killer mannequin dioramas and all — feels wrong in a way that psychology backs up. If you’ve ever felt alienated by the “fun” of Halloween or want to understand why it grates on your nerves (and mine), read on for a mix of sarcasm, heart, and insight into fear, ritual and chronic illness living.
Living with chronic illness means juggling more than fatigue and pain—it’s the nonstop cost of staying alive. From $280,000 heart surgeries to sky-high insurance premiums, surviving in America’s healthcare system feels like a full-time job. Here’s what it’s really like to navigate life, love, and medical debt when your body—and the system—won’t cut you a break.
In 2007, a routine heart procedure turned into a life-changing diagnosis: heart failure. Eighteen years later, I’m still here—living with sarcoidosis, a defibrillator in my chest, and the constant awareness that my next heartbeat might depend on a tiny piece of metal and code. This is what surviving with an AICD really feels like—equal parts miracle, nuisance, and reminder to keep going.
Tate Basildon 