In 2019 I was tired of being tired and sick of being sick. I was watching my life pass me by day by day. I went from couch bound to bed-bound in a matter of a month. I could no longer walk the stairs to my bedroom, drive my kids to school, carry my son or cook for my family. My friends were living their lives all around me as the walls of that bedroom closed in more every day. The higher my standing HR got, the worse I felt. The worse I felt, the more I stayed in bed. The more I stayed in bed, the more deconditioned I got, and the more deconditioned I got, the more heart surges I had. It was a catastrophic meltdown, and I had no one to help or guide me. The cardiologist said my heart was fine even though it didn’t feel like it was (it was totally fine), and I was on an 18-month wait list to see the POTS specialist. 18 months?! What the heck was I supposed to do for 18 months?
At this point, I was using a walker to walk the small amount I could. The doctor said it was time for a wheelchair and made an appointment for a fitting for me. I also went to the Cancer Center three times a week for saline infusions to help with blood volume. On the way home from the appointment, we drove past the same park we always did. There was a woman running down the trail next to the road, and it hit me. The reality of my life, the brick well I felt was being built in front of me more and more every day. I started to cry, tears streaming down my face as my husband drove us home. See, the odd thing is that I had never been a runner. In all honestly, I hated running and thought people who liked it were weird. Yet in that moment, as I watched her run in the sunshine, I have never wanted to do something more in my life.
I said to him, “I don’t want to live this way anymore.
My HR data before beginning the program. Time in Elevated = 34%. I was exhausted, miserable and just done. Resting time 36%
My HR Data 9 months into the SALT program. This max is including workout times. My elevated time went from 34% to 12%!! Resting increased to 71% HUGE progress!
My husband was a Green Beret. He knows about overcoming adversity and doing really really hard things. At that moment, when I had never felt more lost, he told me if I wanted it, I would have to fight for it. That it would be hard, and at the beginning, I would want to quit every single day. He also said that if I wanted it I could have it. I might not get it exactly how I wanted it, but in that moment, I didn’t care. I didn’t care how fast I could run, I just wanted to be free like that. Running down a path with nothing holding me back, the sun shining on my face. It seemed almost impossible. I couldn’t even stand to cook a meal or walk up a staircase, but I knew I would fight to get my life back with every last cell in my body.
I KNEW I WOULD HAVE TO FIGHT TO
GET MY LIFE BACK.
On May 5th, 2019 I called the doctor and asked them to cancel the wheelchair fitting appointment. I told him I was not going to be using it and instead would be training to run a 5k by the end of the year. I am pretty sure he choked on something by the sound he made when I told him that. He guffawed and said, “Good luck then,” and hung up the phone. On November 3rd, I ran that race with my young son cheering me on. His sweet voice loud above the starting bells. It makes me so emotional to see this video now. I crossed the finish line, red-faced and grinning from ear to ear. I had done it…with almost two months to spare.
My husband was right thought. In the beginning, I wanted to quit every single day. I was tired beyond measure. I felt worse before I felt better…but that was the thing. I did start to feel better. My standing heart rate was 158 in May; over the summer, it dropped more and more. I started with the CHOP protocol for POTS, which was great at first. It was a bit boring to start, honestly but after the summer, I was not progressing anymore either. See, CHOP was made for children, hence the hospital being called the “Children’s Hospital of Pennsylvania”. It was not made for adults who want to live an active life as I wanted. Throughout my career, I had extensive experience creating mental health and physical wellness programs and decided to dig into the science, figure out what worked and what didn’t, and hack POTS. I would make a program (this one) to help get myself into a remission of symptoms. I would create a “second heart” with stronger calf muscles and build a core that could help support my body’s lack of proper vasoconstriction. (Make sure to read more here about using calves as your second heart! Great info and explanation on why this program WORKS so well!)I went on the create what is now this program. Beginning with POTS Level 1 and moving up in activity level from there.
I won’t promise you that you will be cured, that you will have a miraculous recovery and be symptom-free for the rest of your life. I still do the program that you will find here. To keep my freedom, I know that I have to. This is not a quick pill to solve your problems. You will have to work at it, and keep working at it to achieve what you want. But I promise that if you focus on changing your mindset and giving it your all, you WILL see progress. Almost everyone who has POTS can benefit from some level of reconditioning. How much is up to you and your body? I do promise you one thing, though, it is worth the effort to find out.
So come on this journey with us. Join this amazing community of people who refuse to accept that we are broken. We refuse to accept that this is how we have to live forever. I want to live a life that is full of hope and strength, anything I can possibly dream of. I think you do too. You can start living that life today with the SALT Program.
