Lara, 33, resides in Vermont (for now) as a wild, adventure enthusiast who holds a master’s degree in mental health counseling. She writes about living out loud and develops educational programs to restore hope to those in need. Thanks to her double-lung transplant in 2017 due to cystic fibrosis, you can now find Lara traveling on the regular, exploring the glorious outdoors, and belly laughing with her loves. She’s passionate about connecting with like-minded people, so join her at www.laragovendo.com and on social media (“Lungs4Lovey”) while she flies by the seat of her (no) pants.Advocacy isn’t just cool; it’s often a matter of life and death. If you’ve read my column, you know how passionate I am about advocacy. Given my experience living with cystic fibrosis (CF) and undergoing a double-lung transplant seven years ago, I can confidently say I’ve…
Because I was born with cystic fibrosis, my body has always operated differently from others. Most people don’t understand what I go through daily, and it was exhausting to explain myself with failing lungs. Since my double-lung transplant seven years ago, I’ve had the capacity to educate others…
Living with cystic fibrosis (CF) has required various hardware to be placed in my body, including a port-a-cath in my chest. This allows me to do blood draws and receive medication in the easiest way possible. Although my journey with this device has been like a roller coaster, I’m…
Before my double-lung transplant eight years ago, I notoriously sacrificed my health for my job. I attempted to keep up with the able-bodied people around me, ignoring my limitations, and pushing past what my body could endure. And I paid the price for it. I learned the hard way…
I felt like I’d received a roundhouse kick to the head while drunk. My head was pounding and I couldn’t think straight. Words were difficult to form. Sentences seemed impossible. This might sound like the result of a wild night of partying, but for me, these were actually signs of…
By the time you read this, I will have just celebrated one year of being married to my incredible husband. I’m by no means an expert, but I’ve already learned a few valuable lessons about marriage in relation to my health. Life with cystic fibrosis and almost eight…
Nurses save lives. It might sound dramatic, but it’s true. Throughout my journey with cystic fibrosis (CF) and a double-lung transplant nearly eight years ago, I’ve encountered nurses in every season of life. They’ve been present in both inpatient and outpatient settings. They’ve coordinated my care, worked behind…
Poop is a hot topic in my household. For me, having cystic fibrosis (CF) means having pancreatic insufficiency. Therefore, I don’t produce enough digestive enzymes to break down my food. It’s a constant balancing act of ensuring that I take enough enzymes with higher fat foods and not…
As a Christian, I view this time of year as an opportunity to reflect on death and new life. Easter is a reminder of the miracle of Jesus’ death and resurrection, and I always find connections in that story to my transplant journey. The first year after my double-lung…
I’m so tired of some people’s responses to my suffering. I understand that some people might not get what I’m going through if they don’t have personal experience living with chronic illness. But I’d think they wouldn’t voice an opinion on something they know nothing about. Unfortunately, that’s not the…
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