Valiant Voice
— Lara Govendo

If I had a dollar for every awful word spoken to me over the years, I’d be a millionaire. “Are you anorexic? Or do you just throw up after you eat?” “Eww! You have alien fingers.” “Time to take your crazy pills at the nurse’s office, Lara!” These are…

As a therapist who lives with cystic fibrosis (CF) and a double-lung transplant, I’m not immune to mental health struggles, and in my experience, it’s nearly impossible to talk about chronic illness without talking about mental health. For many years, I felt alone and separated from my peers, but…

I used to measure my worth the way so many of us are brought up to do: by what I did and by how productive I was. Productivity is a conversation starter in most social circles. How much you’ve accomplished or how busy you are is celebrated like a badge…

Before my double-lung transplant nine years ago, I frequently struggled with daily living tasks, simple ones that most people have no problem doing on their own. I was in my early 20s, on my own, and living with cystic fibrosis, but in a strange middle ground. I wasn’t sick…

Note: This column describes the author’s experiences with tacrolimus and prednisone. Not everyone will have the same response to treatment. Consult your doctor before starting or stopping a therapy. I’ve been dealing with a different and unexpected symptom these past eight months, one that’s challenged my pain threshold on a…

I’ve been in pain so long that I can’t remember a time when I didn’t feel pain in one part of my body or another. Through surgeries, procedures, medication side effects, and the injuries of everyday life, pain has been a constant companion for me and continues to affect my…

I took part in physical therapy (PT) on a weekly basis to build my strength during the lead-up to my double-lung transplant nine years ago. PT was mandatory to complete the prerequisite requirements to be listed for a transplant, but I learned so much about myself in ways that…

I celebrated nine whole years with my new lungs on Aug. 18. My husband took me to my favorite lake, where we logged some hours at the beach, jumped into the cold water, and ate at our favorite local spots. The day gave me some much-needed time to reflect on…

There’s nothing I love more than alliteration. It might be a bit dramatic, but I think Advocacy August, one of my favorite months, warrants the drama. I’m passionate about advocacy, both from personal experience and as a therapist. Living with cystic fibrosis (CF) and navigating the healthcare system…

One of the biggest changes between my life before my lung transplant and my post-transplant life has been with my body temperature. Before my double-lung transplant, I ran hot all the time. I remember a night I was being transported from my home hospital to a transplant hospital for…

Living with cystic fibrosis (CF) made me very aware of breathing. Before my double-lung transplant eight years ago, I’d check the weather before committing to any plans, because protecting my lung health from allergens, weather triggers, and anything that could cause inflammation was essential to my well-being. Since…