Valiant Voice — Lara Govendo

A recent hospitalization for appendicitis reminded me too much of frequent hospital stays in the past. As memories infiltrated my thoughts, the traumatic ties to the past bubbled to the surface. It’s important to name and process our experiences since medical trauma compounds with chronic illness. Prior…

I live with some level of pain and nausea on the regular. I’ve become numb to these symptoms because I’m used to them, but that’s sometimes a problem. A few weeks ago, I had intense nausea and belly pain. It seemed normal, given my cystic fibrosis (CF),…

Prior to my double-lung transplant in 2017, I was scared of the words “palliative care.” I mistook it for hospice care and thought it meant preparing to die. I was hypersensitive about that because I was waiting on the organ transplant list. If I had known then…

I had an identity crisis when I turned 30. At the time, everything that had previously defined me — my health, my job, my financial independence — had been stripped from me. It felt like the rug had been pulled out from under my feet. Most 30-year-olds aren’t writing out…

Since I had a double-lung transplant six years ago, my life has been a sea breeze compared with my life with lungs affected by cystic fibrosis (CF). Since everything seems easier now, I often forget that I still can’t handle everything on my own. I continue to need…

“I don’t understand how you were laughing when all I wanted to do was cry,” my sister said, referring to the time before my double-lung transplant six years ago. In March 2017, I went into respiratory failure due to complications of cystic fibrosis (CF). I was transported to…

Living with cystic fibrosis (CF) and transplanted organs has taught me a great deal about how to successfully travel by air with a chronic illness. While my medical needs look significantly different now than they did before my double-lung transplant six years ago, all of my health…

Throughout my journey with cystic fibrosis (CF) and double-lung transplant, I’ve learned what does and doesn’t work for me when it comes to receiving support from others. Following are a few guidelines that have been effective for me, and I hope they’ll be useful to you, too, whether…

After I had a double-lung transplant six years ago due to cystic fibrosis (CF), it was hard to look at myself in the mirror. I would stare at my stapled chest, and feelings of disbelief and grief would bubble to the surface like never before. Thoughts raced through…

Today’s society comes with the expectation that we should all meet certain life benchmarks by particular ages. We’re inundated with the “shoulds.” You should go to college and be successful right out the gate. You should get married by 25 years old and have kids at 26. You should have…

Inpatient hospital stays are common for those of us with cystic fibrosis (CF). Before my double-lung transplant almost six years ago, I’d live at the hospital for several weeks at a time. During those stays, I developed a skill set for thriving while inpatient. Following are some tactics…

Last weekend, I finally got around to getting my yardwork done. I mulched around the walkway and the side of my condo and planted flowers in the garden. When a friend heard what I’d done, he asked, “Is that a chore, or is it fun?” “It’s fun!” I replied. It’s…