Yesterday marked a significant milestone as I embarked on cardiac rehab.

Over the past year and a half, my journey has included a kidney transplant, toe amputation, Fem Pop bypass (A graft place from my thigh to behind my knee to re-route blood flow around a blockage), and a partial foot amputation—all since November 2022.

Cardiac rehab is really important to me because I want to stop the revolving door of treatments to open up the arteries in my legs. Walking can help my body to start growing its own natural bypasses around any significant narrowings or blockages I might have in my main arteries. I found out these collaterals will also help with the narrowings in my heart arteries, too!

But this rehab isn’t just about exercise; it encompasses classes on transformative lifestyle changes, focusing on nutrition, stress relief, and fostering human connections.

This journey excites me because it represents a new chapter, a welcome change since the kidney transplant freed me from the constraints of dialysis and opened doors to a renewed sense of freedom.

Take a look at my first steps toward what I hope will bring me a longer, happier, healthier life ahead!✌🏾