Chelsea’s story

I was born premature. Everyone tells me I’m extremely impatient and that’s why I entered the world two months early.

Because I was so premature, I wasn’t breathing on my own and the hospital put me on pure oxygen, which is what led to my cerebral palsy. Countless surgeries and physical therapy were constants in my life while I was growing up. But I’m a fighter, I’ve had to be. And I have tried to live as normal of a life as possible and I even gave birth to my son, who is my world

In 2022 I got Covid for the second time (three times total) but while I bounced back from the first one, the second bout left me feeling constantly fatigued and has I’ve told my husband, “I just don’t feel right” for most of 2022. In January of 2023, we noticed that my heart rate was unusually high thanks to a new Apple Watch I got for Christmas which led us to multiple doctor visits, and ER visits and specialists like multiple cardiologists and an electrophysiologist, .

Most were perplexed but tried to help, and a few mentioned what we suspected, a condition called POTS which stands for Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome. My heart rate skyrockets when I stand and walk.

I finally got the diagnosis in January of 2024. I decided to write about my conditions and what it means to be Chronically and Courageously me. – Chelsea