insurance card to obtain a referral for a new doctor.
The fourth time was the charm for Dancy whose fourth doctor was able to give her an accurate diagnosis of myocarditis, a condition that causes inflammation of the heart muscle. Dancy was also notified that the myocarditis had led to heart failure.
Understandably, the mother of four had an initial reaction of fear.
“I had family that I was taking care of and I was afraid because what I knew heart failure to be was something very very serious – something that I hadn’t imagined for myself. Initially, it was fear, but then as I was admitted to the hospital and a treatment plan was put together for me, that fear turned into hope – it turned into I’m going to take charge,” Dancy adds.
The diagnosis prompted Dancy to take charge of her well-being, make significant lifestyle changes and prioritize her health in ways she hadn’t before.
One of the most impactful changes Dancy made was involving her family in her journey to better health.
“I put in the work… I got my whole family involved and it changed my life ultimately for the better,” Dancy adds. It has become a blessing to not only change my life [and] change my habits, but get my kids involved [and] educate them to learn more about my condition and how to help others.”
Together, Dancy and her family have embraced a low-sodium diet, regular cardiovascular exercise, and activities focused on mental wellness, such as therapy and stress management. By including her children in these lifestyle changes, Dancy has not only improved her own health; but she’s also set a positive example for her family.
“We journal, we draw, we do those running things, we do a lot more talking about our feelings just so we can navigate it,” Dancy shares.
In addition to the lifestyle changes, Dancy changed her mindset and began prioritizing herself.
“I make sure that I organize everything in a way that there’s space for the things that I