It's Therapeutic Thursday at Aortic Hope. Want to learn about a "medicine" that shouldn't hurt you and is FREE? It's called LAUGHTER! It's true that laughter is the best medicine and that's because of it's many benefits. According to the Mayo Clinic, "A good laugh has great short-term effects. When you start to laugh, it doesn't just lighten your load mentally, it actually induces physical changes in your body." 🤣Laughter is scientifically proven to have many health benefit

Today is Therapeutic Thursday at Aortic Hope. Who's heard the term "Scanxiety"? Scanxiety is a term that describes the anxiety or distress that people may feel before, during, or after a scan or imaging test. It can also refer to the apprehension that people with a chronic condition (such as aortic disease) may feel when they're waiting for their next scan. Scanxiety can be especially common for people with conditions that require regular exams, such as aortic disease patien

It's Therapeutic Thursday at Aortic Hope. ♥️Many of us have signed up for our free month with Help Texts (https://helptexts.com/AorticHope) and we want to share with you some of the tips that we have received. ♥️"There is a difference between healthy anxiety and anxiety that impairs your daily functioning. ♥️Healthy anxiety is brief and often coupled with something new or exciting. Anxiety that is experienced persistently and attached to worry or fear can feel out of control.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month and while it's coming to a close, we want to officially launch HELP TEXTS! ♥️Aortic Hope is excited to offer Help Texts and your first month is FREE! ♥️Help Texts provides expert support for all of life's challenges including grief support, caregiving and mental health straight to your phone ♥️ ♥️Help Texts is a text based service, written by world-leading experts that are evidence-informed, rooted in current research and theory. You will

It's Therapeutic Thursday at Aortic Hope. Have you ever wondered why movies can have such a profound effect on our emotions? According to Vanity Fair "Hollywood has been making comedies and heart-tugging sagas for over a century, but the best feel-good movies have a little something special: the game-winning goal, the ultra-romantic kiss, the musical number that takes you totally by surprise. Ahead we’ve gathered 37 titles that are good movies to watch when you need a pick-me

Today is Therapeutic Thursday at Aortic Hope! 🤝 In case you weren't aware, Aortic Hope offers Support Group Meetings in a virtual environment not only for patients but also for caregivers and for those who are grieving the loss of a loved one to Aortic Disease. What makes our meetings special is they are moderated by other patients, caregivers and individuals who have lost loved ones. We occasionally have guest speakers as well. ❓ Why are support groups important? Not on

Today for Therapeutic Thursday, let’s talk about healing. Healing is a profound process that involves acknowledging, accepting, and integrating our experiences. Whether it’s physical or mental, the journey toward healing is unique for each person. Here are some insights on healing: Acceptance: Denial of illness is often the biggest barrier to healing. When we gradually accept our condition—whether it’s mental illness or any other health issue—we open the door to recovery. It’

Today for Therapeutic Thursday, let’s talk about Anxiety, which likely plays a role in your life as an aortic patient or as a caregiver. Challenge Negative Thoughts: Question the validity of anxious thoughts. Practice Deep Breathing: Inhale for 4 counts, exhale for 4 counts. Use Aromatherapy: Try calming scents like lavender or chamomile. Exercise: Move to reduce stress and boost your mood. Make sure it is approved by your doctor. Grounding Techniques: Journal or use the “333

Today for Therapeutic Thursday we are going to talk Productivity . . . or better yet, lack thereof. It's okay to not be doing. We need to remember to just be. Doing and being are complete opposite sides of the spectrum and that is perfectly acceptable. Especially for us Aortic Survivors! In your past life, your pre-Aortic disease self was likely stressed, over-worked and just plain spread too thin. I know I was. And that was NOT good. As a society we are taught to be on the g

#ByPatientsForPatients is something that Aortic Hope takes to heart. Everything we do, we do with you in mind. Here is a collection of Musings or thoughts from the community for you to download and review when you are feeling stuck ♥️

Today is Therapeutic Thursday at Aortic Hope. 🤔Often in the community, the questions is asked "How do you celebrate your aortaversary?" 😞😊It's not surprising to hear that when an anniversary date for surgery or diagnosis is nearing, it can create anxiety, fear, joy and anger. ♥️Some choose to disassociate and and let the day just unfold naturally and others want to celebrate living life to the fullest.

Today is Therapeutic Thursday at Aortic Hope. ❤️Board games aren't just for rainy days and power outages anymore; they're like the Swiss Army knives of the living room table, unfolding into tools of cognitive calisthenics, emotional easels, and social symphonies. 🎮Picture this: you're the grandmaster of the board, rolling dice and flipping cards like a Vegas dealer on a Saturday night. Your brain's firing on all cylinders, neurons doing the tango as you strategize your path

Today we want to reference Chapter 8 - The Wonder of Music and Arts in Healthcare from Greater Than The Power and Strength of Emotional Grit by Jennifer Fernjack. Haven't you noticed that whenever "We Will Rock You" is played people clap, stomp their feet and get motivated/energized or if "The Star Spangled Banner" performed by Whitney Houston is played, it can leave you with chills or maybe in tears. Why is this? Jennifer points out in her book that music "has been shown to

❓Did you know that some people in the aortic community find themselves going through the 5 stages of grief after a diagnosis or after surviving an aortic dissection? Today is Therapeutic Thursday at Aortic Hope and we want to take a moment to validate the emotions you may be feeling since diagnosis. 👉According to an article in Healthline written by Aryanna Denk titled, Processing Grief After a New Medical Diagnosis, Aryanna explains that "The type of grief that comes with ch

Today is Therapeutic Thursday at Aortic Hope. How many of you have heard of Grounding? Grounding techniques are ways to help you stay calm and focused when you feel stressed, anxious, or overwhelmed. They can also help you cope with traumatic memories or flashbacks. Grounding techniques work by bringing your attention to the present moment and distracting you from negative thoughts or feelings. Here are some examples of grounding techniques: - 𝗨𝘀𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗲𝘀: L

It's Therapeutic Thursday at Aortic Hope. Here is one of the ways you can 𝑹𝒆𝒄𝒆𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝑴𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒊𝒏 2024... ❤️If you are in the position to schedule elective surgery and find yourself asking a lot of questions like: What should I bring to the hospital?, What will recovery be like? etc, then take a look at the 𝑷𝒓𝒆/𝑷𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝑺𝒖𝒓𝒈𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒍 𝑺𝒖𝒈𝒈𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔 list that was created #ByPatientsForPatients. 👇If you would like to add to this list, please comment below wi

It's Therapeutic Thursday at Aortic Hope. Considering a new procedure, treatment, or med can be overwhelming - what questions do you even ask? Think 𝗕𝗥𝗔𝗜𝗡𝗦. 𝗕- What are the benefits? 𝗥- What are the risks? 𝗔- What are the alternatives? 𝗜- Intuition: What is my gut telling me to do? 𝗡- What happens if I don't do this right now or never? 𝗦- Get a second opinion. ~Contributed by our Director of Genetic Education, Ryan Rodarmer

It's Therapeutic Thursday at Aortic Hope. 🎉Today is about Resolutions and how to make them actually work for you. 🤔Every year, millions of people make resolutions to improve their lives, but only a few of them actually stick to them. Why is that? Well, there are many reasons, but one of them is that resolutions are often too vague, unrealistic, or boring. So how can you make resolutions that work for you? Here are some tips: - 𝗕𝗲 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰.Instead of saying "I want

Today is Therapeutic Thursday at Aortic Hope. Have you ever wondered Why Friendships Are So Important for Health and Well-Bring? Well, today we are discussing an article with that very title written by Moira Lawler and she explains the 9 ways friends are more than just about having a good time together. "So, what does the science say about why strong social ties are good for health and well-being? Here’s what we know" says Lawler: 1. Friendships Promote a Sense of Belonging (

Today is Therapeutic Thursday at Aortic Hope. ❤️We have discussed a variety of grounding techniques using our 5 senses as a way to destress and reduce anxiety but not too many people have heard of EFT Tapping. 👉EFT tapping is a technique that involves tapping on specific points on your body while repeating positive affirmations. It is supposed to help you release negative emotions, reduce stress, and improve your well-being. Sounds too good to be true, right? Well, some peop