Challenges That Change Us

110 {Claire Clark} Adapting to Life's New Normal Post-POTS Diagnosis

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Episode notes

If you’ve been a long time listener of this podcast you’ll know the advocating for awareness around POTS is something very close to my heart.

Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome can be absolutely debilitating, and that’s not taking into account how many years it can take for someone to actually get a diagnosis.

All of this can be truly crushing for anyone, but is especially so for someone who is incredibly active, driven and passionate.

All of those words could be used to describe Claire Clark who, prior to her diagnosis had been a scuba instructor, founder of female focused bootcamps, paramedic and more.

Since working through that challenge and coming to grips with her new reality, Claire is an advocate for the POTS Foundation and her story will blow you away.

In this episode she shares:

Her early life of active work
Her life as a paramedic
The moment she got injured at work
How her injury was exacerbated and led to a full health breakdown
The numerous times her medical team dismissed her symptoms and almost didn’t diagnose her
How she finally did get a diagnosis
How the door to more issues that was opened by her POTS
The moment she realised she would never return to her former health
How she learned to recalibrate her load of work for a day
How she got in touch with the POTS foundation
The additional illnesses and medical dangers she has gone through since her diagnosis

Key Quotes

“At the moment even walking to my letterbox is difficult.”

“I was always somebody that helped others and I couldn’t help myself”

More about

You can support the POTS Foundation by becoming a volunteer here: https://potsfoundation.org.au/get-involved/#volunteer

You can support Claire’s art here: https://www.instagram.com/unmuddledartist?igsh=Z3FmNXVpNXc1Mnhh

POTS Page Turners Go Fund Me Bookclub https://gofund.me/0cd66e31

You can get involved with the podcast online

To try out our resilience course: https://www.challengesthatchangeus.com/surviving-2-thriving-course1

On facebook in our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/challengesthatchangeus

Or on Instagram: @challengesthatchangeus

If you want to contact the podcast, email us here: [email protected]