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Heather Rhea

@st1ngrhea

1.5K

followers

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mama
advocate
movement as medicine
chronically ill, but wildly alive
tell me i can't, then watch me twice
🌈🌱

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I always wondered if/when/how I would ever share the news that I am HIV positive with others- It's been nearly a year since my diagnosis and the most important decision I have made for myself is to open my heart, to educate, and to learn as much as I possibly can.
I am so thankful for the medication that allows me to live a happy, full life and my heart aches for those who did not (and those who still do not) get that chance. Thank you so much for fighting so hard so that we today, may live. I honor your beautiful souls with my entirety. I strive to be as brave as you.

My friends- I hope that you all will still see me in the same light, speak to me the same truths, and laugh with me as you always have. HIV is part of me, but I am not HIV. I am still Heather- only a lot stronger, braver, and extremely ready to live my life to the fullest. Life is worth living and I intend to make a difference here. Exude acceptance and love- we all need it so much. by @st1ngrhea

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10 years ago

i actually hate the taste of blood
but here I am gnawing away
with no particular goal in mind
other than to stop the emergencies
flashing lights are alarming
and they're scaring them away
one by one
one
bye
1 by @st1ngrhea

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5 days ago

Somehow time has sped by again and my Zephyr is 6 years old! 🤯💕

Zephyr, the kindness of your heart is unmatched and your mind absolutely amazes me. You love animals so much and approach them with curiosity and care. You are not afraid of much. It is both so exciting and nerve-racking to experience. 😅

You wear your heart on your sleeve and your emotions can get so big and wide, just like mommy. You're beginning to learn to harness that emotion and energy in a healthy and effective way and so is mommy- we are learning that together. The growth is so renewing and inspiring. I love growing with you. 🌱

Seeing you and your sister become closer every day wraps my soul in so much warmth and joy. I am so proud of you for being so brave and absolutely thriving in Kindergarten. I can't wait to see what year 6 has in store for you. I couldn't be more proud or love you more, my sweets. Happy, happy birthday, Zeph! 🥳💖 by @st1ngrhea

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14 days ago

The last two years have changed me in ways I still don’t fully have words for.

I’ve watched my body become unfamiliar. I’ve lost pieces of the life I knew, fought to be believed, collected diagnoses I never wanted, and learned how terrifying it can be to live in a body that changes the rules without warning.

But I’m sharing this because I know I’m not the only one who knows how sharp the isolation of chronic illness stings.

Being chronically ill does not make you less worthy. Less lovable. Less valuable. Less beautiful or desirable. Your body struggling does not diminish who you are- even when your mind is trying so hard to convince you it does. The untruths are resounding and so loud at times that they attempt to swallow all of the light we've basked in during our time on earth.

The reality is I’m still sick. I’m still grieving. I’m still learning this body. But I’m still here

so are you—

... and that means there's still light...

and goddamn does it feel good. 🌤❤️‍🩹🫂

#chronicillness #pots #mecfs #mcas #ehlersdanlossyndrome by @st1ngrhea

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17 days ago

Still kickin' 🤘🏻#chronicallyill #chronicallychill by @st1ngrhea

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3 months ago

Took this silly thang as a "before" photo to reference back to on some silly, made up day that my body is going to change (and become smaller or more toned or whatever tf) and then I realized that this photo is rather a celebration of the meat sack I've been given that has gotten me through one of the most difficult times in my life and is allowing me to see my beautiful babies grow up and develop their own dispositions in this life and really the best I can do for them is show unconditional love to myself in every shape and size that I am, have been, and will become. (Woooo stream of consciousness in one sentence lolol)

Also in a society that wants to make people with v*ginas smaller so as not to take up too much space, I am proud to take up as much damn space as I want. 😘

#bodypositivity #chronicillness #MCAS #POTS #hEDS by @st1ngrhea

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5 months ago

A photo dump while I histamine dump 🫠 by @st1ngrhea

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5 months ago

If you missed my obscure dance post, I want to announce to everyone that I am officially reclaiming my birth name, Heather Rhea. ✨️ Most of my professional life as an HIV advocate I have been known by my former name and even I will need to practice introducing myself properly. 🙃 No worries if you forget a few times, but I will kindly remind you. 🥰

What I want people to know by making this post is that I am reclaiming my name with pride. Feeling pride has always been difficult for me because of my deeply rooted trauma telling me it was something that wasn't mine to celebrate or that it was improperly feeding my ego in a way that was disconnecting me with reality, but this past year (or so) has taught me otherwise. I am no longer dulling my own shine. ☀️

Tapping into my own inner strength has allowed me to leave a toxic situation that was not good for my mental health and create a healthy, sustainable life for myself and my two children in a town that where I had little to no community or support. I have cried so many tears as barriers were continuously put in front of me and questioned many times if I was strong enough to continue- but I did, and I will. I always will. 💯

I don't need or want any sympathetic sorry's. Nothing failed. I feel no shame. I feel proud, inspired, and empowered. This is a profound shift and rebirth in my life and I can assure you that I am coming back stronger than ever. I feel the pages turning and even though there will be times that are uncertain and heavy, I can't wait to see where this new chapter takes me. 🌊 #divorce #singlemom #rebirth by @st1ngrhea

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6 months ago

This is my public announcement that I am reclaiming my maiden name "Heather Rhea" both professionally and personally and that I'm okay and my health continues to improve. Y'all take care 🫶 by @st1ngrhea

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6 months ago

Brb repairing my mitochondria and stepping into my power ☀️✨️ by @st1ngrhea

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6 months ago

"How have you been lately?" has been such a loaded question for me in this era of my life. My body tenses up at the prompt, sucking in what feels like my last bit of life-sustaining air as my mind scrambles for ways to give enough information- but not too much information. I want to lead with honesty and truth, but the fear of placing an additional burden among burdens on the person asking me the question forces me to spare the details and spit out a "hanging in there" response.

Surprisingly, this response has given way to so many organic conversations about how we all are truly "hanging in there". People have cried and yelled and laughed and I did the same right along with them. All of these conversations I have kept with me- trinkets of the human condition and life force that is connection to others and to the Earth.

In this next chapter of my life I am vowing to honor the heaviness and confusion of my own self-awareness in this country, on this planet. I will give love to the days when my inner world runs out of space internally and begins spilling out into the ether. Because the truth is that it is completely natural to not be okay right now. A lot of us are not okay.

That's okay.

Let's be not okay together.

Here's to another chapter and another season of saying what we mean, even when we're "hanging in there".

🤙🪂🌱🫶 by @st1ngrhea

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6 months ago

Just a couple uh karate kids 🥋 🤍 by @st1ngrhea

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7 months ago