‘When I Got My Diagnosis, I Immediately Went Into Fight Mode,’ Says Johnnie Davis of His Journey with Congestive Heart Failure

On Christmas Eve 2012, Davis, he was unresponsive. He spent ten days in the hospital and had a device implanted that now monitors his heart function and keeps him thriving.

“I’ve been fortunate,” Davis smiles. He sat down with SurvivorNet recently to share his heart health journey.

Johnnie Davis’s Heart Health Journey

“The cardiologist came to me and told me I had congestive heart failure,” Davis tells SurvivorNet. “I had no idea what that was. I had never heard of congestive heart failure before.

“I told myself: ‘Whatever this is, we’re gonna beat it.'”

Thus began Davis’s journey to understand his heart better and tacking congestive heart failure head-on. “I had one foot in the grave,” remembers Davis. His doctor told him that if he had waited 24 more hours to come into the hospital he would be gone. “I was scared. When I got the information, I immediately went into fight mode,” he recalls. “I told myself: ‘Whatever this is, we’re gonna beat it.'”

Davis committed fully to turning things around. “I worked out regularly, I changed my diet to more of a plant-based diet, I take my medication,” he explains. “I’m going to change everything,” he says. “My outlook on life was very positive.”

Today, Davis is focused on improving the lives of those around him.

“You have to look at a future you feeling great. Focus on that and move towards it every day.”

“Since I’ve had this device…it’s monitoring my heart function,” Davis says he’s been fortunate. “I’ve had this device for ten years, and I still have three years left on my battery.”

Finding a Supportive Community Through Your Health Journey

Davis recommends getting connected with like-minded folks via social media when going through a health battle. Getting a community together is so important when you’re experiencing life’s challenges.

Ovarian cancer fighter Beverly Reeves shares in an earlier interview how she thinks having a strong community during a health battle is critical. She tells SurvivorNet, "If I had one piece of advice for someone who had just been diagnosed with ovarian cancer, it would be to get a strong support group together. Get your close friends. If you're connected to a faith community, get your faith community."

She continues, "Get your family. Let them know what's going on and let them help you. And sometimes that's the most difficult thing to do, but just know that they are there. If they love you, they're there to help you."

'Faith, Family, and Friends' Helped Beverly Reeves Get Through Ovarian Cancer Treatment

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