POTS…not just a kitchen item.
I did not know that there is a syndrome known as POTS. I did not know what the symptoms of this syndrome are. I did not know how it can wreak havoc in a POTS sufferer’s life. Enter a woman who is on a passionate mission to inform, spread awareness and change simple procedures in physicians’ protocol to help diagnose POTS.
Wendy Baruchowitz, a Westchester mom, developed POTS during her second pregnancy. Her symptoms included: racing heart, dizziness, migraines, shortness of breath, cognitive impairment, and many more troubling symptoms. It made living a normal life and caring for her children impossible.
It took months for Ms. Baruchowitz to receive a proper diagnosis. Finally, she learned that she had POTS-Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome. POTS is one of numerous Dysautonomic disorders, which is a deregulation of the autonomic system. All the things that your body does without your even thinking about it: your heartbeat, respiration, blood pressure and flow, temperature… Imagine them all going out of whack.
After finally receiving a diagnosis and treatment, Wendy is doing quite well today. Here she is with her youngest son.
It’s believed that nearly 3 million Americans suffer from POTS. To help fund research for POTS and autonomic system disorders, Wendy organized a “POTS-Take a Stand” fundraising run/walk taking place on Oct. 4 in Rye, NY.
Go to www.potstakeastand.com to find out about the walk, the disorder with the funny name, and Wendy Baruchowitz’s story.
Valerie Smaldone is a 5-time Billboard Magazine Award winner and is well known for her unprecedented success holding the #1 on-air position in the New York radio market on 106.7 Life-FM, an iHeart station. She has hosted, produced, and created several award-winning nationally syndicated programs featuring in-depth interviews with stars like Paul McCartney, Celine Dion, Rod Stewart, Elton John and Mariah Carey among others. Her radio talk show "Bagels and Broadway" highlighted theatre and food personalities. She is an accomplished interviewer and voice artist heard on commercials, narrations, promos and audiobooks, as well as a sought after live announcer.
Most recently, Valerie produced and directed a film, The Thursday Night Club, featuring pop diva Gloria Gaynor in her movie acting debut. She is one of the creators and producers of a docu-series, Divine Renovation, starring Erik Estrada, on streaming networks soon.
