Welcome to Little LVADventures: Finding Big Joy in a Small Machine

Hey Warriors,

I’m Phoenix, mother of 3, wife, entrepreneur, and lover of everything creative, and yes, I carry around a machine that keeps me alive.

It’s called an LVAD (Left Ventricular Assist Device), and it quite literally helps my heart beat.

Wild, right?

When I first got my LVAD, I knew life would change. But I thought it might shrink. I thought it would get smaller, more clinical, more confined. I pictured limitations. Hospital walls. Cords and caution.

What I didn’t expect was for my world to open up.

Suddenly, the little moments started to shine brighter.

Breakfast with my kids? That’s a blessing.

Sitting outside and feeling the wind hit my face? That’s therapy.

More graduations, birthday parties, and weddings? Let’s go.

Being able to do anything at all, big or small, became something sacred.

That’s how Little LVADventures was born.

This isn’t a blog about perfection. It’s about the in-between. The in-process. The “this is hard, but I’m doing it anyway.”

It’s where I share what it’s really like to live with an LVAD, the wins, the weird moments, the hard truths, and all the magic that happens in between.

You’ll find me posting about family hikes, spontaneous kitchen dance parties (yes, even with my equipment on), creative bursts, quiet reflections, and days where I just need to lie down and breathe.

You’ll also see the messy parts, the alarms at 3 a.m., the exhaustion, the grief over the things I’ve had to let go of, and the power in choosing joy anyway.

Because here’s the truth:

Little LVADventures isn’t about survival. It’s about living. With purpose. With humor. With fire in your belly, even if your heart’s only pumping at 5%.

I’m not just wired in, I’m rooted. Rooted in resilience. In faith, in family, in the firm ground of knowing that I’ve already made it through hell and decided to grow anyway. This journey doesn’t just run through me. It anchors me. And it reminds me every day that I’m more than my machine, I’m grounded in everything it can’t measure: strength, creativity, connection, and unshakable hope.

This is a space for the wired-up warriors, the caregivers holding it all together, the curious hearts who want to understand, and anyone who’s ever been told their life had limits but decided to rewrite the rules.

If you’re here, I’m glad you found your way. You’re not just reading my story, you’re stepping into a community built on resilience, creativity, and full-hearted living.

We may be tethered to batteries, but we’re charged with something deeper. Hope. Passion. Purpose.

So yes, my heart might need some help these days. But my spirit? It’s louder than ever.

Let’s explore this wild little life together.

With Heart,

💙 Phoenix

"I’m not just wired in, I’m rooted."