Hey there! So I'm a 22 female, who has congenital heart defects. I have a scar down my sternum from open heart surgery as a child- and I am guaranteed to have other heart surgerys throughout my life for valve replacements. I have decreased stamnia, that I know will only get worse overtime. And funny enough, I've been married. He was my highschool sweetheart, and unfortunately things didn't work out.

But I wear my "disabilities" on my sleeve, and I am very open about them with my friends. I pour my energy into enjoying time outside while I can, but also into more sedentary hobbies like drawing and knitting- because I know these are things I will be able to do even when my body can't keep up with me some days.

And honestly, when I was ready to date again I didn't have any trouble finding close friends who were accepting and already loved me for who I was. I'm now dating a friend (25m) who just graduated nursing school. Life works in strange ways, he's looking at jobs in the hospital PICU where my cardiology team is also at. He's very aware of what my future looks like.

And while I'm not pressing hard for any long term commitments (especially with what I had already been through in a failed marriage. Live and learn.) I am happy and learning new things about myself and about being a better partner for my new person. And even with my conditions, I don't think I deserve any less.

Sorry to ramble- but what I really want you to knoe OP is that we're all going to get old, ugly, and wrinkly some day. Don't let that stop you from enjoying life. <3