I used to hate slow walkers. Then I got sick and I became one of them.

The author (not pictured) was diagnosed with a cardiac issue and could not raise her heartbeat.

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• I've always been a fast walker, and my friends made fun of me.
• I moved to New York City in 2013 and fit right in.
• Then, at 29, I was diagnosed with a cardiac issue and had to become a slow walker myself.

I've always been a speedy walker.

Growing up in Arizona and Michigan, my friends laughed at the long hikes I'd take in my neighborhood in the extreme heat and cold.