Building Resilience: Monica Sanford's Journey of Strength and Purpose

Hola Fierce Friends,

Are we born with resilience, or do we develop it over time? In this week's article, I had the pleasure of speaking with Dr of Nurse Practice, Acute Care Nurse Practitioner specialist in Cardiology, Monica Sanford, who shared her incredible journey of developing resilience after her son was diagnosed with a severe congenital heart defect.

At the time of the diagnosis, Monica had a business degree and worked in marketing. Receiving the news about her son was “devastating,” but Monica knew she needed to manage her emotions and take decisive action. 

With determination, she applied to two nursing schools, driven by the desire to understand and support her newborn baby. Monica said, “I took a deep dive into becoming a nurse.” Seeing the incredible work of the bedside nurses who kept her son alive, Monica felt compelled to learn how to take care of him. 

When asked about resilience, Monica believes it is about taking a difficult experience and turning it into a positive outcome. She recalled an old quote, “You don’t realize how strong you have to be until you have no other choice.” 

Isn’t that the truth!

Often, as women, we can be overwhelmed by our circumstances and not take a step back to determine the best course of action. Monica’s story is a powerful reminder to build that mental strength.

Monica shared that maintaining a positive attitude was crucial while raising a special needs child and navigating multiple surgeries. Her family endured five heart surgeries with their son before he turned ten. Monica emphasized the importance of asking for help and being flexible, which helped them through those difficult times.

Attending school while managing her son's health was exhausting for Monica. She said that many people make decisions as if their current situation will never change, but if they can focus on their end goal, they can keep moving forward. Monica’s journey was always driven by a clear goal: becoming a nurse, then a nurse practitioner, and ultimately a cardiac nurse practitioner.

Monica works with many veterans with PTSD who feel stuck and unable to move forward. She encourages them to feel their emotions but also to find joy in their lives to help them progress.

When asked about the key to her mental strength, Monica shared that she keeps a post-it note in her lab coat that says, “Always remember why you started.” Surrounding herself with people who share her mindset has also been vital. With 12 years of critical thinking experience in an ICU as a cardiac nurse, Monica focuses on being proactive and preventive.

On difficult days at work or with patients, Monica tries to figure out how she can improve the situation. Being proactive about her son’s health and staying on top of his scans and medical therapy gives her a sense of control and empowerment.

During COVID, Monica worked at three different hospitals for over a year and a half. It was emotionally and physically draining, and she was afraid of bringing the virus home to her son. For her own mental health, she decided to step back from providing care and began her podcast, The Monica Sanford Show. What started as a fun outlet grew into something significant, and she also began teaching as an adjunct professor at the University of West Florida.

Monica now speaks and presents at conferences, sharing her personal and professional knowledge as a mother of a child with congenital heart disease and a cardiac nurse practitioner. She is also active in advocacy and legislative efforts for patients. Along with hosting:

Monica’s story is a testament to the power of resilience and proactive mental strength. Let’s take inspiration from her journey and build our mental strength, ladies!

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