After I got here house from the hospital, my mom and father took turns sitting on my mattress each evening to verify I used to be nonetheless respiration. My mom would relaxation her head on my chest and say a prayer. My father would whisper, “I really like you,” and contact my cheek.

I seen all of it. They thought I used to be asleep as they did this, however I used to be awake, unable to sleep. I hadn’t been in a position to sleep nicely for months however didn’t need to take medicine to assist with that as a result of I get pleasure from staying awake within the darkness, my thoughts operating wild, even when my mom tells me to not suppose a lot.

This was practically two years in the past, once I was 17, in Cotonou, Benin, West Africa, the place I grew up and was in my second 12 months within the college. I had been visiting my dad and mom and determined to assist them with chores. Whereas sweeping the home and listening to a track, I collapsed. I used to be standing after which I used to be on the ground.

As I lay there — semiconscious, my coronary heart heavy — my father frantically typed into Google “what to do when somebody collapses and isn’t respiration nicely,” after which revived me by doing chest compressions.

The subsequent day, he took me to a cardiovascular middle close by, the place I sat in entrance of the physician, my arms folded, coronary heart ramming towards my chest, as she introduced out a number of items of apparatus after which led me to a mattress.

Ready for the outcomes, I bit my fingernails, tapped my ft, bobbed my head. When my physician seemed up from her laptop computer and tried to smile, I may see pity in her eyes. She stated I’d had a light coronary heart assault and advised me I had coronary coronary heart illness — the arteries supplying blood to my coronary heart have been blocked by fatty substances.

How may that be? I used to be a young person.

My physician has stated it’s hereditary: My mom has hypertension, and my grandfather additionally had coronary heart points. Throw within the irregular heartbeat I’ve, and that is how I ended up with my situation.

I must depart faculty and transfer again in with my dad and mom, which was not simple — shifting by no means is, and I used to be not imagined to exert myself. However it needed to be finished. My father was touring extra, which meant that I’d now spend extra time with my mom. It wasn’t superb, however it was higher for my well being.

I come from a household of three, simply my dad and mom and me, however all through my childhood our home was at all times stuffed with prolonged household, which I loved as a result of, as an solely baby, I wanted folks round me. Residing with my mom now would imply seeing my cousins and grandmother frequently. And with that got here a whole lot of speak about my love life.

One evening, considered one of my older cousins tapped me and stated, “When do you propose on getting a girlfriend? Or are you homosexual?”

I may really feel all eyes on me.

Then one other cousin stated, “You understand, you’re sick and an solely baby; what if one thing occurs to you tomorrow?”

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I knew what they have been implying. Being an solely baby meant I used to be the one to proceed my father’s lineage, they usually have been starting to surprise why I had no girlfriend.

Their questions continued for a number of extra weeks till I’d had sufficient of it and determined to return out of the closet.

After I was 14, I promised myself I’d by no means come out to the household. I used to be going to maintain being homosexual a secret till demise as a result of homophobia was rife round me and there have been even authorized dangers. However I used to be now spending extra time with my mom, and the phrases my cousins stored throwing round made the choice to return out simpler.

I by no means advised folks how my mom reacted the primary time she noticed porn on my cellphone. I used to be 13 and confused about my sexuality when a Google search led me to a porn web site. I drifted off whereas watching it, and the next day, I noticed that my mom had my cellphone.

There was a understanding look in her eyes, however she didn’t say something. It occurred twice after that; nonetheless, she didn’t say something. Perhaps that’s what gave me the braveness to return out to her. Maybe that’s why part of me knew that she wasn’t going to react as the common dad or mum in my nation would possibly.

“Mother, I’m homosexual,” I stated final August as she was sitting on her mattress. When she didn’t say something, I swallowed arduous and repeated myself.

After a number of seconds, she took my hand, smiled, and stated, “I’ve at all times recognized and can proceed to like you.” There was fear in her eyes, however she wrapped me in her arms and started to cry, making me cry too.

The primary time I had a full-blown coronary heart assault, 5 months later, I used to be again at school. We have been studying how knowledge labored once I excused myself to make use of the bathroom. I’ve tried to learn how coronary heart assaults work to have the ability to describe it, however I can’t. It simply occurs. You suppose all the things goes nicely, and the following factor you understand, you’re on the ground, your legs outstretched, your coronary heart pounding.

Coronary heart assaults are vicious; I’ve had roughly 5 — one full-blown and the remainder gentle. Every one, irrespective of how gentle, leaves you scared and questioning when the following one would possibly occur.

After the analysis, I began exercising and decreasing my consumption of fatty meals. I additionally take a drugs each time I’ve respiratory issues — which is on a regular basis.

However I’ve gotten used to the concept of getting gentle coronary heart assaults at any time of day. Generally it’s horrible; different instances, it isn’t. Generally I simply need to surrender as a result of the considered dwelling like this without end scares me.

And there are occasions I ponder if it is a punishment for deviating from the Christian life I knew rising up, for all of the instances I scrolled by means of bare photos of males whereas sitting behind the church, or for studying erotica throughout Sunday faculty.

However my mom at all times assures me that every one can be nicely and nothing occurring to me is a punishment.

“I don’t need to die. I’m scared,” I advised her a number of months in the past.

She smiled and held my arms like she at all times does. She didn’t say something, however her eyes stated sufficient. After my first coronary heart assault, she took day without work work and spent a number of weeks with me. She would sit on the sofa going through me with a smile, asking if I used to be OK.

“You understand you don’t need to,” I’d inform her.

She’d chortle and say, “I’m your mom. Let me be the one to fret about you.”

Although my situation isn’t but thought-about life-threatening, I typically I ponder about how my mom will cope if I’ve a coronary heart assault and don’t survive. How devastated she can be if her solely baby is gone. However once I take a look at her and listen to her say a prayer, I inform myself all the things can be all proper.

“I see that none of your boyfriends have visited you,” she jokingly stated to me one morning final June, after one other gentle coronary heart assault.

I rolled my eyes at her, and he or she laughed. “I’m single, Mother,” I stated, and he or she rolled her eyes at me.

The factor about coronary heart assaults is that they depart you on edge, questioning what the following one can be like. Will or not it’s gentle? Will I be consuming or watching a present when it occurs? What if nobody is round to note that I’m slipping away?

There was a degree the place I averted all books and films with characters who had coronary heart points. I additionally muted phrases like “coronary heart assault,” “coronary heart failure” and “cardiovascular” on social media as a result of I couldn’t cease worrying.

It made me irritated on the folks round me. It made me indignant when my mom massaged my chest. I’ve advised my mom to undertake a baby as a result of this concern by no means appears to go away my thoughts. I ask her to go and depart me, however she by no means agrees.

“What if I’m not right here anymore?” I say, and he or she replies, “One factor I do know is that my son can’t die earlier than me, and I’m not dying anytime quickly.”

I nonetheless get scared typically, however understanding that my mom will at all times be by my aspect retains me going. When the ache, anger and frustration construct up, I shut my eyes and say quietly, “Hold going for Mother.” Works each time.

“You’re the greatest,” I advised her just lately as she sat on my mattress after my father did his nightly routine of whispering, “I really like you,” to me.

It’s been virtually two years since my analysis, however my dad and mom haven’t stopped coming to my mattress each evening.

“Thanks for caring for me,” I stated. The room was darkish, however I may see her smile.

“That’s why I’m your mom.” She kissed my brow earlier than leaving the room.