Elise George
Elise George, a writer and poet, was born on Christmas day in Phoenix, AZ with a congenital heart defect (CHD) called Tricuspid Atresia. Her first surgery was at the tender age of three days-old and has had eight surgeries since then for the maintenance of her health. She currently resides in the valley of the sun with her loving husband and fur babies.
Growing up she enjoyed English class, and in college she discovered her love for short stories and poetry. The darker themes in her poems evoke the sometimes harsh realities of living with CHD. She embraces the term “heart warrior.” In her free time, she creates video art on Youtube and Instagram. Her content shares her daily life, love for books, and most importantly, unfiltered heart content. This summer, she attended heart camp for her third time as a camp counselor; a role she holds dear as she helps guide and uplift the next generation of heart warriors.
About Elise’s “Shattered Box” work:
This piece depicts the multifaceted emotions felt after making a life-changing decision. Women living with CHD have to make tough decisions that bleed into their dating life and who they eventually choose as a partner. Throughout her young life, Elise George was told by numerous doctors that she couldn’t have kids. However, as time passed and medical science evolved, she was told it was possible—though the pregnancies would be high-risk.
This fear had been drilled into her for years, the emotional trauma from it poignant and lingering. Elise and her husband grappled with the idea of having kids, but ultimately decided it wouldn’t be worth the risk. This piece was originally created in the midnight hours when dreams are but stardust in the night.
Instagram: elisey1225