Pulmonary Hypertension News Columns

June 15, 2021June 15, 2021

Reflecting on Accessibility, Ableism, and Chronic Illness During Pride Month

COVID-19 Columns, Pulmonary Hypertension News Columns

Pride Month, observed each June, is a time to celebrate LGBTQ history, community, and life through events and parades. Curiously enough, I marched in my first Pride parade years before ... Read more

June 14, 2021June 14, 2021

Hospital Chaplains and Meditation Rooms Can Assist in Holistic Care

COVID-19 Columns, Pulmonary Hypertension News Columns

Throughout my son Cullen’s pulmonary hypertension and heart-lung transplant journey, it has been my impression that hospitals try to treat the whole person — body, mind, and spirit. Over the ... Read more

June 10, 2021June 10, 2021

Each Birthday Brings Another Year and Another Miracle

COVID-19 Columns, Pulmonary Hypertension News Columns

I still remember sitting on the couch with my mom on the eve of my 15th birthday. We were talking about how old I was getting, and after a brief ... Read more

June 9, 2021June 9, 2021

Reminding Myself It’s Important to Unplug the Gadgets and Rest

COVID-19 Columns, Pulmonary Hypertension News Columns

Do you find yourself scrolling through emails or multitasking when you sit down to rest? If you can’t seem to stop working or focusing on tasks, you are not alone. ... Read more

June 7, 2021June 7, 2021

From PH Mom to Registered Nurse: A Story of Love and Determination

Pulmonary Hypertension News Columns

Nurses are remarkable people. My respect for them has grown significantly throughout my son’s pulmonary hypertension (PH) and transplant journey. Their job requires important skills, intelligence, patience, persuasiveness, compassion, energy, ... Read more

June 1, 2021June 1, 2021

Instead of Climbing the Ladder, I’m Searching for a New Path With PH

Pulmonary Hypertension News Columns

We’re taught to climb ladders. When I played Chutes and Ladders as a kid, I always wanted to land on a ladder because it meant advancement — one step closer ... Read more

May 27, 2021May 27, 2021

I’m Celebrating 22 Years of Survival and Counting

Pulmonary Hypertension News Columns

On May 21, I celebrated 22 years of survival. On that day many years ago, I underwent a heart catheterization. Halfway through, doctors came out to inform my parents that ... Read more

May 26, 2021May 26, 2021

Finding Time for Dates With Your Partner

COVID-19 Columns, Pulmonary Hypertension News Columns

As humans, forming quality relationships is essential to our well-being. If you are like me, the pandemic has tossed a wrench in our relationships, including the romantic ones. Do you ... Read more

May 24, 2021May 24, 2021

Treating PH Like the Bully It Is

Pulmonary Hypertension News Columns

Since my son Cullen’s diagnosis in 2008, I have imagined pulmonary hypertension (PH) as a toxic person rather than a disease. Like the Grim Reaper, PH is an intimidating figure ... Read more

May 18, 2021May 18, 2021

Revisiting ‘PHighting Words,’ 5 Years After My Diagnosis

COVID-19 Columns, Pulmonary Hypertension News Columns

“Where do you see yourself in five years?” This is one of my least favorite questions during job interviews, and I hated it even more when I would catch myself ... Read more

May 17, 2021May 17, 2021

PH Affects My Ability to Take an All-natural Approach to Wellness

COVID-19 Columns, Pulmonary Hypertension News Columns

The rollout of COVID-19 vaccinations has sparked a lot of conversation. Some people feel uncomfortable putting something they consider “unnatural” and that they don’t fully understand into their bodies. But ... Read more

May 17, 2021May 17, 2021

Pets and PH: Furry Friends Are PHamily, Too

Pulmonary Hypertension News Columns

It doesn’t take long after a pulmonary hypertension (PH) diagnosis to realize the disease will have an influence on the patient, family members, and yes, even the pets. Our furry ... Read more

May 14, 2021May 14, 2021

I’ll Be 30, Single, and Still Figuring It All Out

Pulmonary Hypertension News Columns

In the movie “13 Going on 30,” the character Jenna Rink sits in a closet crying on her 13th birthday. Distressed about her birthday celebrations going awry, Jenna longs to ... Read more

May 13, 2021May 13, 2021

Why I Pay Tribute to Nurses

Pulmonary Hypertension News Columns

Having grown up with a complex diagnosis that includes pulmonary hypertension, I was always interested in the field of healthcare. I still remember being 10 years old and telling people ... Read more

May 12, 2021May 12, 2021

When PTSD Creeps in After a Traumatic Hospitalization

COVID-19 Columns, Pulmonary Hypertension News Columns

Living with pulmonary hypertension (PH) is no easy feat. Unfortunately, frequent hospitalizations are a part of life. No one wants to be hospitalized, especially if previous visits were traumatic.  I ... Read more