Colleen Steele was born and raised in New Jersey and received a Bachelor of Arts in English from Immaculata University in 1994. Her oldest child was diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension when he was 8. At 14, he received a heart and double-lung transplant. Colleen’s love for writing, experience advocating for her son, and determination to spread PH awareness inspired her to become a columnist and forum moderator for Pulmonary Hypertension News in 2019. In her column, “Life as a Caregiver,” Colleen is open and honest about caring for her son, his PH experiences, and life post-transplant. Her ambition is to educate and inspire others facing similar challenges and encourage them to share their journey. If you are a caregiver and would like to be interviewed, contact Colleen at [email protected].
Cornered. That is how my son Cullen, 25, and our family felt when he was diagnosed with pulmonary arterial hypertension in 2008. But being cornered isn’t as scary when you look around and…
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I’m the almost-pour-milk-onto-my-mom’s-plate-instead-of-in-her-cup kind of tired. The dump-potato-chips-instead-of-cat-food-into-my-cat’s-bowl kind of distracted. The place-things-on-my-parents’-stairlift-instead-of-carrying-them-up-or-down-the-steps kind of exhausted. My name is Colleen Steele, and I have caregiver burnout! It’s not the first time I’ve burned the…
I think it is more effective to watch for good advice instead of asking for it. An Inc. article titled “25 Excellent Pieces of Advice That Most People Ignore” covers words of wisdom…
It’s a beautiful day in the country for what appears to be the beginning of autumn. There are acres of trees, mostly green except for a few that have changed to gold. They’re casting…
Many a new year has been greeted with the saying “Out with the old, in with the new.” That is a fair declaration of a calendar flip, but it’s implausible that people will change…
“God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen” is one of the oldest Christmas carols. The lyrics, which have been altered numerous times to adapt to changes within the English language, are drawn from the Christmas story…
It’s been a rough day. I change into my comfy clothes, pour a cup of tea, prop up my pillows, pull up a cozy blanket, and start to write. Others might open with “Dear…
When patients arrive at a medical facility, they often expect to be greeted with a helpful smile and comforting voice, not met by an inanimate object that could add to the complications illness can…
Music is a universal gift given and received by people of all ages, ethnicities, and cultures. Its versatile melodies, rhythms, harmonies, lyrics, and instruments adapt to any person, place, situation, mood, and event. Music…
My 25-year-old son Cullen has been trying to deal with trying situations since he was a child. For years he explained to both his parents and medical professionals that something more than asthma or…
It’s been a while. Do you remember me? I fell silent in June 2023 after sharing a column titled “How I am coping since my husband passed away.” I’m an only child to…
I thought I knew how I grieve. I’ve lost many loved ones over the years, including those in the pulmonary hypertension (PH) and transplant communities. Each death hit my heart with varying…
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