Columns

Life after a pulmonary hypertension (PH) diagnosis is stressful. As a Type A personality, I’ve often defined my worth by my productivity. But since my PH diagnosis, I am now working to prioritize my health. We live in a society that praises productivity. Hustle culture is encouraged across social…

What is baggage? According to Merriam-Webster, it’s one of three things: suitcases, transportable equipment, or intangible things such as feelings and circumstances that get in the way. What kind of baggage do people living with pulmonary hypertension (PH) often take everywhere they go? The answer: all of it! In…

I often wonder what would have happened had I been born at an earlier time. If my life had taken form even a decade earlier, my story would have looked much different. Had I been a child living with pulmonary hypertension (PH) in the early 20th century or before,…

They say pictures are worth a thousand words, but sometimes they can be a one-sided conversation. Some photographers tell better stories, but it’s usually up to the observer to gather hints from the picture to understand what’s going on. Smiling people must be happy. Crying people must be sad.

My husband, Manny, and I celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary in March. If you know anything about my pulmonary hypertension (PH) journey, you know that 17 years have been with PH. That means that Manny has shared me with PH for over half of our marriage. Although I’m grateful…

I often remark that being diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension is like walking into a “PHun house.” Open the door, and everything you’ll see in the mirrors will appear distorted, out of proportion, unfamiliar, and scary. Strange and uncomfortable things are happening inside our bodies that cause shortness of breath, fatigue,…

Throughout March and April, I found myself playing a hectic game of catch-up with my health management. Due to the pandemic, many of my nonemergent checkups were on hold for quite some time. So with decreasing COVID-19 infection rates here in the state of Minnesota, it was time to…

I’m an avid reader who, at 50, still considers “The Little Engine That Could” to be one of my favorite books. This timeless, inspirational story and its catchphrase, “I think I can,” date back to a Swedish version in 1902. As an adult, I had the pleasure of reading…

It’s no secret that life turned upside down for my family and me when I was diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension (PH) in 2005. But my life was far from over; I still craved so much. My chronic illness may prevent me from achieving goals I once had, but I can…

Graphic artist and children’s book illustrator Mary Engelbreit helped popularize one of my favorite inspirational phrases, “Bloom where you are planted.” Through colorful illustrations and uplifting phrases, she inspires others to find joy, humor, hope, love, and beauty wherever they are in life. But what if you’re in a…

It’s difficult for me to identify when an organ transplant became a genuine possibility within my personal journey. For my parents, it was certainly when I was just 4 years old, at my pulmonary hypertension (PH) diagnosis. Like many, they heard from doctors that I would likely live only…

There’s a scene in Disney’s classic animated film “Aladdin” in which the evil sorcerer Jafar transforms into a snake and squeezes Aladdin within an inch of his life. As a kid, I found this scene rather frightening. As an adult living with a serious chronic illness and respiratory disease, I…