Anna is an artist and writer based in Minnesota. Diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension at the age of 4, she fought for 19 years before receiving a lifesaving heart-lung transplant in 2018. Despite complications following transplant, she was discharged back home eight months later. Anna now manages life with a tracheostomy and relies on supplemental oxygen, but her life remains full of hope and wonder, which she strives to share through her writing. In addition to her role as a columnist for Pulmonary Hypertension News, Anna works as a photo editor, a photographer, and also runs her own art business.Last October, I had an annual checkup with my OB-GYN, where I renewed my birth control prescription, which helps to control excessive bleeding in my uterus. This is vital for me because my hemoglobin levels are consistently low due to chronic kidney disease, and I can’t afford regular blood loss.
All my Halloween nights were the same when I was growing up. First, my parents would bring me and my siblings to our family friend’s house, where we consumed sloppy Joes and Jell-O jigglers. Then the kids would disperse to various homes on the street to begin the festivities.
At the start of the month, I embarked once again on something called the “Inktober” challenge. Created by artist Jake Parker, Inktober invites participants to make one piece of art per day during the 31 days of October. I’ve written previously about why I like to participate in…
I grew up in Minnesota, the “Land of 10,000 Lakes.” In fact, my childhood home was located on one of the largest lakes in the state. The summers in our lake town centered on water activities, from tubing behind a boat to deep dives off the dock. Being in the…
The night before my 15th birthday, my mom looked at me and took a moment. Then with love and a bit of bluntness, she said, “Every year is a gift.” It could’ve been a general statement regarding the fragility of life, but I knew better. Instead, it was her…
In 2002, three years after my pulmonary hypertension (PH) diagnosis, my family and I made our way to the Pulmonary Hypertension Association’s (PHA) International PH Conference. I have no memories of this gathering, which was the first we’d attended, but it soon became a treasured part of…
One day, when I was 15, I tagged along with my cousin and her partner to run a few errands. In the car, Ben Howard, an artist I’d never heard of, played on the CD player. Two songs later, I was hooked. I’d never heard music like his. When we…
In the world of chronic illness, medications can be many things. At best, they’re a blessing, but more often than not, I’ve found them to be a necessary evil. While living with pulmonary hypertension (PH) for 19 years, I remained on a fairly consistent medication regimen. My doctors…
Since May, I’d been faced with a challenge familiar to many women: finding the perfect dress for a wedding. Two close friends of mine were married last weekend, and I had the honor of attending the wedding and reciting original poetry during the ceremony. After my heart-lung transplant in…
The approach of summer always catches me off guard. For about six weeks between May and June, I can’t avoid keeping a packed schedule. Along with several holidays and birthdays, including my own, this period also marks the beginning of my busy season working as a photo editor. In…
When I was diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension (PH) in 1999, doctors prepared my parents for the reality I was facing. Just two weeks before my fourth birthday, they were told such words as “progressive” and “terminal.” The doctors set the trajectory of my PH journey before us,…
When I was diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension (PH) in 1999, the subject of organ transplant was introduced almost immediately. Doctors explained to my parents that PH was terminal, and that transplant, usually of the heart and lungs, was an option for extending life. For the next 14 years, transplant…
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