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.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…
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…
I was diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension (PH) at the young age of 4, so I don’t really remember life without it. The tasks and routines associated with PH were a part of my day before I’d even begun elementary school. Because I was so young, I was able to give…
While I cringe a bit at the term, I would definitely consider myself a foodie. Food Network often plays in the background while I work. I was gifted a pasta-maker for Christmas, which I now use weekly, and I’m currently experimenting with sourdough bread recipes. I’ve loved food and everything…
The day you get called in for a transplant is a strange one, filled with all sorts of extreme experiences. Something most people might not know is that, in an attempt to execute the transplant procedure efficiently, patients are taken to the operating room before the donor organs even arrive…
My family loved dogs before I even came into the picture. My parents’ first child was a golden retriever named Sadie. Although I don’t remember her, she lives on through our family’s dog stories. The first dog I remember properly, the one I’d consider my childhood pet, was Chester. We…
By the end of my freshman year of college, it had become a bit of a joke that I would never be caught around campus in sweatpants. While my roommates and peers relished the university lifestyle of casual clothing, I was rarely seen in anything other than a fully put-together…
In 19 years of living with pulmonary hypertension (PH), the period of greatest illness I experienced was during my sophomore year in college. It was the only time in college that I was unable to live independently on campus and had to commute from my parents’ home nearby. About four…
I was hospitalized following my heart-lung transplant in 2018 One of the biggest emotional burdens was experiencing the passage of time, which was most notably marked by the holidays. Halloween was first, quickly rolling into Thanksgiving, and then Christmas. These were all difficult days spent with my immediate…
Like many people, I have always treasured the holidays. The weeks between Thanksgiving and New Year’s feel like a time for joy, community, and celebration. The holidays can also be stressful, but they can be especially devastating for those of us managing a chronic illness. I can remember the years…
It was 2 a.m., and I was waiting to have my nose packed for a bleed that had been going on for hours, a result of blood thinners and oxygen that I used to experience from time to time. I remember hoping to get back to my college…
A certain responsibility comes with being diagnosed with a rare disease. Because we know the details of our illnesses best, it is up to us to educate the world about them, so that greater knowledge and investment can be brought to our communities. This leaves me wondering what story I…
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