Columns

“God gave burdens; he also gave shoulders.” — one version of a Yiddish proverb When loved ones become unable to care for themselves, the entire family can go through a heart-wrenching experience. Primary caregivers will witness those health struggles firsthand and thus bear an emotional burden that outsiders…

With a history of eight major cardiovascular surgeries, I’m often assumed to be a pro at recovering from an operation. Maybe so, but no matter how many surgeries or procedures I endure, it never gets easier. I’m now healing after a successful bypass revision of two of my…

Loving someone with a poor prognosis is something I found myself unprepared for. With years of marriage comes history to draw upon, an established love and hard times under your belt. Time spent together through different seasons of life gives you a level of comfort and attachment. When newly married,…

Shortness of breath is one of the most common symptoms of pulmonary hypertension (PH). It can have many triggers, and if you’re a patient just starting to learn about PH, you might be wondering what they are. Each person is different, of course, so something that might trigger…

While I take a fair amount of medication to manage my pulmonary hypertension (PH), sometimes the hardest pill to swallow is admitting when I fall short with my treatment plan. Earlier this month, I was at a restaurant sharing a meal with an old friend I hadn’t seen…

Years ago, when my husband, Tim, transitioned from intravenous Flolan (epoprostenol GM) to the oral medicine Uptravi (selexipag), it was a major milestone. The weeks-long process came about through careful planning between Tim and the physician who manages his pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). The daily lowering of…

If you haven’t heard about the advancements in potential treatments for those of us in the pulmonary hypertension (PH) community, hold on to your seats! I recently spoke with a dedicated, well-known PH specialist from the Houston Methodist Hospital, Dr. Sandeep Sahay, the co-director of the hospital’s…

My husband, Tim, and I have always practiced the art of giving help. We both feel loved when others allow us to assist. Whether we’re washing dishes after a meal, caring for children, or painting, we like to feel needed. When Tim was diagnosed with pulmonary arterial hypertension…

Since my pulmonary hypertension (PH) diagnosis, I have been labeled a high-risk patient. Because it’s a rare disease, PH can be challenging to diagnose, treat, and manage. And with several other conditions, including chronic kidney disease, I face unique issues that can leave medical professionals…

My mother, Ann, became a nana when she was 40 years old. In some situations, becoming a grandparent so early involves a crisis, so it may not be regarded as good news. In our case, I got pregnant when I was 18 and a freshman in college. The nine months…

I settled on the couch, the warmth of my cozy, heated vest wrapped around my aching body. But in that moment, even prescription pain medicine failed to bring relief. The clock on my MacBook taunted me. It was already past 3 a.m., and I found myself wide-eyed, lost in the…

This column describes the author’s own experiences with some prescription and over-the-counter drugs. Not everyone will have the same response to treatment. Consult your doctor before starting or stopping a therapy. When I was in college, I always had a Ricola cough drop on hand. They littered my…