“And if the oral antibiotic doesn’t work, they did mention they might want to do an IV antibiotic with a PICC line. But we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.” My mom reluctantly tacked this onto the end of our discussion. She had been summarizing a conversation…
Selecting a coloring book wasn’t something I rushed as a child. Testing my parents’ patience, I would carefully page through many books until I found the perfect one with the most appealing pictures. I intended to color every drawing in the book, so selecting the right one was important, and…
During a recent drive up a mountainous road to the small, quaint town of Julian, California, I suddenly felt the telltale signs of altitude sickness hit me. The first was a bad headache. We continued driving, though, because my husband, Manny, and I both thought that Julian — which…
I’m like a boxer barely holding on in the 11th round, just waiting to hear the bell in the final quarter of 2022. These days, this PHighter is relieved to still be in the ring. While doomscrolling through Twitter recently, I saw a prompt posted on the Pulmonary Hypertension…
My husband, Brian, was born on his parents’ wedding anniversary. As a child, he disliked sharing his special day with them, but he grew to appreciate the connection. When I informed Brian that November is Pulmonary Hypertension (PH) Awareness Month and National Family Caregivers Month, he noted that…
Four weeks before I entered my freshman year of college, I was being evaluated for a heart-lung transplant due to pulmonary hypertension (PH). Little did I know that I would spend the next four years managing these very separate journeys alongside each other. During this time, I think…
I think of birthdays and New Year’s Eve as self-awareness holidays. People often use these holidays to make resolutions for personal change and better life choices. November is Pulmonary Hypertension Awareness Month. During this time, we advocate for pulmonary hypertension (PH) diagnosis, treatment, and care. With…
My two favorite female singers, Celine Dion and Carrie Underwood, have songs about love and the power it holds. Dion belted out the following lyrics in her timeless classic “The Power of Love”: “We’re heading for something/ Somewhere I’ve never been/ Sometimes I am frightened/ But I’m ready…
Unless you live with a chronic illness or care for someone who does, it isn’t easy to wrap your head around how much time it takes to manage a disease. A few months ago, I asked members of our Pulmonary Hypertension News Forums, “What makes your health a…
New research shows an increase in pulmonary hypertension (PH) mortality rates, and we must respond with the force of a dazzle of stampeding zebras. The study, “Pulmonary hypertension mortality trends in United States 1999-2019,” published in the Annals of Epidemiology and the topic of a recent Pulmonary…
Take a walk with me. Our senses are awakened the moment we step outside. The sun feels comforting, but a brisk breeze suddenly sends a chill through us. We are reminded that we have stepped out into a season of transition. Most trees are already bare, but some are still…
“Anna’s an artist,” my mom explained to my nurse on my behalf, during those months when I didn’t have a voice myself. “Oh, that’s awesome!” he exclaimed. “Do you do Inktober?” I shook my head no, and the conversation fizzled. I’m not sure why this exchange stuck with me following…
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