Columns

In Memory of a Special PHriend, With Gratitude

Last month, I lost a friend within my rare disease community, pulmonary hypertension (PH). PH continuously takes with no regard for anyone or anything. It wasn’t the first time and won’t be the last time I’ve lost, but it hurts. Since my PH diagnosis 17 years ago, I’ve…

Navigating Summer Fun With a Chronic Illness

Summer is in full swing here in the U.K. Many are jetting off on holiday, and thousands flocked to the recent Glastonbury Festival. I’ve always loved summer, music festivals, heat, and travel. But now that I live with pulmonary hypertension (PH), I have to make certain adjustments.

Celebrate Helen Keller Day With Optimism

On this day in 1880, a healthy baby girl named Helen Keller was born. When Helen was 19 months old, a febrile illness with no known cause struck her. Historical biographies speculate she had rubella, scarlet fever, encephalitis, or meningitis. Whatever the illness, it left Helen blind and deaf, and…

My Sons Share Their Father’s Day Reflections

Experience has taught my husband, Brian, and me that life is what you make it, but you don’t always get to choose the ingredients. We have put a lot of love and other wonderful things into raising our sons Cullen, 22, and Aidan, 21. Pulmonary hypertension (PH) wasn’t…

My College Experience Was Great — and Yours Can Be, Too

When I was deciding which college to attend, my health was declining because of pulmonary hypertension (PH). That made my college decision — which for most people is marked by excitement and opportunity — clouded by my needs for accessibility and support. A few weeks before making…

Finding a Way to Address Mental Health Setbacks

Lately, I’ve realized I’m in a funk and don’t know how long I’ve been going through this season of my life. I feel overwhelmed. But is it connected to my cross-country move last year? Or perhaps I continue to struggle after recovering from COVID-19.  I…

I’ve Made a Mental Note to Take Care of My Mental Health

As a co-moderator for the Pulmonary Hypertension News Forums, I’ve encouraged and taken part in many hot topics over the past three years. During that time, I’ve noticed one topic resurfaces often, and it always triggers great responses. Mental health and wellness spur a conversation that pulmonary…