Columns

I received a call a couple of days ago from my pulmonary hypertension (PH) specialist center telling me that I am a high-risk patient and need to self-isolate. I’d already been social distancing for a while, but hearing…

Do you need to hear a happy and uplifting human interest story? Here is one about the day my son met the “Say Hey Kid.” Cullen received a heart and double-lung transplant at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford, California, at 14 years old because of pulmonary hypertension…

As I write this, I am watching the news. Shocker, right? As of the writing of this column, 63 cases of COVID-19 have been reported in the greater Houston area, although that number undoubtedly will increase. Life has been full of unknowns, especially in recent weeks. It is overwhelming…

Since no one is talking about it, I decided to write about the new coronavirus. And yes, I am being facetious. I have also laughed at some of the memes circulating on social media. Two of my favorites are the panic room filled with toilet paper and a person on…

March is National Kidney Month, the perfect time to remind people with pulmonary hypertension (PH) to take care of their kidneys. I realize people with PH have plenty to keep track of. But PH affects my body as a whole, and yours, too. I am on several diuretics to…

When I was younger, I had recurring nightmares about a kidnapping. Usually, I was the hero chasing the kidnapper. These nightmares would spark panic attacks when, in my waking hours, I couldn’t quickly locate my sisters in public places. I had an irrational fear of…

I have been living with pulmonary hypertension for more than two years. When I was first diagnosed, doctors thought I was a nitric oxide responder. They told me that was good because it meant there were more medications that could potentially help me. I was put on…

Many of us have a tendency to judge ourselves and others based on our accomplishments. A quick scroll through social media proves this point. We are inundated with the presumed successes of others, based on education, career, or extracurricular activities. The pressure of doing well in life can have a…

I remember attending a Tim McGraw concert a few years ago. I could have heard a pin drop during a pause in his song, “Live Like You Were Dying,” before the entire stadium erupted to join in the chorus: “Skydiving / I went Rocky mountain climbing /…

Life is hectic, wouldn’t you agree? Some days I find myself overwhelmed from living with pulmonary hypertension and other coexisting medical issues. More days than not, I am inundated with emotions. But anyone living in today’s busy world can feel this way, too. We are often told how to…

Risk is an essential part of living and as diverse as the humans who partake in it every day. So, saying I’m not a risk-taker is like claiming I don’t need air to breathe. Living is a precarious journey through success and failures. As babies, we are young explorers crawling…

This month, Bionews Services, the parent company of Pulmonary Hypertension News, is focusing on promoting Rare Disease Day with increased advocacy efforts. Several activities are planned worldwide, and I challenge you to locate an event near you. Rare Disease Day is the last day of February, and this…