Columns

Moving Forward Despite the Setbacks

In the last few months, I have spent more time in the hospital than at home. When I am discharged, I feel the anxiety that is normal for me after a hospital stay. After a few days of being home, I begin to feel relief…

Am I a Caregiver or a Mom?

I struggled with the title for my column because what I write about will be from my perspective as caregiver to my son. However, using the word “caregiver” was bothering me because who I am above all else is his mom. When someone refers to me as a caregiver, it…

The ‘Pains’ of Being in Severe Pain

“Rate your pain on a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being the worst you ever felt.” If I have learned one thing over the past few decades, it’s that pain is almost guaranteed when living with chronic illness and pulmonary hypertension.

Realizing My Worth in Relationships

One thing I have learned in my 27 years is that relationships aren’t always built to last. Some people have come into my life for a few years or a few months, and others have been in my life forever and continue to be there. The truth is…

PH Life Feels Like Residing in a Waiting Room

I get anxious just thinking about what it’s like sitting in a waiting room at a doctor’s office. In waiting rooms, I pretend to keep myself occupied and distracted with just about anything. I mindlessly flip through hundreds of pictures on Pinterest or “read” the celebrity news from…

With PH, I Choose to Be Cautiously Optimistic

Black-and-white thinking is something that I have mastered for the majority of my life. In the psychology world, the term for this type of thinking is called “splitting.” According to Psychology Today, it is defined as “the division or polarization of…