Columns

Have you heard someone say “It never rains, but it pours”? That expression seems to describe the state of my life recently. I have Idiopathic Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension, but I also have a host of other symptoms that come and go. The past several weeks have really tested…

When I was first diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension I found it difficult to know how, or where, to start when it came to raising awareness about pulmonary hypertension. How do you raise awareness for a disease that few people know about? I recently wrote about why Pulmonary…

Did you know that November is Pulmonary Hypertension Awareness Month? Throughout November, PH Associations, patients, friends, family members and doctors will try to spread the word about pulmonary hypertension. Pulmonary Hypertension Awareness Month is celebrated with the intention of raising  funds and awareness about this disease. Advocacy efforts aim to educate more people…

After being diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension I began to look high and low for things to incorporate into my lifestyle that potentially could help with my overall wellness. I began to look at myself as a holistic being, instead of someone with an illness. How was I overall,…

Earlier last week I was struck by crippling sinus pain (an unfortunate side effect of one of the treatments I take for pulmonary hypertension.) The weather changed drastically from perfect sweater weather to much cooler weather, both dry and rainy. The change in air pressure sent my sinuses…

Yesterday I went all the way to Toronto. It was my second time going there for something non-medical-related since being diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension. I remember wondering if I would ever be able to go back to do something ‘normal,’ or to do something…

My column last week, Meditation to Manage Stress, discussed why I started to practice meditation and mindfulness after being diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension. A naturopath recommended it after my diagnosis and, although hesitant at first, I researched the benefits and decided to try it out. Practicing meditation was very…

After being diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension, I turned to alternative health practices to complement my pulmonary hypertension treatments, (affectionately known by friends and family as boner pills). Sorry if that offends anyone, but I had a good laugh after my heart cath, when a doctor came over with the…

I live in Canada, where autumn has officially approached and is quickly passing. The weather can be a bit of a rollercoaster, fluctuating between jean-jacket weather and parka weather as it tries to decide what season this is. Suddenly it seems like everyone has a cold, making my desire…

October 2013 is when I first started to notice unusual symptoms that would soon lead a diagnosis of idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension. I can’t recall having any symptoms prior to that month, which is rather unusual. Most PH patients show symptoms for two years before receiving a proper diagnosis,…

When I was first diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension, I was surprised to learn that supplementary oxygen, along with other medical equipment, is sometimes used for costumes. I soon learned that people were “dressing up” as characters with a disability for cosplay and Halloween. “The Fault in Our Stars” came…

My Gratitude Journal. With Thanksgiving creeping up, I’ve been thinking about what my boyfriend and I should make for dinner. It can be hard to think of a meal that we will both like because our diets are so different. He eats the standard Ninja…