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When I was diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension, a lot of friends and family left my life. I heard from some that they simply didn’t know how to handle my diagnosis, or the situation. I understand that it can be difficult to support anyone through a serious diagnosis, such…

Pulmonary hypertension is the great impersonator. Before I received a proper diagnosis, many medical experts tried to tell me that I had asthma, had been poisoned, or had anxiety. Pulmonary hypertension wasn’t even on their radar. When a young person comes in the ER with shortness of breath, doctors…

Would you wear a badge to let people know that you have an invisible illness, like pulmonary hypertension? The Transport for London (TfL) is offering button-on badges to its riders with hidden health conditions. The badge reads, “please offer me a seat,” in hopes of aiding those with…

I used to love dreaming about my future, and thinking about how great things would be someday. Now, as someone with pulmonary hypertension, I have mixed emotions. Sometimes the future can feel like a pretty scary place. I worry about what my body will be able to do on…

When I was diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension, I learned that it was a rare disease. I had never heard of pulmonary hypertension before my diagnosis, and I learned that none of the people in my life knew about the disease either. For those who might want, or need, to…

When you are first diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension, it can be difficult to find resources for online support. It can be hard to know where to look for support, or where to even begin. As someone who has benefited from the online pulmonary hypertension support community, I wanted to…

I have really struggled coming to terms with my diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension. The first year was especially difficult. I felt frustrated that I had a lung disease when I had never smoked in my life and did everything “right” growing up. It didn’t seem fair. I felt…

Staring Down the Barrel On March 24, 2016 the Canadian band called The Tragically Hip announced that their lead singer, Gord Downie had been diagnosed with terminal brain cancer. Shortly after, The Tragically Hip announced that they would be going on a summer tour. Although I…

A right-heart catheter is considered the gold standard when it comes to properly diagnosing pulmonary hypertension. I was diagnosed on Dec. 21, 2013, and was told that I would need a RHC to get more accurate results of my pulmonary pressures. My doctor told me to go home…

I was diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension on the cusp of my adult life gaining its sea legs. After working a lot of crummy jobs while a university student, I had landed my first adult job with good pay and even better benefits. This was no small feat, because I went to…

1. It is OK to get a second opinion… … or a third or fourth. I am currently in the process of finding my third pulmonary hypertension specialist. It took me over a year after my diagnosis to realize that I could get a second opinion. Because pulmonary hypertension is a…

I found that after I was diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension, I received a bunch of off-brand advice. I realize the majority of what I heard from others was an attempt to make the situation better. Unfortunately, some of the words I received at times have been hurtful despite the…