When one person has pulmonary hypertension (PH), family dynamics change for everyone. Since my diagnosis in 2005, my husband, Manny, and our daughter, Kayla (my “KK”), have experienced those changes alongside me. But our family hasn’t stood still while managing PH. Our relationships, responsibilities, and needs have continued…
Worth the PHight - a Column by Jen Cueva
I started writing this column from the couch while battling the flu. Before I could finish, bronchitis, and then pneumonia, changed the story. Almost a week after developing bronchitis, I landed in the hospital. What I’d hoped would be a few days of rest became another reminder of how…
“When the world is so complicated, the simple gift of friendship is within all of our hands.” — Maria Shriver If you or someone you love manages a rare disease like pulmonary hypertension (PH), you already know how deeply it touches every part of life. From everyday tasks to…
When I was diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension (PH) more than 20 years ago, so much of the conversation was about what might be taken away from me: my health, my independence, my plans for the future, and most likely, even my time. What no one could tell me then…
Can you imagine staring at a handful of pills while your stomach is already turning? For people managing pulmonary hypertension (PH), that isn’t difficult to imagine. In fact, it may be part of everyday life. Nausea can emerge for many reasons. It may be a symptom of PH,…
In a recent column, I shared something I’d been too stubborn to say before: Pushing through fatigue with pulmonary hypertension (PH) almost always costs me more than it gives. The harder I push, the harder I crash. After that column, several readers reached out to say they sometimes…
Living with a rare disease like pulmonary hypertension (PH) brings sudden, overwhelming changes. If you or a loved one recently received a diagnosis, you likely know the intense emotional weight that follows. Fear, stress, and anxiety frequently accompany the physical symptoms in those early days. Because May…
You wake up exhausted. A long night of chest pains and other pulmonary hypertension (PH) symptoms meant you barely got any sleep. Work and daily tasks take monumental effort, or they just don’t happen at all. By the afternoon, frustration sets in. You feel behind and worry about what…
Driving to a doctor’s appointment recently, I pulled up to a red light, where a bumper sticker on a nearby car caught my eye. Framed by purple hearts, it read: “A high pain level day is also a low stupidity, low tolerance day.” As someone managing chronic pain due…
Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock lately, you’ve probably noticed how astronomical the cost of living has become. I’m talking about the basics: keeping a roof over our heads and food on the table, and securing the everyday necessities we all need to get through the day. Honestly,…
If you’re looking for March Madness stories, you won’t find them here. But if you want to talk about food, now that’s my jam! I grew up in the South, where food was more than just nourishment; it was our love language. From backyard barbecues to Sunday fried chicken dinners…
A few weeks ago, a close friend who also manages a rare disease asked for my thoughts on artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare. She sounded anxious — AI was suddenly appearing in her medical appointments, and she wasn’t sure what to make of it. This issue has actually been on…
