The Transplant Games of America Gave Me Hope for My Future
Attending the Transplant Games of America in Salt Lake City earlier this month was the best gift I’ve ever given myself. As discussed in previous posts, I have met…
Life After PH — Kathleen Sheffer
After fighting idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension with combined intravenous and oral therapies for 17 years, Kathleen received a heart-lung transplant on July 1, 2016. Now in her late 20s, she works as a photographer in San Francisco, California, and writes about the transition from life with PH to life with chronic immunosuppression. See her photography at kathleensheffer.com.
Featured Post
Cooking Is Great in Life with PH
A therapist once asked me what makes me happy, and I said “food” right away. Thankfully, I’ve matured since high school, and food is no longer at the top of my mental…
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Grief and Gratitude at the Transplant Games
I don’t know how to begin to explain the experience of being at the Donate Life Transplant Games of America. It’s been all I’d dreamed of, and so, so…
My PH Past Makes Healthy Competition Something to Be Savored
One thing that I have looked forward to throughout my transplant journey is the Transplant Games. I was fortunate to learn about the Donate Life…
Why I Cried at the Pulmonary Hypertension Association Conference
Last week, I reflected on attending the Pulmonary Hypertension Association 2018 International PH Conference and Scientific Sessions for the first time since my heart-lung transplant. Click here to read that…
Reflections After the PH Association’s 2018 Conference
At the end of June, I was honored to photograph the Pulmonary Hypertension Association 2018 International PH Conference and Scientific Sessions in Orlando, Florida. This was the ninth PH…
Living Without PAH: A Room-By-Room Analysis of What I Take for Granted
A heart-lung transplant cured my pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and changed the way I interact with my environment. It affected the activities I perform in every room in…
In Defense of Transplant, Part III: Timing the Listing
Third in a series. Read part one and part two. As I wrote last week, transplant is the only treatment for end-stage pulmonary hypertension (PH). You…
In Defense of Transplant, Part II: Measuring Survival Rates
Second in a series. Read part one. I’ll be the first to admit that I did not want a transplant. Even when I was dying, I didn’t…
In Defense of Transplant: Part I
First in a series. Lung transplantation has an image problem. People often refer to transplant as the “last resort” or a “backup plan,” terms that connote failure.
My Dog Has Supported Me Through My PH Journey and Post Transplant
As a freelance photographer, I spend most of my working hours at home alone, editing photographs on my computer. Most of my photo shoots are scheduled in the evenings…
Staying Healthy While Traveling with Transplanted Organs
For the first couple months of my recovery from a heart-lung transplant, I had a one-hour radius from the hospital. A woman I met in a waiting…
A Legacy that Reminds Us of the Importance of Organ Donation
April is National Donate Life Month, a chance to celebrate those who have saved lives through organ donation. Not everyone can be an organ donor — most people won’t…
