Life as a Caregiver — Colleen Steele

I happened upon a meme of a cat lying flat on its belly, ears pulled back on alert, chin resting between two tense paws, and eyes wide with a look that could kill. The caption read, “I’m so calm,…

A pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) diagnosis can have a significant impact on someone’s life. Without treatment, a PAH patient’s health can rapidly decline and leave them facing a difficult future. Some may be eligible for organ transplant and are…

Up until age 6, my son Cullen was a healthy little boy. Earaches, wellness checks, and immunizations were the only reasons I took him to the pediatrician. So I was shocked when he began complaining that his heart felt…

The emotions of an 11-year-old girl named Riley take on a life of their own in the 2015 Pixar movie “Inside Out.” In the animated film, the control center of Riley’s brain is headquarters for five emotions portrayed…

A woman driving home from work becomes severely short of breath and dizzy. She pulls over into a “No Parking” area, which draws the attention of a parking enforcement officer. He calls for help, and she is rushed to…

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) might look and sound like asthma, croup, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or a panic attack — but it’s not. It’s a rare, incurable, and life-threatening condition. The color of the PH awareness ribbon might look purple,…

I enjoy hot peppermint mochas year-round. Going through the Starbucks drive-thru is my favorite daily routine and the only line I don’t mind waiting in. I use it as an opportunity to relax, pray, listen to music,…

Living with pulmonary hypertension (PH) requires a great deal of self-awareness and analysis to distinguish between PH symptoms and treatment side effects. This effort becomes even more challenging when comorbidities come into play. Roger Bliss, a Pulmonary…

Did you know that since 1995, we have designated Feb. 6 as “Pay a Compliment Day” in the U.S.? Adrienne Koopersmith was inspired to create it when the bus she was on picked up someone who was nowhere…

Living with the physical health challenges that pulmonary hypertension (PH) places on a patient is hard enough, but the disease can also wreak havoc on mental wellness. There really is no opting out of PH mind games when…

Three of my family members are very high maintenance. They rely on me for just about everything, and whine if I don’t help them right away. They constantly do things that distract me from my responsibilities and have no…

Following years of slow decline due to pulmonary hypertension (PH), by 2014, my son Cullen was in critical health, and our hopes were fading. Thankfully, a heart and double-lung transplant saved Cullen from the imminent…