Life as a Caregiver — Colleen Steele

Since my son Cullen’s diagnosis in 2008, I have imagined pulmonary hypertension (PH) as a toxic person rather than a disease. Like the Grim Reaper, PH is an intimidating figure that wears a hood covering its face with looming darkness. The image never reacts or responds, but provides…

It doesn’t take long after a pulmonary hypertension (PH) diagnosis to realize the disease will have an influence on the patient, family members, and yes, even the pets. Our furry friends who snuggle with us when we are tired, comfort us when we are feeling down, and appear concerned or…

If you feel like pulmonary hypertension is messing with your mind, you are not alone. Over the years, many have expressed similar concerns.  I have been a member of a Facebook group called “Families of Children with Pulmonary Hypertension” since my son’s 2008 diagnosis, and…

Are you a leader or a follower? Do you work well with routine or spontaneity? Can you muddle through mundane tasks or are you best when challenged with high-pressure situations? Do you like giving advice or prefer being an active listener? When my son Cullen was diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension…

The lives of pulmonary hypertension (PH) patients, transplant recipients, and their caregivers interconnect through our experiences and profound compassion for what we’re all going through. Sharing our journeys is like passing a torch from one person to another, helping to light the way through this dark disease. In an email…

After receiving a heart and double-lung transplant in 2014, my son Cullen no longer has pulmonary hypertension (PH). Since then, he has been focused on protecting those precious organs. When asked about his PH days, Cullen is direct in his response: “It’s no longer a part of my life. I…

I view marriage in a very spiritual and traditional way. It is one of the seven sacraments of my Catholic faith, and legally, it unites two people as partners in a personal relationship. To me, the vows are sacred, and as I mentioned in a previous…

Can you imagine being denied something that could prolong your life? In a previous column, I interviewed adult pulmonary hypertension (PH) patients who are ineligible for transplant. Their responses were open, honest, and mature. But what if the patient is a child? How do parents cope with that kind…

When my son Cullen was diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension, people often asked, “Can’t he just get a transplant?” As if he could walk into a hospital, request a heart and a pair of lungs, and be taken right into surgery! Determining eligibility for transplant is a complicated process of…

In 2008, when my son Cullen was diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension, I started a health journal on the website CaringBridge. I compare the pages of his medical journey to the opening paragraph of “A Tale of Two Cities” by Charles Dickens: “It was the best of times, it…

My son Cullen was 8 when he was diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension (PH). He spent much of his childhood in the hospital, talking to doctors, answering endless questions, and experiencing one traumatic event after another. It’s no wonder that Cullen and many other pediatric patients are commonly described as wise…

“Why can’t she just get over it?” It would not surprise me if there were people asking themselves this question about me. Since receiving a heart and double-lung transplant six years ago, my son Cullen no longer has pulmonary hypertension (PH). Despite this dramatic change, I continue to advocate…