Newly Diagnosed: You Are Not Alone on Your Journey

Dealing with insurance can be a challenging part of managing any chronic disease. When her health insurance company denied coverage at her son’s medical facility, columnist Colleen Steele fought the decision. She urges others to speak up and be persistent when dealing with insurance.

Some people struggle with taking pills, but Colleen’s son Cullen learned to take them without complaint from an early age. His advice? “If they want to live and hopefully experience a better quality of life, then they need to get over it.” He shares some words of wisdom on what can be a bitter pill to swallow.

After months of working full time from home, columnist Eleanor Bird realizes the negative impact her job was having on her well-being. When she made the decision to take a step back and quit her job, the idea at first was daunting, but in the end, she mostly felt relief.

Once a frustrated and depressed setter of unrealistic goals, columnist Brittany Foster now thrives on pursuing the achievable. She transitioned to paying more attention to the “little” moments, especially the smaller victories throughout each day.

Columnist Jen Cueva wasn’t really resting when she thought she was. After prompting by doctors, she’s learning to turn off her phone. She suggests unplugging for at least 30 minutes a day.

Having recently attended his first PHA Conference, columnist Mike Naple shares a letter to his newly diagnosed self to help others with PH come to terms with their diagnosis. “You’re not on this ride alone,” he writes.