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Mike lives in Washington, DC, but calls San Diego home. Mike was diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension five years ago. He also manages living with interstitial lung disease, sleep apnea, scoliosis, and a stutter. These chronic conditions are mostly invisible except for when Mike uses oxygen therapy while engaged in rigor exercise or activity. Mike is a communications professional who still works full time. He is excited for readers to join him as he navigates the intersections of living and working with chronic illness.“This is humiliating,” I said to the security agent waiting for his colleague to arrive to run a test on my portable oxygen concentrator. The agent asked if I wanted to continue the screening in a private room. Unsure…
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Something unexpected happened while scheduling my next quarterly checkup: I was told my lung specialist is leaving and will no longer be part of my care team for pulmonary hypertension (PH). This caught me a bit off guard. I…
I’m grabbing the megaphone to raise awareness and advocate for pulmonary hypertension (PH). And I invite you to join me. Through advocacy, we’re able to make changes in the United States’ democratic system of governance. I believe change begins…
I’ve always considered myself an “on” person, somebody who says yes to the boss or co-worker, friend or relative, thing or event asking for my attention and energy. I’m like a faucet running all the time, never slowing down…
What is better than the smell and taste of a freshly brewed cup of coffee? Maybe a second cup of coffee? Maybe like me, you find comfort in the simple routine of your morning coffee before work, school, taking…
Have you ever seen the view from the top of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.? Maybe you saw the monument during a family or school trip, or perhaps a visit to the National Mall is still on your…
I haven’t always identified as disabled, even though I lived with disability long before my initial pulmonary hypertension diagnosis in 2016. Adjusting to life with a chronic illness that affects breathing awakened a connection inside me to disability…
Deck the pool chairs. Fire up those outdoor grills and Hallmark movies, because we’re celebrating Christmas in July! You might view this as an odd way to start a column, especially considering the extreme heat many of us…
Living with a chronic illness or rare disease definitely comes with a price tag. There are added expenses related to medical equipment and devices, doctors’ appointments, tests and procedures, and of course, the cost of prescription drugs, which can…
Pride Month, observed each June, is a time to celebrate LGBTQ history, community, and life through events and parades. Curiously enough, I marched in my first Pride parade years before I had the courage to come out and…
We’re taught to climb ladders. When I played Chutes and Ladders as a kid, I always wanted to land on a ladder because it meant advancement — one step closer to the finish line.
“Where do you see yourself in five years?” This is one of my least favorite questions during job interviews, and I hated it even more when I would catch myself lobbing it at prospective…
Wonder Woman has an invisible jet. Harry Potter has an invisibility cloak. I have an invisible illness. The people I sit next to on the metro cannot see it. Members of my family cannot always…
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