Mike Naple (he/him) lives in Washington, D.C., but calls San Diego, California, home. Mike was diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension in 2016. 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 public affairs and communications professional who still works full time. He is excited for readers to join him as he navigates the intersections of disability, chronic illness, rare disease, public policy advocacy, and living with PH.Do you have trouble relaxing? That might seem like a silly question given that summer vacations are in full swing. But I’m asking because of my own ongoing quest to better relax as part of my treatment plan…
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I love dark chocolate: the complexity of the rich flavor, the bittersweet notes of cacao. Some say that dark chocolate is an acquired taste, not for everyone. As I write this column, I’m indulging in a square of hazelnut…
The weekend after Thanksgiving, I had a gusher of a bloody nose and one thought: Winter is coming. When the seasons change, I get bloody noses. I feel them coming on like a dog sensing a forthcoming storm before…
It’s the season of giving, and I’m thinking an awful lot about the precious gift of time. During a recent interview on the “Today” show to discuss his departure from hosting “The Daily Show,” comedian Trevor Noah…
I’m like a boxer barely holding on in the 11th round, just waiting to hear the bell in the final quarter of 2022. These days, this PHighter is relieved to still be in the ring. While doomscrolling through Twitter…
New research shows an increase in pulmonary hypertension (PH) mortality rates, and we must respond with the force of a dazzle of stampeding zebras. The study, “Pulmonary hypertension mortality trends in United States 1999-2019,” published in the…
I hate communicating with automated phone systems. I hate that advancing to the next stage of the process to get what I need depends on how the automated program understands the sound of my voice and the cadence of…
Before I could process the sharp sound, people were already sprinting onto the field. I watched in disbelief as spectators jumped over the railings while players scrambled to bring fans off the field into the safety of the dugout.
As we trade swimsuits for sweaters in preparation for the fall season, many of us look forward to the premiere of new television shows and the return of our old favorites. Growing up, I would devour entertainment magazines dedicated…
A yellow raincoat hangs in an office window on the same floor as my office. The full-length coat with simple, black buttons looks as though its fibers have never absorbed a single drop of rain. I first noticed it…
School might already be in session for students in some classrooms across the country, but summer recess for members of Congress is just heating up! Every August, members of Congress leave the sweltering swamp of Washington to spend time…
“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…
Before my diagnosis, pulmonary hypertension (PH) was a mystery to me. I’d never met anybody who had the disease. Sometimes finding another person with PH is just as rare as the progressive disease itself. That’s exactly why…
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