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Around the House

Here is an overview of the site:

Coping

An often overlooked yet important concern is the emotional well-being of chronically ill patients, caregivers and friends. PHCentral addresses this issue by providing our visitors with support resources on the site, on the Internet and in their own community. We also try to connect people online through email lists, diaries, message boards and chat sessions.

Our Support System Includes:

Support Group Listings
List or find a PH support group near you.
Patient / Caregiver Diaries
Journals written by PH patients and caregivers who wish to share their lives with others
PH Friends Photo Album
This page is filled with old and new PH friends. We’ll be happy to add your photo to our album.
Tips & Tricks
Information and tips for making your life a little easier; a place to share practical and useful tips with others.
Tidbits
Things you should know but probably don't.
Features
Articles on many subjects written expressly for PHCentral.
Travel
Travel tips and information for patients on supplemental oxygen.
Memorials
Photos and stories of friends we’ve lost.
Creative Corner
A showcase of arts and crafts by PH friends.
Pet Corner
Patients share their stories and photos of the furry, feathered and scaly pets that enrich their lives and give them comfort.
Books
Publications we think you might want to check out organized in three groupings: coping, medical and financial. If you would like to add a good read to our list, please write to us.
Links
Here you will find links to other websites and organizations we think you might find useful. If you find a site you think would be a good addition to PHCentral, drop us a line.

Medical

PHCentral's medical section is provided to explain the basics about pulmonary hypertension, the diagnostic process and available treatments. . Although we do try to keep current, the information you find here may be incomplete. We strongly urge site visitors seeking the latest medical advice and treatment options for PH and any of the diseases associated with PH to gather information from a variety of reputable sources.

Financial

Insurance Matters (formerly under Action Central)
We have compiled a list of useful resources you will want to investigate if you have questions about private or government medical insurance coverage. We cover health insurance basics as well as U.S. government sponsored health insurance plans. You will also find a number of articles written by our resident guru Alan Harder on the social security / disability system and several others written expressly for PHCentral.
Assistance Programs (formerly called Financial Topics under Action Central)
Discussions and help navigating the disability system in the U.S. Other resources to help those in need of financial assistance.
Books
Links

News – Current and Archives

Our newsroom is open Monday through Friday, rain or shine to bring you the latest in PH news and other health matters of interest to you. You will also find relevant news items at the bottom of medical, action and financial pages.

Connect

One of the hardest things about living with chronic illness in general and Pulmonary Hypertension in particular, is the isolation. You will find many ways to meet and share with others here including:

Message Board
Sign up for our private ListServe email forum moderated by a team of dedicated PHC volunteers to become part of a vibrant, online community..
Chat
On any day or evening of the week, you just might find someone in chat looking for a kindred spirit. The door is always open. A chat schedule is available and will be announced on PHFriends and the public message board so you’ll want to check there too.
Contact Us
We are a small, grass-roots organization and we do respond to emails promptly. Tell us what you think – what works and what doesn’t. Please share with us what you like about the site and ways to improve it. This site is for you.

Action

There are things you can do to help yourself, your community and the furthering of PH research. This section contains:

Intro to section
Learn why you benefit by becoming involved.
Legislation You Should Know About
From time to time, we bring to your attention a bill that is before Congress or the Senate and ask you to write to your Representatives or Senators to take a position.
Social Security & Disability
If you’re trying to decide how to proceed with social security and/or disability, you’ll find a wealth of information here.
Patient Advocacy
Learn why it’s important to choose a PH specialist for your care and how to get the most out of your doctor visits.
Contact the Action Desk
You’ll find FAQs here on social security / disability issues and email links to our experts for personal attention.
Volunteer
Contribute

Links

You will find links to many other online resources on the following topics:

Bar Stools

I have my bar stools strategically placed around the house. One or two in the kitchen, one in the bedroom. It is great if you are standing in front of the stove waiting for water to boil. I just plunk myself down. Also doing my make-up in front of the mirror. It is very luxurious. Wish I'd thought of it before. They also swivel which is nice. Also easier than a chair to get in and out of.

Submitted by -- Bonnie Fjelde

Clothes Dryer

Something that has really helped me a lot -- my daughter built a box using 2x4's that is about 2 feet tall and as big as the base of my dryer, painted it black (like the base of the dryer) and then lifted the dryer up onto the box. I no longer have to bend to get my clothes out of the dryer.

Submitted by -- Mimi

Kitchen

My family purchased a tall (about 6 ft) white cabinet with two doors and it is about 4 ft wide. Behind one door, it has rungs built in that are like a closet and on the rungs, instead of coat hangers, there are big S hooks. Most of my pots and pans have either handles that will hang on a hook, or hangers at the end of the handles (RevereWare) so all my pots and pans are at shoulder/waist/knee level and very easy to use.
Behind the other door are shelves that are perhaps a foot apart and I use them for big bowls that I can't lift from higher shelves, pot/pan lids, miscellaneous items that I use often and need to have "handy". All my kitchen woodwork is white, so it looks nice.

Submitted by -- Mimi

Litter Box Cleaning

Cleaning out the cat litter box is very hard; it's hard to bend or kneel and the bag gets really heavy. My solution is to use a wheeled office chair. I can sit and easily scoop the poop. I can even rest when I need to. Then I just wheel myself over to the garbage can to throw the bag away. No more lightheadedness!

I hope this helps!

Submitted by -- Katherine Lansten

Making the Bed

I found it is a lot easier to make most of my bed while still in it. Before I get up I arrange all the pillows and do the bottom of the bed then the side and the rest when I am out to finish it. My heart rate goes sky high doing it regular this helps me much.

Submitted by -- Jes Poisson

Outdoor Faucets

My family added PVC pipe to all the outdoor faucets so that the taps are waist high from the ground and are anchored with rebar for stability. They all have plants or small bushes/trees planted around them, so they are practically hidden from view.

Submitted by -- Mimi

Phones

Get a cordless phone and carry it with you everywhere in the house. You won't have to jump up and go to the phone to answer it, plus you have it handy to call for help, just in case . . . Also, add voicemail from the phone company because it will take a message even if you are on the phone. (This is great for people who only have one phone line and also use it to dial up the internet on their computer, and saves family and friends several blood pressure points when trying to reach you.) At the very least have an answering machine. Get a cell phone for the car only to use to call for help in the event of a breakdown or, once again, just in case.

Submitted by -- Valerie
Editor's Note: Remember that cordless phones have to be plugged into electricity for them to work. if the electricity goes out, so does your phone. have a corded phone, or cell phone, handy as well.

Shelves

My family fixed it so that all the cabinet shelves that are low, roll out so I don't have to bend to get something out.

Submitted by -- Mimi

Showers

Install a shower head with a handheld attachment and buy a shower seat. This is a luxurious and relaxing way to bathe, PH or not! Shower seats come in many different styles, but one that I chose and like very much is made by Rubbermaid and has a height adjustment from 18" to 24". It's rated for up to 400 Lbs., and has a large comfortable seat. I have never seen a tub that this would not fit in just fine.

Submitted by -- Valerie

Trash Day

On trash day the Sanitation Department will give permission to those who can't bring their trash down to the curb to put it at the top of your driveway. The collectors will come and retrieve it and return your can and top to the place they picked it up.

Submitted by -- Wanda Carter

Setting out trash and recylables: When you live alone, putting out trash and recyclables is a heavy chore. For a small monthly stipend ($15) I "hired" a teenager who lives a few doors down to come and take care of this chore once a week on trash/recyclable pickup days. They are also available to assist in case it's necessary to lift or carry anything heavy.

Submitted by -- Valerie

This site has been constructed by your friends and neighbors in the PH community. All material on this website – unless otherwise noted – has been written by members of our volunteer staff and is copyright protected. The material is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical, financial, theological or legal advice. The material does not necessarily reflect the opinions of PH Central, Inc, and is not guaranteed to be correct, complete, or up-to-date. This information is not intended to substitute for obtaining medical advice from a doctor, legal advice from an attorney, or financial advice from a financial planner. No person should act or rely on any information on this site, or linked to this site, without seeking the advice of the appropriate profession to which the information applies.