The Hill, a poem
By Jode Cox

If you are living with pulmonary hypertension or are close to someone with this disease, then you know how formidable a hill can be to someone who gets short-of-breath easily.  But that's not the whole story.  There are hills and there are hills.  Ms. Cox reminds us about the other hills too, the ones we face in trying to grasp the nature of this illness and the uphill battles we face in educating others about our limitations.  These are issues we can all relate to. Read More

Contingency Planning for C-Pap / BiPap Users
By Cheryl Switzer

If you depend on a C-Pap or BiPap to support your respiratory system during sleep, you will want to consider putting together some contingency plans. Any kind of storm or other disaster, which can easily interrupt electrical service to homes for hours or days at a time, can be very stressful times to those of us dependent on medical equipment. Read More

Flu Season Strategies for the PH Patient
By PHC Medical Editor, Helen Puckett

As we approach the flu season in the United States, many of us are worried.  As a group, PH patients fall within the high risk category, those with an underlying condition who are more at risk for serious and sometimes fatal complications from the flu.  To make things even more difficult this year, there are two different flu strains to avoid. Read More

Navigating The Health Care Super-Highway:
The anxieties of a consumer-oriented hospital system
By Leela Rottman

This original work by Leela Rottman, from Hobart Australia, discusses how in the world of Medicine, we are now encouraged to become equal partners in making our healthcare choices. As a PH patient with limited stamina and at times a dodgy memory, this can be especially challenging. Read More

Dark, Disturbing, but Deeply Insightful
By Leela Rottman

A review of Amy Silverstein's Heart Transplant Memoir, Sick Girl

Sick Girl's unflinching honesty enters territory unexplored in many sickness memoirs; the emotional and psychological impacts of illness. Although at times tending towards a bleak, and self-pitying tone, Sick Girl is also sharply observant, and tinged with a wholesome dash of realism. The keenly questioning nature of Silverstein's book, responsible for no little amount of controversy on its 2007 release, makes for confronting and ultimately inspiring reading. Read More

Random Thoughts
By Tom Mcleod

Random Thoughts is an original poem sent to us by Tom McLeod, the father of a teen-age son with PH. Mr. McLeod's poem reveals the raw emotion of a father with grave concerns about the future for himself and his son. Read More

The Canadian Medicare System - An Overview
By Bob Wilson

Bob Wilson, a Canadian living in Ontario, a senior citizen and a retired health physicist, has some strong convictions when it comes to healthcare issues. He firmly believes that excellent medical care should be available to everyone regardless of their personal financial circumstances. He further believes that it is the responsibility of public officials at every level of government to ensure this availability. Although Bob admits there are stresses and strains on the Canadian Medicare system, most would agree that Canadian programs offer excellent medical care to every qualifying citizen. As many of you know, there has been much controversy and dialogue in the United States over the years about adopting a similar program. If you've wondered how they manage so well in Canada, Bob's overview of the Province of Ontario will surely be of interest to you. Read More

When the Insurance Company Says “NO”
By Armond Aserinsky, President and Science Editor

Welcome
By Armond Aserinsky, President and Science Editor

The Way It Was, The Way It Is
By Graeme Warner, Scotland - Contributor

The Lighter Side of PH

Laughter is Good Medicine. PH may not be a laughing matter, but sometimes things happen that bring a smile to our faces and give us a chuckle. There’s no harm in sharing them. Read More

The Emotional Side of PH
By cheryl Switzer

One woman’s thoughts on learning to cope with Pulmonary Hypertension Read More

The Courage to Change the Things I Can
By Graeme Warner, Scotland

Single Parenting with PH
By Bailey Rains

Bailey Rains, a mother of two children and a PH patient herself, tells us how it feels to be a “Mama Bear”. She is a recently divorced single parent with a lot to deal with. This is a short yet heartfelt piece from one of our star diarists. If you like this one, be sure to check out her journal in the Patient Diary section. Read More

Sarah of the Moment
By Sarah Ing

PHC diarist, actress, writer and television host, Sarah Ing tells her personal story including the great benefits she has realized after a year on the recently approved oral medication, Tracleer, with both energy and style. We think you'll enjoy it. Read More

Pumpless in Colorado
By Earl Selvage

Earl Selvage, one of our PHfriends and an active volunteer on this web site, shared his wonderful news with us recently in the form of a friendly email. After many years on the intravenous drug, Flolan, his pulmonary artery pressures are nearly normal, he’s feeling rather well and he’s been transitioned to one of the new oral medication. His pump is history. This, as many of you know, is every PH’ers dream come true. In this feature, Earl and our feature editor, Cheryl Switzer had a little chat and it is presented to you here in interview form. Earl is a pearl of a guy and we think his tale is worthy of two thumbs up! Read More

Myriam's Story
By Myriam C

PAH treatment in Mexico is hard to come by. The "big gun" drugs most Americans have come to rely on in the U.S. — Remodulin, Flolan, Tracleer — are simply not available to our PH friends to the south. Read how Myriam beat the odds with the help of a loving family and friends. Read More

My Story
By Paul Percival

My Nightmare and PH
By Merle Reeseman

If you think the healthcare system in the U.S. is broken, Merle's story will reinforce your view. Merle found herself underinsured after her husband's early retirement. It changed her life in ways you cannot imagine. Read More

My best friend, Jean
By Bill March

My wife, Jean March died from PH earlier this year. After her death, I found something she had written and I would like to share it with you all. It is a little talk she had given at a PH support group meeting on the plight of all caregivers. I offer it to you unedited, in her own words. But before you read Jean’s words, I’d like to tell you a little bit about my wonderful wife Jean and our life together. Read More

Mutterings and Musings on Being a Patient
By Cheryl Switzer

Life with Flo: The Series
By Karen Waters

Life With Flo first ran as a series in our private message board. When Myrtle Schmertz (pseudonym) began Flolan therapy, she wrote to the PHFriends message board about her progress, and that post soon became first in a series of humorous observations, thoughts and adjustments to life on Flolan. Read More

Mr. Spock Speaks
By Armond Aserinsky, President and Science Editor

Memory Loss and Pulmonary Hypertension
By Armond Aserinsky

Earlier this year, someone on PHfriends posted a little message about losing her mind. She complained of getting goofy and forgetful. Many people chimed in. Some said they were forgetting appointments, dates, lots of small and not-so-small details on a daily basis. They were finding it irksome and worrisome. Armond Aserinsky, the president of PHCentral, responded with a thoughtful and comprehensive explanation. Read More

Loose Lips Sink Studies
By Armond Aserinsky, President and Science Editor
and PHCentral Medical Consultants: Lewis J. Rubin, MD, Harold Palevsky, MD, and Ronald J. Oudiz, MD.

Choosing the Right Durable Medical Equipment (DME) Supplier
By Cheryl Switzer

If you are discussing the possibility of adding supplemental oxygen to your treatment regiment or have been on o2 for awhile and are not happy with your current supplier, you'll want to consider your options. There are a lot of choices out there so you'll want to shop around.  Read More

Do I Have To Ask?
By Jenni Messel

Jenni M, our newest staff member and feature editor here at PHC, reminds us that it's okay to ask for help when you need it. Read More

A Life of Lessons
By Rebecca Swartley

Rebecca Swartley, a nursing student happily looking forward to graduation next year, is a young woman in the prime of her life, or is she? When Rebecca was seven years old, the doctors told her parents she had pulmonary hypertension. They were also told their daughter would probably not live to celebrate her sixteenth birthday.
Rebecca was most certainly not privy to their assessment of her future. All she knew for certain was that she wanted to be just like everyone else. And that’s more or less just what she’s done. For a little glimpse into the life of a fiercely independent spirit, read A Life of Lessons. Read More