The Ballad of Emily and her Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension

By Emily Gravenstede

Early September of 2010, In a hospital in England. Somewhere on a ward, A baby was born, And that was me right then.

1 month in the hospital I stayed, For when I was born I was grey. The doctor had said, I had PPHN, But now we believe it was PAH .

My oxygen levels were low, So much it was scary so. The doctors tried, To bring it up high. But ev'rything they did was a no go. Fin'lly the doctors gave me the all clear, So went home to Burghclere. Met my sister, And I can't remember, What it was like for the first 2 years. For around three years I was fine, Then my stamina levels began to decline. My parents thought they knew, That it was an excuse. Until event'lly when they realised.

After many hospital visits and tests, When we felt like we needed a rest, I was admitted to GOSH, The doctors said "Bosh!" We know what's going on inside your chest.

PAH was my diagnosis, And I'll tell you it wasn't all bliss. With blood tests and MRls, My Pulm'nary levels were high. So now I'm on medications I cannot miss.

Now at the present day, My PH is controlled but won't go away. Magazine columns I write, For people also putting up the fight. With their PH everyday.

My life with PH still goes on, I'm cheered up by Hermione and Ron. I do athletic activity, To the best of my ability. And PH remains a rare condition to come-upon.