H P h t i L i fe w . s e i t n e w t y m in W
Shani Fernando was diagnosed with PH as a baby. Now 26, she tells Emphasis about studying for a degree, planning for the future and how social media is helping her inspire others to live the best life they can.
WINTER 2017 emphasis 32
hen I was diagnosed at just nine months old, like most other people, my parents had never heard of pulmonary hypertension. People are shocked when I tell them I have a serious illness but I don’t blame them for their reaction. For me, PH is an invisible illness; it’s not until I climb a lot of steps or do something really physical like running a long distance that my breathlessness becomes obvious and I know that I’m lucky in that respect. I’ve been taken off the transplant list twice, and when the PH was at its worst I have been in and out of hospital for six or seven years of my life. However, for the last three years things have been relatively normal for me. Don’t get me wrong, I do have my down days where I just curl up and watch Netflix all day, but I guess we all feel like that at some point in our lives. As I’ve grown older, I’ve learnt how to cope and manage my illness and not let it consume me. I always try to make time for the things I enjoy such as spending time with family and friends. I also try to keep fit and healthy and enjoy going to the gym. I used to have a personal trainer who I would train with twice a week with a special programme to suit my condition, but it started getting a bit costly. I’m now more confident exercising on my own and I think it’s important to try to stay as active as possible.
