Liesl Andersson from Ke nt was told she had id iopathic pulmonar y hypertensio n in November 2014, so PH Awareness Week marke d five years since diag nosis. She wrote this blog to suppor t our campaign and help people to be more understanding of thos e with hidden disabilitie s.
Liesl’s blog was publish ed on our lifestyle web site, www.phocusonlifestyl e.org, If you would like to submit a blog for publication, pl ease email media @ phau k.org
't n o d u yo , s k oo l e n o me o s ll e w r e ” e d i s “Howev n i l ee yf e h t w o h w kno sixth form f o d a e h job as
l was a rea t i g n i n n egi “In the b ollercoaster. lr nd I was emotiona oughts, a
full-time school. ial never me and I at a spec till affect
ss g PH doe e future. But havin ange in th h c l il w t a ggle know wh ing I stru th th e k y r th a , m d y otionall hen I got always re lots of There we er yone is I think em g to die. W and v , e s in t a o a g w s th is a s no st is ow well dIw g h the mo t my prog ok, and h convince n a it lo ti h y w s I w la d d f o e o o k g ‘I actuall nce , I as g m e ho w rd to say r cent cha in a diagnosis e ll h g p y te n y 0 ll a 5 a m h a e d u I had - so it’s r e then yo as affecte I was told I’m doing ink PH h d, becaus ir th e I w ’. y ’s a It . l tod years. at work. ten years feel awfu those ten certainly n , o e c g y n e m in d e th s fi cross to ecau every self-con t to get a t I had, b n n a e w I tm e t g in ear ssa tal. Be t appo and my h main me judgmen e e ll e h b At the las T w to y o t s o m people at is n working again wh id asking er public o d id v e a k w t s meds are ’t e u a n I p th o d ne looks, ered a lot, y couldn’t ing, and ell someo o s told the derstand has recov n a w n r u w ’s e e d v r e n e a w th was are. Ho inside. They said prognosis how they they feel e meds nymore. w th a o s h it a n g w o o n r n lo k on, a numbe ’t live as you don’t n conditi w I shouldn ly know if o y ib n h s s k w o p n le o ’t t s rea re a lit ey can ing and th H is such t people to be awa P . p to s are work t h ig an ey old. n they m so I just w rybody is what th in e might h and whe r u t fu e g g eve hat th verythin everythin that not y about w h t i nd that e fi w s ly I do worr n A e e r . d o e d is a lot m ant to su seem to b y is the key.” e ow there I don’t w n iv s k s I a l. h m il h a a till own fe, emp t li , , but it’s s lt is going d n u c o fi o if g d n d on I ca that I fin medicati knowing t o n e ople in th ’s affect pe s n worry. It o ti a have a nt medic e seems to n o y r as differe e v e Liesl and her ways and different da ughter Billie . y e n jour different y lucky
eall ays I’m r g well to the w y n a m In din ’m respon hold down a I e s u a c e b o am able t meds and
WINTER 2019 emphasis 16
