PHun Art by Geal Goldbeck

Geal Abella Goldbeck is a stay-at-home mom to three dogs and wife to one husband. She was diagnosed with Pulmonary Hypertension in June of 2009.

"I love to craft as a hobby to keep my mind off my terminal illness. Crafts that I have dabbled in include wheel-thrown pottery, knitting, crochet, sewing, embroidery, sashiko embroidery, watercolor painting, acrylic painting, acrylic pour painting, jewelry making, cosplay construction and sewing outfits for my dogs.

Pulmonary hypertension (PH), is a complex and often misunderstood disease. The term PH means high blood pressure in the lungs. In “regular” hypertension (also known as high blood pressure or “systemic hypertension") the pressure in the arteries throughout the body is higher than it should be. This can be measured with a blood pressure cuff. In PH, the blood vessels specifically in the lungs are affected. They can become stiff, damaged or narrow, and the right side of the heart must work harder to pump blood through.

Each form of PH is different, so it is important for newly-diagnosed patients to find a PH specialist who can accurately find what is causing their PH and develop a treatment plan that is right for that specific type of PH as soon as possible. Every person with PH is different, and new research is being conducted every day with the potential to improve the outlook for people living with this disease. Once in the care of a PH-treating health care team and on appropriate therapy, people with PH can live many years."