WELLNESS

PAH and your loved ones

Living with PAH can be stressful for you and those closest to you. It’s important to be gentle with one another and give everyone time to adjust. Here are some tips that can help you get started.

PAH and your significant other

Make time to check in regularly with your significant other. Give each other permission to be honest at all times. When one of you is having a bad day or needs help, admit it.

When talking to one another, pay close attention to using "“I” statements. This helps you and your significant other take ownership of what each of you are saying. For example, rather than saying “You made me upset,” try saying “I felt upset when you didn’t help with the dishes last night.” This helps take blame out of the conversation.

Some other things you and your significant other can do to improve communication include:

• Telling your significant other what you’re feeling, but at a pace that you’re comfortable with
• Asking for what you want instead of assuming your significant other can guess what you’re thinking
• Giving yourself and your significant other permission to politely refuse each other’s requests

Lastly, if your significant other is helping you manage your PAH, make sure to spend time focusing on their needs and hobbies. Even something as simple as watching a movie together can mean a lot.

PAH and your children

Although younger children may not completely understand your PAH, children of all ages will appreciate knowing about your condition. Children may sometimes mistakenly think they caused or contributed to your condition. Even though it may be difficult, try to be as honest as you can when discussing your condition, always letting them know it’s OK to ask questions. Knowing that it’s OK to be curious may help reduce some of their worry.

On the plus side, children can be great sources of love, humor, and comfort as you cope with the ups and downs of PAH.