Fatiguing but Succeeding - a Column by Erin Fortin

One experience that brings me the most joy is going to amusement parks. I love the atmosphere, including the smell of funnel cake, the screams from people on rides, the music, and the scenery. I’ve gone to most of the parks on the East Coast and love them all! But…

For much of my life, I had a bad case of “white coat syndrome,” which, according to the Cleveland Clinic, is when your blood pressure rises because of “the anxiety of being around doctors in white coats.” I was terrified of going to any type of doctor because anything…

Last in a series. Read parts one, two, and three. The months following the delivery of my daughter, Joelle, were some of the most wonderful months of my life. But they were some of the hardest, too, especially when the symptoms of my paroxysmal nocturnal…

Third in a series. Read parts one and two. On May 8, 2022 — Mother’s Day — I arrived at the hospital for labor induction. At that point, my platelet count was declining rapidly due to my paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH), almost to a point where I…

Second in a series. Read part one. Being pregnant was one of the most beautiful experiences of my life. The uncertainty of my health due to paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) made the journey even more empowering. Surprisingly, I didn’t feel much different while pregnant. I’d worried that my…

First in a series. Receiving a diagnosis of paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) in 2019 left me confused, scared, and desperate for more information. As my mom checked me out at the medical office counter, I did a quick Google search and scanned the first article I found. Reading it…

In everyday conversations with family and friends, I’ll sometimes hear someone comment that a person they know has either strep throat or the flu. This immediately puts me in a defensive mode. My brain is flooded with questions aimed at protecting my safety: Who is sick? Have you been around…

My social life has suffered as I’ve lived with my rare disease, paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH). Many times my symptoms have held me back, keeping me from making plans because my health is so unpredictable. It’s frustrating. I hate coming across as a flaky friend who backs out…

Living through a pandemic was certainly not on my bucket list, especially given my rare blood disorder, paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH). Learning immunocompromised people are at a high risk for the COVID-19 virus was extremely nerve-wracking. Even though I looked healthy, I knew I was in that category. During…

Shortly after being diagnosed with a rare blood disorder, paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH), I began to experience attacks of stomach pain. They’d originate in my lower ribs and work their way down below my belly button. The attacks progressively got more severe and lasted longer: The first episode…