In 2008, shortly after her diagnosis, Lessard married a military pilot. Although her life had taken a completely different turn, she was still able to be a part of something she loved so much. “I miss the military sometimes,” she said. “I’m still married to it, though, so it’s not completely gone.”
Lessard said the initial diagnosis was extremely depressing. “Most of the information out there on PH is not very positive.” However, with the help of USA’s Pulmonary Hypertension Center, Lessard has overcome many of her medical obstacles. She is currently on multiple therapies, including continuous IV therapy. At USA’s Center, she completes six-minute walk tests, echocardiograms and other evaluations. She said the center is great for her because, as a Florida resident, there is nothing in her area for people with PH.
“It’s so nice to have a doctor that listens to you and is very supportive,” she said. “Dr. Fagan made me believe that this hurdle was possible to overcome, and she has always had a very positive attitude about the disease.”
Lessard said the entire situation has had a lot of positives. “It slowed my life down. It has helped me appreciate the moment a lot more,” she said. “Before I was diagnosed, I was always thinking about tomorrow … everything was rushed.”
Lessard said raising awareness for PH is extremely important. “People may not necessarily look sick, but they may not be able to do as much as they want to. It is very important to be diagnosed really early in life, and many people don’t understand what PH even is. Awareness will help.”
To read the Katie's story published in the Mobile Press-Register, follow this link - http://blog.al.com/live/2009/12/pulmonary_hypertension_usa_doc.html .
