Battler Jane says "I do" next month
A WOMAN battling a rare condition will not be letting it stop her from tying the knot next month to her long-term partner.
Jane Grimmer, of Essex Road, Stamford, suffers with the incurable Pulmonary hypertension and is dependant on 30 tablets a day and an oxygen machine to keep her alive.
But she will getting married to long-term partner Melvin Brader in Stamford Register Office in August after fearing that she may be dying in April when her symptoms of breathlessness and chest pain became overwhelming.
Pulmonary hypertension is a little known disease of the lungs in which pressure in the blood vessel that leads from the heart to the lungs can rise dangerously high.
She said: "In April, I got a wake-up call. I thought I was dying because of how bad the symptoms were. So Melvin Brader and I decided to get married. It is something positive to look forward to."
Her problems began 16 years ago when she had an operation to repair a hole in her heart. Her heart was swollen and when it was beating, it came into contact with her lungs, damaging her heart.
Jane was diagnosed after a host of tests at Papworth Hospital, Cambridge, after complaining of being unable to breath.
She said: "Sometimes, I get up in the morning and can't do anything at all. My breathing is bad and I feel so tired.
"It really annoys me because I was always on the go before.
"They have told me that the future doesn't have much hope. But all I think about is that they might come up with a new drug."
One of the signs of the condition is cyanosis, or blue lips, when Jane's oxygen dips too low and she is hooked up to an oxygen concentrator at night.
She is also backing a campaign by the Pulmonary Hypertension Association to help raise awareness, as due to lack of awareness of the disease.
Although PH is incurable, with correct treatment and a faster diagnosis almost two-thirds of patients will survive longer than five years.
However, if not treated, half will die within two years.
The charity is trying to find someone who'll "pucker up for PH" by sending in a photo of their lips to replace the charity's current blue lip print logo, and become part of education and media blitz culminating in a Guinness World Record attempt in 2010.
For more information, visit www.puckerup4ph.com or www.phassociation.uk.com.
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Friday 25 May 2012
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