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Cardiovascular
Breathing easier for pulmonary hypertension patients
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It was two years ago, on Christmas Day 2014, when Orlando, Florida resident Laura Floeckher, 47, was diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension (PH), a rare disorder of the lungs affecting about 30 in every one million people.
Mayo Clinic in Florida is one of 26 designated Pulmonary Hypertension and Vascular Disease Centers in the country, recognized for its comprehensive care, including being the only facility in the south to offer a complex surgery known as pulmonary thromboendarterectomy, which Laura underwent a year ago.
Now, a year after the procedure, Laura, can easily visit local theme parks with her family and spend time with her six-month-old grandson, whom she affectionately calls her “sweet potato.”
She’s recovered so well that at a recent follow-up appointment, her physician says the infusion pump she’s had for two years can be removed. “While I’ll never run a marathon, I am planning to participate with my company at a community 5K race in February," Laura says. "I did one about four years back before I got sick and it’s my goal to walk in it again.”
Learn more about pulmonary hypertension in this Mayo Clinic Minute.
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