Cardiopulmonary Rehab for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH)

Rediscovering Movement Through Rehab

A major turning point for both Gwen and Thekla came through structured rehabilitation programs. While these programs can go by various names (cardiac rehab, pulmonary rehab, cardiopulmonary rehab, etc.), they typically share elements like exercise training and education for people with chronic lung and heart conditions like PAH. Thekla began cardiac rehab about three years after her diagnosis, while Gwen enrolled in pulmonary rehab.

“I loved it,” Gwen said. “It was the first place I went where I learned how to breathe and move again. At first, all the exercises were hard, but they got easier. We had a treadmill and a bike twice a week, and someone came to talk to us after workouts about nutrition, insurance—even yoga.”

Thekla echoed the benefits. “It helped me not be so scared to move,” she said. “They monitored my heart rate, weight, and blood pressure. I did stretching, treadmill walking, the hand bike…things that helped me trust my body again.”

Both women strongly recommend rehab to others. “I think everyone should go,” Gwen said. “It teaches you how to live with your illness.”

Rehab didn’t just restore confidence—it redefined what movement looked like. Today, both women have built routines that reflect their abilities, passions, and goals.

“I go walking now,” Gwen said. “I take my dog, a little Shih Tzu. I clean around the house. It used to take me three days to do the kitchen—now I clean the whole house. That’s a good day for me.”

Gwen even returned to skating, something she loved in her younger years. “At first, I was scared, but I put on my fanny pack and went,” she said. “It helps with my restless legs and the pain. I remembered—I like doing that.”