Charlene Marshall,  —

If you have read my previous columns, you are likely aware that my life before being diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) was very different than it is now. This is something I often write about because I can’t believe the dramatic transformation from who I was…

Living with a life-threatening illness like idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) evokes a plethora of feelings throughout the course of the disease. Some are positive. At times, a patient is content, grateful, or hopeful. Other times, the feelings are negative and a patient could experience anger, fear, guilt, or…

At some point, everyone experiences a level of vulnerability. Perhaps it is joining a new sports team as a child where you fear your skills may not be comparable to other members of the team. Maybe it is on a first date where there is a risk that…

It’s hard to believe that the first month of 2018 has already come to an end. It’s true what they say: The older you get, the faster life seems to speed by. I can certainly attest to that for this month, as it feels like the new year…

When people refer to a “support network” that surrounds someone with a life-threatening illness, you usually think of close friends or family members. In the past, you would rarely think of complete strangers — however, this has certainly changed in recent years. The benefit of belonging to an online support…

Before you can access the groups and discussions in our new Pulmonary Fibrosis News forums, you’ll need to sign up and create a profile. To do this, go to the Forums page and click register; you’ll then be prompted to enter your name, age and whether you are a…

With increasing interest in natural remedies for the management of disease symptoms, discussion about the uses of essential oils flourishes. Advocates for oil companies, such as dōTERRA or Young Living, will tell you that there are “unlimited” benefits and uses for these oils to help you live…

There are a plethora of benefits for patients using online social media platforms. They help members of the community connect, and share and receive information about all aspects of the disease. Online social media platforms have a similar preface but do have differences in how and why they operate,…

Thinking back to my days of high school many years ago, I never imagined I would become involved with an online publication. I hated writing articles, papers, and essays, and I had little interest in research, chronic illness, or how words could be used to connect people so…

For many people, using mindfulness as a means to eliminate or reduce stress is a new concept. It seems as though the importance of mindfulness is only now being promoted across health care, literature, social media and through holistic wellness advocates. There are now wellness centers attached to medical facilities, such…