After reading other columns on this site, I’ve come to realize I’m not the only person with a lung disease dealing with sleep issues. After being diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) in early 2016, I don’t recall sleep ever having been a problem until recently, in the last…
With the documented success rate and benefits of naturopathic treatment for various chronic illnesses, it is hard for patients not to consider how natural remedies might help with their personal diagnosis. Natural remedies such as the use of essential oils or organic supplements, and those grounded in Chinese medicine such…
If anyone reading this column resides in southwestern Ontario, you can attest to the abnormally hot temperatures that landed on us toward the end of September. For those of you who can bare the heat and humidity, I do hope you had the chance to go outside, because…
When talking to others about things they would like to do someday, it is common to hear people respond with, “That’s on my bucket list.” Whether it’s traveling around the world, seeking adventure in another country, or trying a daredevil-type activity such as skydiving or bungee jumping, people…
It probably won’t come as a surprise to hear that living with a chronic illness is difficult. Chronic illness not only impacts patients physically, but emotionally, socially, mentally and financially. To say that it can be challenging to navigate how to live with a chronic illness is an understatement. In…
As my idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) progresses, I have been having multiple discussions with my personal and professional networks about how they can best support me. Most of the time, I admit, I do not know how they can help or what I need from others. I also…
As I sit down to write this column, I am consciously aware of, and thinking specifically about, where I feel pain in my body. Right now, both of my calves are sore. They feel as if the muscles are wound tightly around one another. My right forearm is…
Many people are passionate about traveling, as it can be both exciting and rejuvenating. When diagnosed with a life-threatening illness such as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), or any other type of interstitial lung disease (ILD), a very real fear for some is that their ability to travel will be taken…
In response to how to cope with a chronic illness, many reply with the following statement: “there is no rulebook, so we write it as we go.” The sentiment of this is to say that there really are no right or wrong ways to deal with the diagnosis of…
“How are you doing?” is the infamous quintessential question I am confident all patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) are asked on a regular basis. Lately, this question has been a bit of an emotional trigger for me in several ways. I anticipate hearing it when I see…
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