Make Every Breath Count
— Samuel Kirton

I was sound asleep at 3 a.m. on Nov. 25 when I heard my mother call my name. It didn’t sound like she was in distress; it was more like she needed help reaching something on a shelf in the next room. After I awoke, I had some trouble processing…

I conduct research for each of my columns primarily because I want a broader perspective on a topic. Recently, I discussed what should be packed in a “go bag” for a transplant patient receiving the call that donor lungs are available. When I typed “transplant go bag” into a Google…

Does it seem like time accelerated during November? I’m not sure if it’s because the hours of sunlight are decreasing or because all manner of holiday decorations have suddenly appeared. I recently contributed to the latter by joining staff and volunteers at the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) headquarters…

The Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation (PFF) Summit 2025 began for me with a nonstop flight from Washington, D.C., to Chicago during the longest government shutdown in the history of the U.S. I was resolved to be in Chicago for the summit, so I had backup plans that included taking the…

Each year, at the 11th minute of the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month, a calendar alarm sounds on my phone. It recalls the signing of the armistice that marked the end of World War I in 1918. Originally known as Armistice Day, the…

“Ready to get that tube out? Sam, are you ready to get that tube out? Are you in any pain? No. Are you ready to breathe on your own?” Those were among the first words I heard as my wife, Susan, sat at my bedside while my care team brought…

Water is essential to life. As UC Davis Health notes, it’s “vital to our health. It plays a key role in many of our body’s functions, including bringing nutrients to cells, getting rid of wastes, protecting joints and organs, and maintaining body temperature.” However, the source of the water we…

For the first time in more than 10 years, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) care teams and patients will have a new treatment option following the Oct. 7 approval of Jascayd (nerandomilast) by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). When I was diagnosed with IPF in January 2017,…

Vaccines are a routine part of the pulmonary fibrosis (PF) journey, regardless of where you are along the path. However, recent changes in vaccine guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have caused some confusion. When I was diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary…

In just over a month, one of the largest gatherings of pulmonary fibrosis (PF) patients, caregivers, and health professionals will take place in Chicago, at the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation (PFF) Summit 2025. My idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) diagnosis in January 2017 thrust my wife, Susan, and me…

My journey to a diagnosis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) began in the fall of 2016, when I was 59. It all started with a persistent cough. While the cough was annoying, especially to my wife, Susan, it wasn’t limiting my day-to-day activities. After seeing a radiologist’s report, my…