Someone out there holds the key piece of evidence needed to advance research toward a better therapy, treatment, or cure for interstitial lung diseases, including pulmonary fibrosis (PF). Since my diagnosis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) nearly 10 years ago, I have met some of the smartest people…
Columns
Living with pulmonary fibrosis means living with a chronic cough that doesn’t let you forget it. I hate it. It feels like it’s slowly taking more from me than I realize. When the cough spells begin, my body becomes rigid and tight. My breathing turns short and…
Are you familiar with the website Healthgrades? The site allows patients to search for medical professionals and lets them rate their experience with a specific provider. The ratings, or grades, range from 1 to 5 stars. You can read about other patients’ experiences before making an appointment. When I…
Note: This column describes the author’s own experiences with Ozempic (semaglutide). Not everyone will have the same response to treatment. Consult your doctor before starting or stopping a therapy. As a person diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) who received a bilateral lung transplant in July 2021,…
A 24-hour news cycle, a lack of civil discourse, people who believe their needs are a priority, and the stress of a chronic, progressive disease with no cure: These things, and many more, contribute to the noise that fills my every waking hour. When I was diagnosed with…
My name is Kylene, and if you haven’t read my column before, my husband, Donnie, was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis in late 2022. Right now, it’s 5 a.m., and I’m writing from our hotel room. Twice a year, Donnie and I drive two and a half hours to Barnes-Jewish…
Have you ever woken up in a strange mood and, before your feet hit the floor, found yourself wondering what caused it? I recently experienced that; I was feeling melancholy, and the Dean Lewis song “How Do I Say Goodbye” came to mind. Someone I knew recently passed…
“How can I help you?” When was the last time you heard those five simple words? My next question may be even harder to answer: When was the last time you asked someone how you could help them? When I was diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis in January…
Sometimes when I think about our life after my husband Donnie’s pulmonary fibrosis (PF) diagnosis, I think of the infamous “pivot” scene from the television show “Friends.” Donnie would be playing the part of Chandler, doing his best to navigate all the obstacles and inch the couch up the…
A single decision, likely made in a split second by someone I’d never met, saved my life. On the morning of July 9, 2021, I received a call that donor lungs were available for me, and my future went from impossible to possible. When I was diagnosed on Jan.
