Charlene is a fiercely independent 30-something year-old who can’t sit still. She loves coffee, wine tasting, playing with her dog, and spending time on the beach with her family. She’s a lover of all things travel, and never passes up an opportunity for a dip in the ocean! A proud Canadian, Charlene was diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) in 2016 after 13 months of investigation into sudden shortness of breath, a chronic cough, and unusual fatigue. IPF has forced her to slow down, but she’s slowly learning the value of quality versus quantity in everything she does.Sometimes when people ask me, “What do you need” or “What can I do to help,” I feel like a broken record since my response is usually, “I don’t know.” I wish I did know what I need when I am in a poor emotional state, sobbing uncontrollably about…
I have always enjoyed traveling and have been privileged enough as a young adult to enjoy vacations that span the globe. While some were related with business, such as being flown to Calgary, Saskatchewan, Halifax, New York City, Dubai, Colorado, California and Washington, others were purely for leisure. If you…
This past weekend, I was able to get away from all of my medical treatments, therapies, and appointments and spend time at my cottage with two dear friends. We had been planning this for a long time, and I knew it was going to be a weekend…
After walking from a lunchroom table back to my desk, I remember thinking to myself, “Gosh, I am feeling tired this week.” I reviewed what I might have done differently last week from other weeks, and thought about what might be causing my fatigue. I grappled with the idea…
By definition, I always understood naivety to mean inexperience, lack of understanding or wisdom about a particular topic. Such things could include naivety about the topic of a difficult discussion, or an unrealistic expectation of a timeline for something to happen. In relation to illness, this definition…
As a patient living with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), I am extremely grateful to the researchers, doctors, health advocates, and other professionals dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for those of us enduring this horrible disease. I am thankful that research is under way to further…
In previous columns, I have alluded to the world of lung diseases and organ transplantation as one that is unique and very different from the life that most people experience. This is especially true for young adults, who naturally focus on building a career, strengthening relationships, starting…
I am still reflecting on an experience I had last week at the grocery store — one that, unfortunately, is common for other patients, too. Several months after being diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), I began having to lug around supplemental oxygen. My ability to do…
It’s funny that the older I seem to get, the more I enjoy spending time at home on weekends and completing different tasks around the house to leave everything in good order for the upcoming week. While the heat and humidity were the primary reasons I stayed…
Being diagnosed with a life-threatening illness shakes you to your core. Not only does it leave you feeling confused, vulnerable, scared, and at times, hopeless, it also leaves your family feeling equally devastated. Then there…
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