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.Trust me when I say that this column does not come without a lot of behind–the–scenes work to try to change my thinking so I can offer a more positive message. I still can’t say I practice what I preach. But I do want to share an…
When I sit down to write these columns, I often reflect on something that has been difficult throughout my journey with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). I usually focus on something that has changed as a result of my disease — something I have lost, or something that…
As summer settles on most of Southern Ontario, Canada, it brings with it our first heat wave. Normally, I love the heat. Even last year, after I received my diagnosis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), I didn’t mind the summer months. This year, with significantly reduced lung function,…
In a recent column, I wrote about how I felt and acted much differently than normal. I mentioned that I was grumpy, irritable, quiet, and mad, and I referenced a few things and reasons that left me feeling this way. What I neglected to mention is another…
As one of my beloved healthcare providers always tells me, “There is no rule book for living with pulmonary fibrosis.” She says this when we talk about my constant frustration of living with a life-threatening illness, and the unpredictability, anxiety and emotional turmoil that comes with it.
For the people around me on a regular basis, I admit I have not been the most pleasant person this week. I have been far from myself and instead have been grumpy, irritable, quiet and mad. This is unlike me and I know it. I also hate…
As I write this column I am sitting in the uncomfortable chair in our local emergency room (ER) waiting room. This is a chair that I have sat in far too many times, with a familiar visual of nurses moving swiftly around the unit replacing IVs, coupled…
Long before my diagnosis of IPF, I thought I had a plan in place for my life, one that I had been building since I was a little girl. That plan included a steady career in healthcare or social work, a wedding to be celebrated with family and…
I have been reminded of the power of a team in the fight against idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) in my past few weeks of recovery since recent setbacks and further decline of lung function. While I consider myself an incredibly unlucky person to have been diagnosed with an…
Please note this disclaimer before reading this column: I am writing in a bit of disarray, frustration and sadness. I have chosen to write a column while feeling this way, because I think it has the potential to create a column you can relate to: one that…
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