Last January, I started a column with the following: “’Every day is a new adventure!’ This is often my response when someone asks how I’m doing. It also seems appropriate when looking forward to what 2022 may hold for me.” Coincidentally, as I sat…
Make Every Breath Count – a Column by Samuel Kirton
With just a few days remaining before Christmas, not much has changed this year in the search for a cure for pulmonary fibrosis (PF). Scientists continue to pursue theories searching for a clue that will lead to a cure or even more effective therapies. But even research that does…
How is it December already? In the retail world, the holiday season seems to begin earlier every year. It felt like ads for Thanksgiving and Christmas started airing around Labor Day this year here in the United States. Last year, I noticed my thoughts turned to my donor family more…
The holiday season is upon us! Here in the United States, Thanksgiving was last week, and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade heralded the arrival of Santa Claus. But November, for the past two years, has been a month of loss for me. COVID-19 and transplant In March 2020, the reality…
The pulmonary fibrosis (PF) patient population would likely become unhinged without the oversight of our caregivers. They have one of the hardest roles in the PF community. When I was diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) in January 2017, my wife, Susan, was sitting by my side. For…
Rail travel has long been shrouded in both mystery and romance. English novelist Agatha Christie famously wrote “Murder on the Orient Express,” a tale of intrigue involving one of her most famous characters, Hercule Poirot. American singer-songwriter Steve Goodman originally wrote and recorded “City of New Orleans,” a song about…
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) patients often require a multidisciplinary team to manage their care. My IPF journey has been shaped by all the medical professionals I’ve encountered along the way. I was formally diagnosed on Jan. 31, 2017, at the Inova Fairfax Hospital’s Advanced Lung Disease and Transplant…
A change in seasons is underway here in Virginia, and across the mid-Atlantic. Trees that were once lush and green are now exploding with fiery red, burnt orange, and golden hues. All of those leaves have also begun to fall from the trees to the ground. Firewood is stacked and…
When I was diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) in January 2017, it felt like my entire world had shrunk. My wife and caregiver, Susan, and I were suddenly alone on an island. I’m confident many feel this way after receiving a diagnosis. However, a rare, incurable disease can…
Those who follow my column know that one of my passions is cooking. It always has been. My wife, Susan, and I usually eat meals I prepare using little to no prepackaged ingredients. Dinner usually included wine for me. But what I can eat and drink changed on July…
