Music has always played a significant role in my life. From childhood choir performances to playing the trumpet in school bands, melodies have been a constant source of joy, solace, and self-expression. Despite the challenges posed by my pulmonary fibrosis (PF), music remains a trusty companion, offering a therapeutic…
Modern Day Mutant – a Column by Ann Reynoso
Stepping outside of our comfort zone can be an intimidating endeavor. But life often presents us with situations that require us to venture beyond what we’re used to. As I prepare for my first trip away from home since my pulmonary fibrosis (PF) diagnosis four years ago, I find…
It has been two months since I last shared my thoughts in this column, and in that time, life has unfolded in ways I could never have anticipated. The lessons I’ve learned during this period have been profound, leading me to confront the blatant reality that life rarely adheres…
‘Tis the season of giving, a time when the spirit of benevolence fills the air. During the holidays, we’re encouraged to give wholeheartedly and with grace, which creates an atmosphere of joy and peace. However, the season’s festivities prompt some reflection on the nature of giving. Why limit this…
Veterans Day is approaching on Nov. 11, and most of us know someone who served in the military. For this column, I’d like to honor someone who left behind some promising words of the highest degree. During a recent conversation, the person I was chatting with brought up my…
Have you ever had the nagging feeling that a gray cloud was hanging over your head? For the past three years and 10 months, I’ve felt such a cloud. It comes from being labeled and stigmatized for my disability. Stigma can be described as a deeply discrediting attribute that…
At the beginning of this year, I was told to start pulmonary rehabilitation to help with my pulmonary fibrosis (PF). I was prescribed 12 sessions as an outpatient, which would take six weeks (two sessions a week) out of my life. I kept putting it off, always making…
Despite having a support group and talking with others who have the same condition, I haven’t gleaned everything I need to know about pulmonary fibrosis. I’m still walking in the shadows of this disease, trying to find a semblance of my pre-diagnosis self. Someone in my support group asked,…
I always try to find meaning and purpose in the smallest of things, and that practice led me to a realization the other weekend. I was trying to nurse back to health one of our hens, which had become ill in the past month. We did everything we could to…
One of my fears about my pulmonary fibrosis (PF) and lymphocytic interstitial pneumonia (LIP) is how vulnerable I am to catching any virus that presents itself. I recently had to face this fear. I’m finally returning after battling a long haul of pneumonia. It was a painful…
