Columns

I had an epiphany last week: It’s hard to find a job! My first thought was that it must be my age. My experience doesn’t matter because I don’t fit into the work culture. (I’d never heard of “work culture” until I saw it on LinkedIn.) My second…

Following my idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) diagnosis in 2016, I had many fears. As an avid traveler, my No. 1 fear was being put on supplemental oxygen and losing the ability to fly. I also feared that using oxygen would prevent me from partaking in many of the outdoor…

After my idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) diagnosis, I was in denial about having the disease. So, I had a video-assisted thoracoscopic lung biopsy in July 2014. The pathologist said my diagnosis was “fibrosing and interstitial…

If I asked you to identify yourself, what would you say? “My name is …” “I am a …” “I work as a …” “I was born in …” There are an infinite number of ways to define and describe ourselves. If each facet of our personality were an ID…

According to the Canadian Lung Association, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is difficult to diagnose because its symptoms mimic other common respiratory conditions. I have spoken with many IPF patients who can attest to this. They describe their diagnostic journey as long, complicated, and frustrating. The process of being diagnosed…

I just finished watching the episode of “Star Trek: The Next Generation” in which Capt. Jean-Luc Picard was taken by the Borg. In one scene, the Borg turned him into a machine, or in Trekkie terms, a “cyborg.” This made me think of my “extra appendages,” my oxygen tanks.

Managing symptoms is an ongoing challenge for chronically ill patients. Whether they’re caused by an exacerbation, disease progression, or environmental factors, it’s often difficult for patients to get quick relief, including from respiratory symptoms. Despite their name, rescue inhalers aren’t always effective in managing or improving pulmonary fibrosis…

When I write about my lung transplant, I honor my donor, for whom I am forever grateful. I didn’t know him, but I know he was a caring person. Last August, I was the lucky recipient of his lungs, which changed my life like nothing else has, or ever…

One of the most important blessings in life is having a strong support group. A support team may consist of family members, friends, or a community of people. My support team included three of the greatest people in my life: my husband, daughter, and mother. It is important…

Progressive lung diseases like pulmonary fibrosis cause ripple effects throughout the body. In PF, lung scarring prevents the organs from exchanging gases correctly, resulting in oxygen deficits known as hypoxemia and hypoxia. Chronic hypoxemia, or low oxygen levels in the blood, affects all parts of the body.