In March 2019, my mom, Holly, got a second chance at life. Her bilateral lung transplant was a gift of the highest order. It saved and prolonged her life when nothing else would. It gave her body back the power to enjoy living. It restored her health and independence.
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Many significant milestones in life occur during young adulthood. Some may buy their first home, get married, and start a family, which is a typical trajectory. Unfortunately, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a progressive and fatal lung disease, doesn’t care about typical trajectories. It unapologetically interferes with the lives of patients…
As a research sociologist, my goal is to research anything and everything I need answers to. I often become so preoccupied with this search that it becomes an obsession. Many people turn to online research for answers about health issues, and I am no different. When it comes…
Controversial conversations are never easy to navigate, regardless of age or experience, especially when engaging with people you love. Since the start of the pandemic, the number of controversial conversations has increased, and the reactions to conflicting opinions have intensified. Social media disputes are often crass, cruel, and filled…
As soon as my mom, Holly, was out of the hospital following her bilateral lung transplant, our family began efforts to protect her immunocompromised body. Before she even got the call about available donor lungs, the University of California, San Francisco lung transplant team had educated my family…
The moment my parents, Diana and Jack, were in the clear two weeks after their second COVID-19 vaccine, they hopped on a plane to see their three grandchildren in Illinois. This was about a month shy of my mom’s one-year lung transplant anniversary. Their trip was everything they had…
On Aug. 14, 2020, around 10 p.m., my successful lung transplant was completed. Now I was in the daunting recovery phase. Before being discharged from the hospital, I had to meet three requirements: Walk 1,000 feet without supplemental oxygen. Walk continuously on a treadmill for 30 minutes. Have all my…
The Pulmonary Fibrosis News Forums offer a one-of-a-kind platform to learn about this life-threatening lung disease firsthand. Patients, caregivers, and professionals alike come together to discuss a plethora of topics pertaining to idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Many of those discussions focus on how to effectively manage the disease, and…
How do you learn to love your body while struggling with a rare illness? I used to ask myself this almost daily. I love to eat, and comfort food provides just that — comfort. Vegetables and fruits sound delicious, but they wouldn’t be the first thing I run to…
In the three weeks between my boyfriend Jonny’s proposal and our spontaneous elopement, we daydreamed about a big wedding. We decided to get married before he left for a year of training and school with the Army. Despite our legal union, we still wanted to celebrate with a ceremony of…
