Columns

Oct. 10 was World Mental Health Day. I am a bit late to the party, but with a twice-monthly publishing schedule, this is my first opportunity to share a column inspired by Mental Health Day. In previous columns, I have discussed my mental health struggles and how I use…

I began hearing the term “toxic positivity” this year, and the pandemic has illuminated the term’s meaning for me. According to The Psychology Group in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, toxic positivity refers to “the excessive and ineffective overgeneralization of a happy, optimistic state across all situations.” Since the beginning of…

Last week was the first of an eight-week Pulmonary Wellness Foundation (PWF) peer support group. I have been collaborating with the PWF since January to build this unique peer support group for patients with pulmonary fibrosis. It was surreal to finally launch it. Though I’ve always advocated for the…

People who endure a traumatic experience often divide their lives into before and after the trauma. I’ve heard this is true of those who survive a transplant in the lung disease community. Pre-transplant life is very different than post-operative life. I anticipate this will be true for me post transplant;…

The medical facility at the military base where my husband is stationed is enormous. Almost every specialty you can imagine is under one roof. The first time I had an appointment there, the scheduler instructed me over the phone to visit the “Jay Team”…

Exercising with a chronic lung disease is not for the faint of heart. Recall your most strenuous workout or physical activity: Your heart beats rapidly, you struggle to catch your breath, and sweat beads down your forehead. Now imagine doing that with lungs that feel stiff and painful upon inhalation.

The University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), where my mom, Holly, received her double-lung transplant, has gone to great lengths to provide information at every turn on the transplant journey. The infamous blue binder contains everything you need to know about post-transplant life. UCSF’s approach to transplant…

It’s common for young adults in their early 30s to plan for their future. For some, this might include planning for a beautiful wedding or having a family. For others, it might mean traveling the world, buying a dream home, or landing the ideal job. My ideal future would include…

As we launch into Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness Month this September, I personally believe there’s a lot that can be done to educate others and to raise the profile of this cruel and life-threatening lung disease. I look forward to sharing in an upcoming column more tangible ideas about how…

Receiving a pulmonary fibrosis diagnosis is a life-changing event. Accepting this new reality may initially seem impossible. There are so many new things to consider that never were on the radar before they suddenly became important. In addition to finding your footing in the present, you must…