Columns

I try to practice gratitude every day. The word “practice” is appropriate. Viewing daily trials through a lens of gratitude did not come to me by instinct or inheritance. I started doing it several years ago to try and force myself out of a funk. Writing down something that I…

The world is a different place than it was a decade ago, especially in the realm of technology and social media. Smart devices track daily tasks, remind users to complete to-do lists, help with budgeting, and navigate driving routes. There are a number of ways technology can help patients…

I am slowly emerging following several weeks of hospital visits and confinement to bed. I’ve been extremely weak and unable to eat thanks to bacterial pneumonia and the influenza virus. Either of these illnesses alone is enough to kill a patient living with a chronic lung disease such as idiopathic…

When I started writing this column it felt like such a gift to have a space to share my story. I didn’t care if anyone but my editors read my posts. Maybe it’s selfish, but this is a way for me to process the experiences I had related to…

Thanksgiving is over, but my feeling of gratitude remains. As a single-lung transplant recipient, the holiday is a time for me to contemplate the tremendous gift given to me on Dec. 4, 2015. I have just passed my fourth “lungiversary.” As I look back at my experience, I find it…

I love Christmas and all that comes with it: the lights, music, decorations, parades, and Christmas trees. But I know that the season is a stressful and lonely time for some people. Christmas isn’t for everyone. This especially can be true for families facing hardships, or those who are spending…

Healthy eating is a popular topic on the Pulmonary Fibrosis News Forums. Members discuss their attempts to promote optimal pulmonary wellness by improving their eating habits. They also share what foods they avoid because of side effects and what foods help them feel better. Someone once said, “Eat…

It’s hard to be open with people when you’re going through a crisis, particularly one with many uncertainties. A recent conversation with a friend got me thinking about the vulnerable act of sharing trauma. My friend is preparing for a painful and risky surgery to remove uterine…

Cold and flu season begins in October and peaks between December and February, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. We’re in the midst of the season, and I feel under pressure to do everything I can to remain as healthy as possible. Those of us who…

When learning to live with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), mental health is an elephant in the room. Too often, it is ignored. Although it is becoming more prevalent among hospital care plans, it needs to be discussed more frequently. Learning to live with IPF has been the hardest thing…