At some point in every person’s life, death becomes part of their story. The unexpected death of a family member or friend is traumatizing. You wake up in a world of grief and confusion, which you must confront and reconcile over and over again. There is no easy way to…
Life with a fatal lung disease like idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is very unpredictable. I thrive in routine, familiarity, and structure, so I have difficulty accepting that this disease can force instant changes. I’m still working on learning to let go of what I cannot control, like an…
It is 9 pm. My deadline for this column is in 12 hours. Some people would call this procrastination. I call it practice. I’ve been writing several columns in my head for the past three days. I decided not to worry about it and instead enjoy the last glorious days…
One of my biggest fears after being diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) as a young adult was losing my independence. In previous columns, I’ve talked about how I regularly participated in work and volunteer roles throughout the years, building a large network of friends and colleagues. Some described…
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) has many pesky side effects. While many are invisible, such as dizziness, muscle pain, and shortness of breath, some are visible, like the chronic cough that accompanies this life-threatening lung disease. Sometimes, patients with IPF experience a productive cough and are able to move…
In the age of social media, many people seem to have forgotten what healthy boundaries are. If you use Facebook, for example, you may notice that some people overshare — whether it’s 200 pictures of their trip to the beach or details of their child’s bowel movements, they demonstrate little…
Monday, June 3 was a difficult day for the pulmonary fibrosis (PF) community. An advocate, colleague, and friend passed away from complications of PF, but even in her death, Kim Fredrickson will continue to inspire many living with this life-threatening lung disease. While her loss is felt deeply in…
In the past week, two people have passed with whom I am familiar. One of them is well-known in the pulmonary fibrosis community; the other is a close family friend. Pulmonary Fibrosis News columnist Kim Fredrickson was a wonderful person and a passionate advocate. I read her columns and kept…
The path to lung transplant is different for everyone, depending on their disease and how it progresses. My mom got very sick very fast. I found out that she would try to get listed, and 10 stressful weeks later, she had new lungs. What may be an extended…
As a patient living with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), I can’t count the number of times that close friends and family members have asked me to describe what this disease feels like. While I do my best to share my experience with IPF, I’ve been unsatisfied with the explanations I’ve…
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