Columns

I recently returned from a three-week vacation in Europe. On the trip, my wife, Rebecca, and I visited Poland, Italy, Greece, and Austria. I was anxious before the holiday and worried about transporting my medications across borders. I thought, “Will I become ill? Will I be able to physically handle…

No one really enjoys being admitted to the hospital, but for many patients living with a chronic illness, hospitalization is inevitable, and can bring both comfort and relief. At least, that has been my experience while living with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). There has been a lot of talk among…

Organ transplants are a trade-off. The patient receives a healthy organ or organs, but the price is chronic immunosuppression. The trade-off is made when there are no other treatment options, and only if the transplant is expected to be successful. I can’t tell you how many times I…

At some point in our lives, we’re all likely to face difficult decisions. They will force us to weigh out all the options, considering not only the pros and cons of each decision, but also the overall impact on our lives. Before I became sick with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF),…

Advocacy and discussions about mental health on social media platforms feel very “trendy” at the moment. It’s a good thing — it is vital that we talk about mental health and raise awareness about the need to care for our minds as well as our bodies. As a patient living…

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…