Columns

Coping with Bad Days and Bad News: Having a Strategy Helps

It is inevitable that people living with a chronic illness will experience days that are difficult, both physically and mentally. Since being diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) three years ago, I’ve had many of these days. Fear of the future with this disease, physical limitations or restrictions because of failing…

Trying to Survive as a Young Adult with IPF

Young adulthood is a life stage typically filled with new experiences, joy, and social celebrations with friends and loved ones. My closest friends and I fall into this category, which encompasses those ranging in age from their late teens through their 20s and early 30s. While young adulthood can…

Following My Diagnosis, Negative Thoughts Consumed Me

Even before I received my official diagnosis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), the thought of death consumed me. I had trouble sleeping. I would lie awake at night for several hours tossing and turning before finally falling asleep. The restlessness was a symptom of the IPF; the thoughts of…

Finding Support While Going Through Difficult Times

Before receiving my official diagnosis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), I was confident in my knowledge of it. Since it was suggested as a potential diagnosis, I spent many hours researching all facets of the disease. I was amazed by how many people were affected by IPF, yet so…

Traveling by Air Again Following Lung Transplantation

Several months after my lung transplant in 2015, my transplant team OK’d me to travel by air. My wife and I were in the doctor’s office and gave each other a grin. We knew then that we could go back to our special place: Maui. After careful consideration, we decided not…