Columns

Editor’s note: A continuation of the monthly “Gratitude Miniseries.” I am happy to report that things are on a slow but gradual upswing. As I wrote in my previous miniseries column, July was not one of my favorite months of 2018. However, August was a bit…

Dealing with a serious chronic illness like pulmonary fibrosis can be highly stressful, to say the least. Absorbing the seriousness of our illness, alongside dealing with repeated clinic visits, tests, and medication side effects can leave many patients wrestling with worry and anxiety. It’s easy to get stuck…

Following a life-threatening illness diagnosis, most patients learn to cope with their new reality in unique ways. Some patients seek professional help, such as counseling, for chronic illness coping strategies. Many patients lean on family and friends, while other patients learn to cope on their own through trial…

Lately, I’ve been dealing with some aches and pains. Although I try to get up and move around a lot, being sedentary has resulted in body aches, pain, and stiffness. I’ve come up with some solutions that have helped me. I hope they’ll help you, too. Pain on…

Following the diagnosis of a life-threatening lung disease like pulmonary fibrosis (PF), patients and their families often go through days, weeks, and sometimes months feeling confused, angry, and fearful. This diagnosis is emotionally shattering, and it is also mentally exhausting. It can feel like your mind is…

When you think of surviving idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), do you think only about the physical impact of this disease? I did, at least before my diagnosis in early 2016, when I learned the hard way that surviving a chronic illness is so much more than just the…

As a young person living with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), I am scared of many things. However, I don’t get into the habit of voicing my fears of what this disease is ultimately going to cost me, but sometimes, I must talk about them. There is a lot…

Most of us receive our medical care from our primary care doctor or a local pulmonologist. However helpful they may be, they don’t know everything about the rare disease that we have. Four years ago, the first pulmonologist I saw told me I had a few months to…

Any chronic illness diagnosis is scary and confusing. It is a time filled with an abundance of emotions that are difficult to navigate. Unfortunately, these emotions don’t exist only for the first few months after a diagnosis, but rather they remain ever-present as a patient learns to live…

I’ll be transparent: Living with a chronic illness sucks, regardless of the disease you deal with. It’s not easy learning to navigate life while sick, and unfortunately, there is no rulebook to study. I can only speak for all the difficulties that come with having idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis…