Columns

Choosing to Let Things Go Since My IPF Diagnosis

When you are diagnosed with a life-threatening illness such as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), the choices about how you live your life suddenly becomes illuminated. Since IPF literally steals a patient’s ability to breathe, the prognosis of this disease is not very good, plus there is no cure.

A Week in the Life of an IPF Patient

As someone living with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), I have enjoyed connecting with others on a similar illness trajectory as me, as well as those living with different kinds of illnesses, including different forms of pulmonary fibrosis. We all have things in common, as well as things we…

Beginning Testing for a Lung Transplant

About six weeks ago, I shared that I am under consideration by the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) for a lung transplant. A few weeks ago, I got the good news that UCSF said YES to allow me to start initial testing to…

To My Manager: What I Wish You Knew

Working with a life-threatening illness such as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is difficult to manage, regardless of whether that work is full- or part-time. Exhaustion, illness, and hospitalizations often get in the way of being able to complete tasks efficiently, and may also prevent me from meeting organizational deadlines.

The Challenge of Traveling with Oxygen

As a pulmonary fibrosis patient, I try to stay as active as possible. But as my disease has progressed, it has been harder and harder to travel. Just a few days ago, my husband and I traveled 400 miles to see my 94-year-old father whose health is failing.

A Gratitude Miniseries: February 2018

If you have been reading my previous columns, you might recall that at the beginning of the new year, I decided to write a gratitude piece as each month in 2018 comes to a close. It is hard to believe this is the case for February already!…