Since my diagnosis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) nearly three years ago, I have changed in many fundamental ways. While my values and views and the activities I enjoy have stayed the same, my approach to life has been transformed since my diagnosis. I now try to…
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Many people are apprehensive about asking for help when faced with dire situations. Fortunately, I haven’t had to ask for help with my idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) needs. Those in my circle have stepped up in the biggest ways possible and have been there for me when I needed their…
Any patient living with a chronic illness is familiar with the topic of self-care. It’s something that many of our medical team members, especially the allied healthcare professionals, talk to us about. But practicing self-care is not always as easy as it sounds. It has taken me nearly…
At 12:06 a.m. on Dec. 3, 2015, the much-anticipated phone call came. I knew what the call pertained to as soon as I saw the first digits on the phone’s screen. The caller identified himself as a nurse coordinator from Cleveland Clinic’s Transplant Center and then handed the phone over…
It’s cold and flu season, and unfortunately, people with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and compromised immune systems are bound to get sick. Despite our best efforts, it is likely that we’ll end up with the flu, a cold, or a more serious respiratory illness such as pneumonia. It…
Last week I wrote about how difficult it is to face reality as my pulmonary fibrosis progresses. This process has involved letting go of control as I face how little I can do now. The most striking example of…
Last year, I wrote a gratitude miniseries reflecting on the positive things that took place each month. While I am not continuing that miniseries this year, I did reflect on why this month was so great for me after a colleague commented on how at ease I looked…
Shortly after my idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) diagnosis, my doctor and I had a discussion about employment. While he supported my desire to work at the time, he was very open with his concerns about my ability to do so as my disease progresses. While he couldn’t…
Letting go of something or someone is hard for all of us. We often face forks in the road where we realize we need to let go of people, expectations, plans, relationships, pain, and a whole lot more. This is especially true for pulmonary fibrosis (PF) patients and…
Talking about lung transplantation is frightening. It was scary when it was initially introduced following my diagnosis nearly three years ago, and it continues to be difficult to talk about. This is despite all that I’ve been through with my disease progression over the years. Recently, I talked…
