For animal lovers out there, it won’t come as a surprise that having a dog has been a blessing since being diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) in early 2016. I often reflect on the timeline of when my dog “accidentally” became part of my life, shortly before…
Last week, I visited my pulmonologist at the University of California, San Francisco. I was a little nervous, because my last appointment six months ago was very discouraging. I had worsened significantly. This time, I got better news: no change since the last visit, which was encouraging. My…
By definition, a rhetorical question refers to one that seeks to make a point as opposed to seeking an answer. Lately, I have been asking myself rhetorical questions, and I am not expecting answers. But I am finding myself frustrated there are no answers. Most of these are…
As I sit down to write this column, I am wiping away tears of frustration. I hope that getting all of my thoughts down on paper will help. I’ll be candid: I am angry at my chronic illness. I don’t have time for it, and neither do the…
Last week, my husband and I met with a palliative care nurse. A few weeks ago, I shared in another column my frustration with seeking palliative care. Our meeting with this nurse was very helpful. I’ll share what I learned, and I hope it will…
Everyone diagnosed with a life-threatening disease or chronic illness can have a different experience as a patient. Many factors might cause this, including how involved patients are or want to be in their medical care, the expertise of their physicians, and how rapidly or invasive their disease becomes.
For those of you who know me personally, you likely are aware that I am excited about an upcoming trip to celebrate my 30th birthday. More than the fact that it’s my birthday, I am looking forward to this trip because it not only is a vacation from…
It likely wouldn’t surprise anyone to hear that after being diagnosed with a life-threatening illness, there are many things about which a patient might feel differently. There also are changes both internally and externally that a patient will endure. These can be grander things, such as the way…
In my more recent columns, I have been writing about wrestling with end-stage pulmonary fibrosis and sharing my experience with seeking palliative care. As you can tell, I like planning ahead to take care of my own needs and the needs of my loved ones. My…
Since the beautiful season of fall has embraced us in southwestern Ontario, so has cold and flu season. Between the seasons changing and the kids going to school, there is an entirely new environment to breed germs, and I am hearing of more and more people catching a…
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