Columns

Yesterday I had a difficult experience. It began when our electricity went out as it was turning dark. We didn’t know the cause of the power outage, or how long it would be out. We later learned that a tree in the neighborhood fell down and took…

Sometimes when people ask me, “What do you need” or “What can I do to help,” I feel like a broken record since my response is usually, “I don’t know.” I wish I did know what I need when I am in a poor emotional state, sobbing uncontrollably about…

Adjust, adjust, adjust… Part of living with pulmonary fibrosis is adjusting to changes that happen as our disease worsens. There is so much to adjust to that it can be overwhelming at times. Supplemental oxygen I first started using supplemental oxygen two months after I received my diagnosis.

I have always enjoyed traveling and have been privileged enough as a young adult to enjoy vacations that span the globe. While some were related with business, such as being flown to Calgary, Saskatchewan, Halifax, New York City, Dubai, Colorado, California and Washington, others were purely for leisure. If you…

This past weekend, I was able to get away from all of my medical treatments, therapies, and appointments and spend time at my cottage with two dear friends. We had been planning this for a long time, and I knew it was going to be a weekend…

I had the pleasure of being a patient guest on a live webinar last week, which shared information about the IPF Catalyst Challenge – a contest with a $1 million prize to come up with solutions to help PF patients. This contest invites the brightest…

After walking from a lunchroom table back to my desk, I remember thinking to myself, “Gosh, I am feeling tired this week.” I reviewed what I might have done differently last week from other weeks, and thought about what might be causing my fatigue. I grappled with the idea…

By definition, I always understood naivety to mean inexperience, lack of understanding or wisdom about  a particular topic. Such things could include naivety about the topic of a difficult discussion, or an unrealistic expectation of a timeline for something to happen. In relation to illness, this definition…

I recently learned of a competition for innovators and entrepreneurs in the tech, healthcare, and scientific research communities to help those living with pulmonary fibrosis. It’s called the $1 million IPF Catalyst Challenge and it is awarding a million-dollar prize for quality-of-life solutions to help patients and…

As a patient living with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), I am extremely grateful to the researchers, doctors, health advocates, and other professionals dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for those of us enduring this horrible disease. I am thankful that research is under way to further…