I still remember the day I found out I needed to use supplemental oxygen. It was June 2014. I had gone to a follow-up appointment with my pulmonologist after he prescribed a six-week course of prednisone to reduce inflammation in my lungs. My lungs were harmed by…
For the friends and colleagues who see me regularly, many of you know this week was particularly challenging for me. In addition to recovering physically from my latest medication dose and being sick, I also was dealing with the emotional swings of the steroid injections. My puppy…
I have always been active and independent growing up. I like to meet new people and explore the outdoors. I enjoy learning and am committed to professional development. And I get excited and enthusiastic about new initiatives in my personal life, in my education and in my career.
I just took a bold step to ask for help I have a big goal that really matters to me. Our son is getting married in a little less than two months. We love his fiancé and are thrilled about their wedding.
This column comes from a place of physical and emotional exhaustion, so please bear with me. I know I’ll regain the physical strength in a couple of days, and I know the emotional toll will decrease as well, and I’ll see things a little more clearly soon enough. As Annie…
When you’re living with a life-threatening illness such as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), it often feels like everything is on overdrive. What I mean is that I often feel oversensitive to the comments people make, or how they might react to seeing me on oxygen, and this…
This is a difficult blog to write I’ve been making decisions about how to spend my limited time and energy wisely. I was hoping to bounce back after I experienced a decrease in lung function about two months ago. But a trip to my doctor caused me…
After a week filled with others doing things to help me, including spending more than six hours on a weeknight helping me move to a new home, I was thrilled to be able to do something for someone else this weekend. The joy I felt from cooking…
Do you ever feel that sharing difficult news about yourself is a burden on your friends? I have been struggling a little with this recently and, as a result, I am feeling very alone. Writing this column is not easy. To explain further, I have an upcoming…
I sat down to open my mail a few days ago and received what felt like a slap in the face. Shame hurts. My local utility company sent me a report letting me know that I was using 161 percent more…
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