Columns

As one of my beloved healthcare providers always tells me, “There is no rule book for living with pulmonary fibrosis.” She says this when we talk about my constant frustration of living with a life-threatening illness, and the unpredictability, anxiety and emotional turmoil that comes with it.

For the people around me on a regular basis, I admit I have not been the most pleasant person this week. I have been far from myself and instead have been grumpy, irritable, quiet and mad. This is unlike me and I know it. I also hate…

It is common for patients and loved ones to struggle with the reality of our diagnosis. For patients, it is tough to take in that we have a terminal illness. It is hard for us to reconcile how tragedies happen to those who have a positive effect…

As I write this column I am sitting in the uncomfortable chair in our local emergency room (ER) waiting room. This is a chair that I have sat in far too many times, with a familiar visual of nurses moving swiftly around the unit replacing IVs, coupled…

Long before my diagnosis of IPF, I thought I had a plan in place for my life, one that I had been building since I was a little girl. That plan included a steady career in healthcare or social work, a wedding to be celebrated with family and…

I have been reminded of the power of a team in the fight against idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) in my past few weeks of recovery since recent setbacks and further decline of lung function. While I consider myself an incredibly unlucky person to have been diagnosed with an…

Asking for help can be tough I was quite independent before I was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis (PF) and often busy running my own counseling practice, writing, speaking, and living my life. I was active in every area of my life, but boy has that changed since…

Two weeks ago, I had the joy of sharing my recent trip to our son’s wedding, which was made possible by the generosity of others. During my trip to Houston, I met with a friend of mine who is also a counselor, Jennifer Christian. She interviewed…

Part of facing that I have a terminal illness involves putting my financial affairs in order. I don’t want to leave my husband and adult children with the burden of having to sort out financial problems when I pass away. They will have too much to deal…

Please note this disclaimer before reading this column: I am writing in a bit of disarray, frustration and sadness. I have chosen to write a column while feeling this way, because I think it has the potential to create a column you can relate to: one that…