Charlene is a fiercely independent 30-something year-old who can’t sit still. She loves coffee, wine tasting, playing with her dog, and spending time on the beach with her family. She’s a lover of all things travel, and never passes up an opportunity for a dip in the ocean! A proud Canadian, Charlene was diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) in 2016 after 13 months of investigation into sudden shortness of breath, a chronic cough, and unusual fatigue. IPF has forced her to slow down, but she’s slowly learning the value of quality versus quantity in everything she does.As I sit down to write this column, I am consciously aware of, and thinking specifically about, where I feel pain in my body. Right now, both of my calves are sore. They feel as if the muscles are wound tightly around one another. My right forearm is…
Lately, it feels as if I spend most of my time apologizing to friends and family for canceling plans. Before being diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), I rarely canceled plans. Usually, I was the one to initiate and finalize plans, going about my social life at…
“How are you doing?” is the infamous quintessential question I am confident all patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) are asked on a regular basis. Lately, this question has been a bit of an emotional trigger for me in several ways. I anticipate hearing it when I see…
For those of you familiar with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), or any interstitial lung disease (ILD), actually, you will likely know what a pulmonary function test is. If you are a patient with any type of ILD, chances are you have had a pulmonary function test, or many,…
Before my diagnosis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) nearly 18 months ago, I would have never considered myself to be an anxious person. The older I get and the more people I meet, including those who are sick and those who aren’t, I’m realizing how common it…
September is Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness Month, and as I sit down to write this column, I have to admit that the topic is coming from a point of frustration … and even a little anger. As a young adult living with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), I…
This is another column in which I hope others living with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) will have some helpful tips for me. I don’t know if it is my diagnosis or the medications, or maybe a combination of the two. Today, I became really aware of how…
It’s no secret that when you are diagnosed with a chronic illness, your life will inevitably change in numerous ways. Lung diseases, such as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), are bound to impact your physical, mental, and emotional health because breathing is involved in every aspect of our lives.
Given the stage of life I am in, many people are curious to know what type of work I do for a living. This curiosity often comes naturally to people when interacting with young adults — especially when they know about the years of schooling that many…
I have experienced a whirlwind of emotions, good and bad, since being diagnosed with IPF. Sometimes I feel these emotions randomly, and other times they are attributed to how my day has gone overall. For example, if I have had a good day physically when my breathing…
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