The big shift: My decision to stop working

I was recently asked when I stopped working and how I knew it was time. First, let me tell you: It wasn’t an easy decision.

My idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) diagnosis came on Jan. 31, 2017. At the time I was the senior vice president for a U.S. government contractor responsible for conducting investigations, primarily background or suitability checks, for government clients.

While I wasn’t actively conducting field investigations, I was responsible for the business relationships with clients. That included regular client briefings, usually as presentations on such topics as project costs and performance metrics. One of my early IPF symptoms was a persistent cough, which required me to pause during presentations or even excuse myself from meetings. These types of problems are often referred to as health-related work limitations.

In addition to my cough, my shortness of breath was becoming more noticeable. I recall walking through the corridors of a client site with a customer. He could tell I was short of breath and insisted we take a break.

After consulting with my care team, my decision to stop work, while difficult, was necessary. In September 2017, just two weeks short of my 60th birthday, I shared the news in a team staff meeting and began to transition my responsibilities to my deputy. It’d become apparent that it was time to focus on my health.

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The shift from work life

As unique as each of our journeys is, the time to step away from our work is just as unique. My wife, Susan, and I had purchased our retirement home here in Virginia in 2011, but we hadn’t expected to be moving into it full-time in fall 2017.

In the spirit of full disclosure, my benefits package gave me both short-term and long-term disability insurance. Additionally, I had gap insurance coverage atop the payments from my disability coverage, making up any shortfall. In these ways, I was blessed: Finances weren’t a worry in making my retirement decision.

I thoroughly enjoyed my work, and I couldn’t imagine not doing it. But I hadn’t yet experienced life events that I knew were coming. More importantly, I needed to focus on my medical appointments and my pulmonary rehabilitation.

My IPF progression was relatively slow at this point. My care team described it as stair-stepping: I’d be stable for a brief period, and then my spirometry numbers (for lung function) would drop off before I became stable again. This pattern repeated for much of 2018 and 2019.

I selected the right time to leave my position. At that point I felt I was doing a disservice to my company, my team, and most importantly, my customers — not because of weaker performance, but because of the time I needed to be away from work for medical appointments and pulmonary rehab. Even though my office in Virginia was only about three blocks from Inova Fairfax Hospital’s Advanced Lung Disease and Transplant Center, the time I spent away accumulated quickly.

After I received a bilateral lung transplant in July 2021, going back to my job was no longer an option, since I was suppressing my immune system to prevent the rejection of my donor’s lungs and COVID-19 was widespread in the U.S. at the time. Nor did my job lend itself to a work-from-home scenario. My new lungs marked the end of that professional life. Now I volunteer some where I can control contact with others, and I remain cautious given the newest strain of COVID-19 circulating.

If you have IPF, your situation is unique, of course, but as with me, determining when to stop working may not be an easy decision. The one I made allowed me to make every breath count.

If you’re in the U.S., make your voice heard by exercising your right to vote.

Note: Pulmonary Fibrosis News is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Pulmonary Fibrosis News or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to pulmonary fibrosis.