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  • Setting New Year’s Resolutions as a Patient with IPF

    Posted by Charlene Marshall on December 28, 2021 at 6:33 pm

    Happy (upcoming) New Year to our amazing forums community! I can’t imagine not having this platform of support as I navigate life with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and I appreciate everyone’s insights, bravery and vulnerability when it comes to sharing and living with this terminal lung disease. I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season, and I am wishing you the very best in the year ahead!

    This time of year always leaves me feeling quite reflective, especially in the week between Christmas and New Years. I ask myself questions like: what were the best parts of the previous year? What goals do I want to set for myself physically, mentally, financially & emotionally in the new year? How can I document my memories throughout the upcoming year? I don’t take setting New Year’s resolutions too seriously, but it is something I do enjoy doing. I’ve had a harder time focusing on resolutions this year amid the weight of the pandemic. As a result,  I revisited a social clip I wrote about setting intentional New Year’s Resolutions. 

    It has been really helpful in allowing me to focus on what I want to do in 2022 and as a result, I thought I’d share it with our forums community too.

    What are you looking forward to in 2022?

    Have you set any goals/resolutions for yourself? If so, I’d love to hear them!

    Charlene Marshall replied 2 years, 2 months ago 2 Members · 2 Replies
  • 2 Replies
  • wendy-dirks

    Member
    January 5, 2022 at 12:12 pm

    Hi, Charlene –

    My illness is progressing and I spent a lot of the holidays contemplating whether 2022 will be the last year of my life. I was born in 1952 so it has a nice rounded ring to it. My first resolution is to make sure that I have everything covered in terms of end of life practicalities. Next week I will be ringing up the natural burial service that I’ve been putting off forever and getting in touch with our solicitors to make sure our will is updated. My son, who died in 2020, is still a beneficiary and we need to address that.

    My second resolution is to enjoy life as much as possible. Through my palliative care team, I have been receiving counselling and it’s been really helpful. We’ve talked about focussing on the things I can still do rather than those I can no longer do and I’ve been writing things down as they occur to me. I love reading and spend every evening with a book – I have for 62 years now. I can still sit and read! I can still sit and enjoy my hobby. I can still sit and write up my scientific research. In fact, here I am with two revised papers in the pipeline and another one about half written. As long as I am just sitting and my oxygen is flowing, I feel absolutely fine.

    I hope everyone is looking forward to this challenging new year – again!

  • Charlene Marshall

    Member
    January 6, 2022 at 7:00 pm

    Hi @wendy-dirks

    So nice to hear from you, thanks so much for writing. I’m sorry to hear of the progression of your disease though; it is so cruel and relentless isn’t it? Pondering those thoughts must have been difficult, and I am glad to hear your counsellor is helpful and there for you throughout this most difficult time. You are very brave to share this experience with us!

    As hard as it is to think about wrapping up all the practicalities of end-of-life, it is such an important task and one that is so much better done proactively vs. reactively. I wish you the best with that resolution. Your second resolution is one we should all embrace, and our time on this earth is unknown. Like you, I enjoy reading and know that this is a hobby IPF will never be able to steal from me… I’m so glad you’re still enjoying this too! Keep in touch and as always, lovely to hear from you. Send me those publications when they’re done 😉

    Much love,
    Char.

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