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Grateful to Celebrate Another Birthday
I always thought that as you got older, birthdays became a bit less meaningful and were no longer really significant days to celebrate. However, since my diagnosis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) in early 2016, I’ve changed my mind on thinking that. Living with a life-threatening illness is scary, and we never really know when our light is at risk of extinguishing, so I have to admit that I am thankful to see another birthday roll around this year. Tomorrow, December 1st 2018 I will be 31!
My fellow columnist and PF patient Kim Frederickson, spoke about this more eloquently than I ever could in a column she wrote back in February about reflecting on another birthday. She too, wrote in her column about how significant another birthday was for her as a patient living with PF, and like Kim, I want to share my birthday this year because I feel lucky to have made it through another year even though I know my disease isn’t progressing as rapidly as others’. As Kim states: “having a terminal illness brings this truth (that each birthday could be my last) to the forefront for me”. This is why I’ve chosen to let the world know that it is my birthday tomorrow, and why I’ve splurged a little bit by allowing myself to take a day at the spa.
I feel that some rest & relaxation (R&R) is necessary for both my heart and mind right now, along with the physical relaxation my body needs. I am choosing to spend the day at the spa by myself, this was intentional, to embrace the quiet and reflect on how grateful I am to have reached another birthday. I have to admit, I am looking forward to intentionally celebrating another birthday tomorrow and am grateful for all of you who have been with me and offered so much support throughout this past year. We sure have a special forums community here!
How do you feel about birthdays as a patient living with IPF/PF?
Do you embrace them more now since your diagnosis, or has the way you celebrate them (or choose not to) changed at all?
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