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Prognosis Is Just A Number: Living for Quality vs. Quantity
A hard truth about being diagnosed with a chronic illness is that there is usually a life expectancy to go with it. Often times, once a patient hears the diagnosis of their disease, there comes a desire to know ‘how long’ one can live with the disease and what the prognosis or outcome will eventually be. There are some diseases that have a more definite prognosis than others, and some whose life expectancy or how long someone can live with their disease is unclear. In the case of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) that prognosis, according to the literature, is between three to five years without a lung transplant or other medical intervention. This is scary, and it often becomes the focus of a newly diagnosed patient. A helpful tip for patients to remember when considering or fearing their life expectancy following the diagnosis of their disease is: a prognosis is just a number.The process and thought of facing your own mortality are a hard one, and it takes a lot of emotional energy, courage, and guidance to be able to accept that your life isn’t going to be as long as you once thought it was.How did you react when you got your diagnosis? How did you cope? Share your story below.
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