[Julie Cuthbert]

Hi Charlene,

Thanks for your reply. He was only diagnosed with IPF 4 weeks ago and he was waiting for some results back/ plan of action from the pulmonologist on the 17th dec. So he wasn’t on any oxygen but we all thought he probably would have to start the oxygen after his results came back. However he went to the doctor on Monday and they rushed him straight to hospital as his oxygen saturation was dangerously low. So he’s in hospital now on oxygen and feeling so much better with it ( but he’s finding getting out of bed to go to the toilet a struggle) I don’t live in the same country as my family so I’ve just been talking to my dad over the phone but I can hear it in his voice that it’s an effort to talk on the phone sometimes as he’s coughing and trying to get his breath back.

He’s just gone down hill so fast in these last 4  weeks. We’d never even heard of IPF 4 weeks ago – I’m devastated as I’m so far away from him. I’m flying over next weekend so see him. However throughout all of this he seems very accepting and positive.

Throughout all this I’m trying to be positive on the phone with him fighting back the tears, when really my heart is breaking.

From all the research I’ve been doing these last 4 weeks I’ve got it into my head that he might approaching the final stage. The doctors did say yesterday that there’s nothing they can do to slow the progression. We should know more today from the pulmonologist.

Julie