Gonna Live My Life — Mark Koziol

Over a month ago, I returned from a three-week vacation to Europe. My wife and I were active every day of the trip. Most of our physical activity consisted of walking, but we also went swimming when we had the opportunity. We established a routine in each country we…

As a condition of being placed on a lung transplant list, I had to show that I had social support. My wife was my main caregiver, but she would need a break now and then. Fortunately, several friends offered to help with caregiving duties. However, our need for…

During the evaluation process for a lung transplant, the patient’s attention is drawn to a number of conditions. Most of these refer to the things you cannot do; you don’t hear much about what you can do. Being listed for a lung transplant is not a right, it’s a…

Even before I was officially diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), I could feel my health declining and my enthusiasm to complete yardwork diminishing. I always took great pride in my meticulously landscaped yard. When I moved into my wife’s house, I immediately tore up the yard, planted new…

I recently returned from a three-week vacation in Europe. On the trip, my wife, Rebecca, and I visited Poland, Italy, Greece, and Austria. I was anxious before the holiday and worried about transporting my medications across borders. I thought, “Will I become ill? Will I be able to physically handle…

In the past week, two people have passed with whom I am familiar. One of them is well-known in the pulmonary fibrosis community; the other is a close family friend. Pulmonary Fibrosis News columnist Kim Fredrickson was a wonderful person and a passionate advocate. I read her columns and kept…

After being diagnosed with a devastating disease like idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), life tends to come to a momentary halt. I was OK mentally after the initial diagnosis, but I then contracted respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in January 2015. This secondary illness, caused by my IPF diagnosis,…

As an ex-college football player, I get goosebumps over the sweet smell of freshly cut grass in the fall — a sign that football season is upon us. It’s too bad that it puts me at risk for a potentially deadly disease: aspergillosis. Aspergillosis is a fungal disease caused…

An integral part of my recovery from single-lung transplant surgery is the close monitoring of lab results. My case is even more interesting because I have autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA). Simply explained, my red and white blood cells and platelets are significantly lower than those of someone who…

Another Mother’s Day is upon us. As each year comes round, it seems that I think about my mother more and more. My mom passed away on June 27, 2007. She suffered a fractured pelvis from which she didn’t fully recover. Afterward, she lived with ongoing pain and contracted frequent…

In preparation for my trip to Europe, I have intensified my fitness routine. My routine is already fairly grueling for a lung transplant patient. But in anticipation of extended walking periods, including hills and steps, I feel I have to up my workouts to two times a day, three to…

Even before I received my official diagnosis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), the thought of death consumed me. I had trouble sleeping. I would lie awake at night for several hours tossing and turning before finally falling asleep. The restlessness was a symptom of the IPF; the thoughts of…