Keeping Your Oxygen Provider Happy
As a pulmonary fibrosis patient, being on supplemental oxygen 24/7 is quite a challenge. There is a lot to adjust being tied to a cannula all the time, which I’ve written about in a…
Just Breathe…Compassionate Help for the PF Journey
— Kim Fredrickson
Kim Fredrickson was an author, blogger, and marriage and family therapist. She lived in Northern California with her husband of 40 years and had two adult children. Kim was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis in May 2014 as a rare complication from chemotherapy and radiation for breast cancer. Kim is the author of Pulmonary Fibrosis Journey: A Counselor and Fellow Patient Walks with You, The Power of Positive Self-Talk, and Give Your Kids a Break: Parenting with Compassion for You and Your Children. Kim believed that learning to advocate for yourself with kindness and compassion, just as you would for a good friend, makes this difficult journey a little easier. In her patient column on Pulmonary Fibrosis News, she offered practical ideas to help us care for ourselves, fight for what we need, and process our many-layered emotions. Kim passed away in 2019, but her inspirational work advocating for the IPF community continues to inspire and endure.
Read more of Kim’s writing at www.kimfredrickson.com
Featured Post
Beautiful Hopes for Kim Fredrickson’s Transplant Journey
Editor’s note: Brad Dell, the head of columns for Bionews Services, wrote this column. When I walked into Kim Fredrickson’s room in the intensive care unit (ICU), my emotions ripped me this way and that — grief, relief,…
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Enjoying What I’m Able to Do as My PF Worsens
03 As my PF worsens, the list of things I’m able to do and places I’m able to go grows smaller. I’m sure as a patient and a caregiver, you know exactly what I mean. Grieving as…
Here’s What the PF Nose Knows About Congestion
If you’ve read this column for any length of time, you know that I write about the everyday struggles as a pulmonary fibrosis patient. Congestion is a rather embarrassing topic for me to discuss, but here…
Handling PF on My Own
I have a new appreciation for PF patients who live on their own or don’t have much help at home. I also feel gratitude for my husband, who helps me handle the tasks of daily life.
Coping When the Electricity Goes Out
Yesterday I had a difficult experience. It began when our electricity went out as it was turning dark. We didn’t know the cause of the power outage, or how long it would be out. We later…
Learning to Adjust As PF Worsens
Adjust, adjust, adjust… Part of living with pulmonary fibrosis is adjusting to changes that happen as our disease worsens. There is so much to adjust to that it can be overwhelming at times. Supplemental oxygen I first…
Solutions for Everyday Problems We Face as PF Patients
I had the pleasure of being a patient guest on a live webinar last week, which shared information about the IPF Catalyst Challenge – a contest with a $1 million prize to come up…
IPF Catalyst Challenge Offers $1 Million Prize to Help Patients
I recently learned of a competition for innovators and entrepreneurs in the tech, healthcare, and scientific research communities to help those living with pulmonary fibrosis. It’s called the $1 million IPF Catalyst Challenge and it is…
My Struggles and Solutions for Dealing with Depression
Depression is a common problem for patients with pulmonary fibrosis. It makes sense; we are trying to process being diagnosed with this disease, and its effects on us now and in the future. There is so…
The Challenges in Sharing My Diagnosis
Sometimes, it is so discouraging to have PF. … Okay, having PF is discouraging A LOT of the time. I had a hard experience this week, as I’ve had many times before. I bet you’ve had…
Questions Raised During Live Facebook Session Were Eye-opening
Last week I had the privilege of doing a live video, via Pulmonary Fibrosis News’ Facebook page. It was a lot of fun to have so many patients, caregivers and medical professionals…
Some Tips and Resources to Help Tackle Your Sleep Problems
Pulmonary fibrosis patients, like myself, have to deal with lots of symptoms and hardships on a daily basis because of our disease. One of those difficulties for me is trouble sleeping. Sleep problems come from a…
