My husband, Donnie, suffered from gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) for several years before the onset of his lung issues, and we were surprised to learn of the connection between GERD and pulmonary fibrosis (PF). While, to my knowledge, the scientific community isn’t 100% certain of that relationship, we do…
Life Beyond Limits
— Kylene Henderson
Kylene Henderson lives in the rural Midwest with her husband, Donnie, and their two school-age daughters. In 2022, after a year-long investigation into his symptoms, Donnie was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis (PF) caused by myriad undiagnosed autoimmune disorders. Today, Kylene, Donnie, and their girls work together to keep Donnie as healthy as possible while they live life to the fullest. Kylene writes about how her family supports her husband.
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Up until my husband, Donnie, became ill with pulmonary fibrosis, our family had been relatively healthy and free of any major issues. Each of us made it to our annual checkups, plus an additional appointment or two during cold and flu season. We probably had a handful of prescriptions…
Note: This column describes the author’s husband’s own experiences with anti-fibrotic medications. Not everyone will have the same response to treatment. Consult your doctor before starting or stopping a therapy. For those of you who haven’t read this column before, my name is Kylene, and my husband, Donnie, was diagnosed…
My name is Kylene, and if you haven’t read my column before, my husband, Donnie, was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis in late 2022. Right now, it’s 5 a.m., and I’m writing from our hotel room. Twice a year, Donnie and I drive two and a half hours to Barnes-Jewish…
Sometimes when I think about our life after my husband Donnie’s pulmonary fibrosis (PF) diagnosis, I think of the infamous “pivot” scene from the television show “Friends.” Donnie would be playing the part of Chandler, doing his best to navigate all the obstacles and inch the couch up the…
My husband, Donnie, has been introducing our youngest daughter to the Marvel universe. Watching the movies together, I told her that she and Donnie are like Tony Stark, also known as Iron Man, because they both need a little mechanical help to keep their bodies working as well as possible.
When my husband, Donnie, first became sick with pulmonary fibrosis (PF), we were unsure of the road that lay before us. His diagnosis finally came after specialized blood work and video-assisted thoracic surgery (and subsequent hospitalization). While we left the hospital with the answers we needed to begin treatment, he…
Before my husband, Donnie, was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis (PF) in 2022, I hadn’t thought much about the importance of keeping good medical records in the event of an emergency. We were both generally healthy and didn’t take many (if any) daily prescriptions. Today, that looks much different, and…
Years before my husband, Donnie, first began having breathing troubles, he suffered from stiff, achy muscles and exhaustion. Each night, he’d come home from work exhausted, sore, and discouraged by the pain his body was experiencing. At first, he attributed his discomfort to residual soreness from working in a high-paced…
On New Year’s Day, my daughters and I created vision boards for 2026. If you haven’t made one before, a vision board is a collage of images, quotes, and art that captures your goals and intentions for the year. We spent about an hour cutting pictures from old magazines and…
Hello! My name is Kylene Henderson, and I’m excited to be writing a new column for Pulmonary Fibrosis News called “Life Beyond Limits.” In it, I hope to share some of the challenges our family has faced and the lessons we’ve learned since my husband Donnie’s pulmonary fibrosis diagnosis…
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