Living With IPF — Charlene Marshall

Do you ever wonder what your bigger picture looks like and what life lessons you’re meant to learn? I am aware that this is a very philosophical question to open a column with, but I can’t help but wonder…

Learning to cope with a chronic illness is an ongoing process — and never easy. My entire world was flipped upside down when I was diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) in April 2016. I didn’t know anything about…

I’ve spent a lot of time reflecting these last few weeks. I don’t know why — I haven’t hit any special milestones such as a birthday or diagnosis anniversary. But I’ve been thinking about the adversity…

Goal setting is an essential part of a balanced life. Regardless of whether the goals are related to fitness, finances, or learning a new skill, having targets gives you something to work toward and opportunities for improvement. I recently…

Have you ever been in a position in which you wanted to disclose something but were worried about how it would be perceived? Were you concerned that you’d be treated differently as a result of the disclosure? Unfortunately, I’ve…

I was diagnosed with a fatal lung disease called idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) three years ago. Since then, my life has been full of ups and downs — most of which my peers, who are other young adults,…

Chronic illnesses inevitably cause physical changes in a person’s body. These alterations include scars from surgery, procedures, and the placement of a medical device such as a port-a-cath or a peripherally-inserted central catheter, or PICC line. Since being…

Following my diagnosis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), I took some time to research the available information to learn about my disease. Despite discovering a lot of useful material from brochures, online sources, and support networks, I’ve found that…

Being diagnosed with a life-threatening illness and learning to live with it is not for the faint of heart. There is an abundance of emotions that accompanies a diagnosis plagued by a grim prognosis and no cure. No one…

Maintaining friendships as a young adult is difficult due to time constraints imposed by the demands of young kids, a busy career, or care of aging parents. We’re all “guilty” of getting wrapped up in the daily activities of…

No one really enjoys being admitted to the hospital, but for many patients living with a chronic illness, hospitalization is inevitable, and can bring both comfort and relief. At least, that has been my experience while living with idiopathic…

At some point in our lives, we’re all likely to face difficult decisions. They will force us to weigh out all the options, considering not only the pros and cons of each decision, but also the overall impact on…