Charlene Marshall is a fiercely independent 30-something-year-old who can’t sit still. She loves coffee, wine tasting, playing with her dog, and spending time on the beach with her family. She’s a lover of all things travel, and never passes up an opportunity for a dip in the ocean! A proud Canadian, Charlene was diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) in 2016 after 13 months of investigation into sudden shortness of breath, a chronic cough, and unusual fatigue. IPF has forced her to slow down, but she’s slowly learning the value of quality versus quantity in everything she does.
Frequent appointments and testing are part of life with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). I’ve been living with IPF for eight years now, but the number of those appointments and tests can still overwhelm me, especially as I’m…
Read more
When people first think about disease or disability, they usually go to the physical symptoms — understandably, since they’re the most visible. But a chronic illness can affect all aspects of life. The emotional, social, mental, and financial implications…
Grief is one of the more complex emotions we experience. In my practice as a therapist, I regularly support people who are grieving, and I have a variety of therapeutic ways to respond to someone who is processing loss.
Living with a chronic illness like idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a multifaceted endeavor. It’s hard to fully describe just how many aspects of life the disease affects. Despite writing about it for seven years, there’s always…
Living with a chronic illness is a lot of work. Sometimes I liken it to a full-time job because it requires so much daily effort. Medication administration, doctor appointments, and symptom tracking are just a few responsibilities…
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a complex disease that leads me and other patients on a complicated trajectory. Not only do I deal with its physical difficulties, such as acute exacerbations and oxygen dependency, but I also…
Note: This column describes the author’s own experiences with Dupixent (dupilumab). Not everyone will have the same response to treatment. Consult your doctor before starting or stopping a therapy. Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is progressive, which means this…
Not having control over a situation is one of the worst feelings; I wouldn’t wish it on anyone! Unfortunately, many patients living with chronic illness often feel this way, and we just have to learn to live with it.
I have learned a lot about idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) over the years. Following my diagnosis in 2016, I read everything I could about this life-threatening lung disease through online forums, research articles, and various websites.
When I first began experiencing symptoms of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), my condition worsened quickly and kept me from doing many activities I enjoyed. And yet, it took 13 months for me to receive a diagnosis.
I wouldn’t wish the effects of a chronic cough on anyone. The cough that often accompanies idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is dry and persistent. It’s difficult to address and find relief, and it can be exacerbated by…
Writing can be therapeutic. As a therapist, I often encourage my clients to write as a way to process trauma, release emotion from their body, or organize their thoughts ahead of a difficult conversation. Whether they’re writing a…
Achieving and maintaining a healthy weight, either through losing or sometimes gaining pounds, is an important part of our overall health and can often be accomplished through a nutritious diet and regular physical activity. However, weight maintenance becomes more…
Get regular updates to your inbox.
