A Gratitude Miniseries: January 2018
It’s hard to believe that the first month of 2018 has already come to an end. It’s true what they say: The older you get, the faster life seems to speed by.
Living With IPF — Charlene Marshall
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.
Featured Post
Strategies that make exercise with pulmonary fibrosis easier for me
Exercise is important for people with chronic illness. But as someone living with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a disease characterized by progressive scarring of the lungs and difficulty breathing, I know working out…
Read more
Essential Oil Use with Pulmonary Fibrosis
With increasing interest in natural remedies for the management of disease symptoms, discussion about the uses of essential oils flourishes. Advocates for oil companies, such as dōTERRA or Young Living, will…
Why I’m Excited About the New PF Forum
Thinking back to my days of high school many years ago, I never imagined I would become involved with an online publication. I hated writing articles, papers, and essays, and I had…
A Reminder that Caregiving Is Hard and a Message of Thanks
I have never in my life assumed that caregiving for a loved one was easy. I also have never been a primary caregiver, meaning the first person providing care to someone who…
Living Out Loud: Striving for My Best Life With IPF
Two years ago today, an inspirational young woman with whom I had the privilege of working for several years passed away. She died of an incurable cancer that no one should…
The Added Financial Burden of Homeownership with IPF
The financial impact of living with a life-threatening illness like idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) can be overwhelming for patients. Thankfully, in Canada, we don’t have as much of a financial burden when…
Physiological Responses to Stress
For the general population, it is widely known — via literature, social media, and personal experiences shared from others — that stress is not good for our health. It can have all…
The Gift of Writing for ‘Pulmonary Fibrosis News’
As we begin a new year, I want to wish all of you a happy and healthy 2018. I hope the holiday season was magical for you and that the year is…
Reflecting on a Year Passed
It is safe to say that 2017 just wasn’t my year. It also seems that I can find solitude in saying that it wasn’t a great year in general, based on conversations…
I Am Angry at My Body
Since being diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) in early 2016, I have tried hard not to be angry or ask the rhetorical “Why me?” questions. This isn’t to say I haven’t…
The Many Ways an IPF Patient Feels Fatigued
If you have read my previous columns or other columns written by patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), you likely are aware that physical and mental fatigue is a major side effect…
Being ‘Too Busy’: The Perspective of a Chronically Ill Patient
While talking to a close friend recently, I was finally able to admit how much I am struggling with how chaotic life seems for everyone. Unfortunately, I cannot offer much insight into…
