Living With IPF — Charlene Marshall

I have always enjoyed traveling and have been privileged enough as a young adult to enjoy vacations that span the globe. While some were related with business, such as being flown to Calgary, Saskatchewan, Halifax, New York City,…

This past weekend, I was able to get away from all of my medical treatments, therapies, and appointments and spend time at my cottage with two dear friends. We had been planning this for a long…

After walking from a lunchroom table back to my desk, I remember thinking to myself, “Gosh, I am feeling tired this week.” I reviewed what I might have done differently last week from other weeks, and thought about…

By definition, I always understood naivety to mean inexperience, lack of understanding or wisdom about  a particular topic. Such things could include naivety about the topic of a difficult discussion, or an unrealistic expectation of a…

As a patient living with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), I am extremely grateful to the researchers, doctors, health advocates, and other professionals dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for those of us enduring this horrible…

In previous columns, I have alluded to the world of lung diseases and organ transplantation as one that is unique and very different from the life that most people experience. This is especially true for young…

I am still reflecting on an experience I had last week at the grocery store — one that, unfortunately, is common for other patients, too. Several months after being diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), I…

It’s funny that the older I seem to get, the more I enjoy spending time at home on weekends and completing different tasks around the house to leave everything in good order for the upcoming week.

Being diagnosed with a life-threatening illness shakes you to your core. Not only does it leave you feeling confused, vulnerable, scared, and at times, hopeless, it also leaves your family feeling…

If you’ve been reading my columns the past few months, it is no secret that I’m noticing a huge difference in my physical abilities as the progression of my idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) charges on. I…

The definition of patient advocacy can vary from patient to patient, and can include many different roles for those involved in any type of chronic illness advocacy campaign or project. What also varies is the patients’ comfort…

The body and mind can do such strange things in response to stress. More and more I am hearing about the physical impact of stress on friends, colleagues and family members requesting a break from work, or…