Samuel (Sam) joined BioNews in November 2021 and writes his column from his home at Lake Anna, Virginia. His diagnosis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis in January 2017 began a journey of understanding, advocacy, research, awareness, and a personal commitment to “Make Every Breath Count.” As his disease progressed, he was listed for a lung transplant on March 19, 2021, and received a bilateral lung transplant on July 10, 2021. His plan for the column is to share his journey so you, too, can make every breath count.
I’ve spent much of my working life conducting investigations. As a special agent for the Air Force Office of Special Investigations and in a second career providing security and investigative services under contract to the federal government, the cases…
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Do you recall the first time you were allowed to stay home alone? Perhaps your parents had a date night. Maybe they had to work late. Whatever the reason, it was a sign you were considered responsible if you…
Prior to my diagnosis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis in 2017, my day started the same way almost every morning. I’d pick up my smartphone and see how the markets performed overnight. Then I’d look for an expected opening,…
Almost 30 hours after my bilateral lung transplant, it was time for me to be extubated and take my first solo breath with my new lungs. My wife, Susan, was at my bedside, along with several nurses. In a…
This time a year ago was very different for my wife, Susan, and me. My idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) was no longer stable, but progressing. Susan was confident I wouldn’t make it to Christmas. Upon exertion, I needed…
Carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders can be exhausting. Those of us touched by rare disease — whether as a patient, caregiver, loved one, or friend — understand that anxiety can be triggered by almost any…
Have you ever come across a painted rock? Are you familiar with the concept? People paint rocks and leave them in public areas for others to find. What they paint on the front of the rock is completely…
I was only 59 when I was diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. I still had so many things to do, and many life experiences were waiting for me. I hadn’t yet walked my daughter, Heather, down the…
You see them before and after you see a doctor. They are often the first person you see upon waking from anesthesia. They hold your hand during the difficult part of a procedure. They see you at your weakest…
Are there sounds you associate with your happy place? Perhaps it’s a smell. For me, it’s the sound of a metal whisk in a metal bowl, the rhythm of a chef’s knife prepping ingredients, the aroma of a mirepoix…
Face mask: check. COVID-19 vaccine card: check. Extra mask: check. Electronic vaccination card: check. Anxiety: check. More than 25 months after the start of the pandemic, my wife, Susan, and I returned to the theater. The National…
The federal transportation mask mandate has been extended through May 3. The city of Philadelphia has reinstated mask requirements in public indoor settings. People in the U.K. are watching the spread of a new recombinant COVID-19 variant. The…
Every day in my post-transplant world begins with morning doses and ends with evening doses of medication. I also take doses in between, totaling 33–34 pills a day. Medication management is central in the life of a transplant…
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