This holiday season, I’m honoring the gift of time
Welcome to December. Wait, what? How is it December? Time seemed to move in slow motion during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, and now it’s already the end of 2024. In 1974, the…
Make Every Breath Count
— Samuel Kirton
Sam Kirton started his column in November 2021 and writes from his home at Lake Anna, Virginia, where he lives with his wife Susan. His diagnosis at age 59 with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis in January 2017 began a journey of awareness and advocacy. Sam was listed for a lung transplant on March 19, 2021 and received a bilateral lung transplant on July 10, 2021. This was quite the change from his career as a special agent for the Office of Special Investigations and as a corporate security executive. Sam plans to share his journey so you, too, can make every breath count. You can follow Sam’s thoughts on LinkedIn.
Featured Post
National Donate Life Month is an opportunity to share our stories
As of April 11, almost 105,000 people are awaiting an organ transplant in the U.S., according to the United Network for Organ Sharing. Of those, 993 are waiting for a lung transplant. In…
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My tips for a safe holiday before and after transplant
Families will gather this week to celebrate Thanksgiving here in the U.S. But how do you safely navigate a large family gathering when colds, the flu, and COVID-19 are all circulating? When I was…
Some helpful hacks for those living with IPF
Do you know what a hack is? It’s a way of doing something more simply, efficiently, or effectively. Throughout my journey living with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), I’ve found a number of hacks…
To my IPF community: Now is the time for legislative advocacy
Watching the U.S. elections last week was an exercise in mental health awareness, as is any activity in which the outcome is greeted with mixed reactions and emotions. The refrain from Carly Simon’s…
Now you know: Updates from my journey living with IPF
How is it already November? Here in the U.S., today is Election Day, so get out and vote if you haven’t already done so. I wanted to take the opportunity this week to update…
My increasing interest in my family medical history
If you could go back in time, would you want to do it? I’ve given this choice some thought. I would. How would you use the time? When I was diagnosed with…
Keeping track of meds is part of my post-transplant plan
What medications do you take regularly, and what are they for? Do you know the possible side effects? When I was diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) in January 2017, I didn’t…
As a post-transplant patient, protecting my mental health is vital
When I was diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) in January 2017, there didn’t seem to be as much chaos in the world as there is today. Perhaps the drama seemed…
The big shift: My decision to stop working
I was recently asked when I stopped working and how I knew it was time. First, let me tell you: It wasn’t an easy decision. My idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) diagnosis came…
Sharing some updates as I complete another trip around the sun
At the end of this week, I will complete another trip around the sun. This seemed like an appropriate time to provide you with updates on several columns I have shared in the past…
The need for pulmonary fibrosis awareness never ends
When I was diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) in January 2017, the disease was a mystery to me. I’ve shared before that when my wife, Susan, and I left the clinic…
Navigating emotional ups and downs on my IPF journey
Buckle up. The past three weeks have been an emotional roller coaster for me. On a scale of -10 to 10, I’ve hit both extremes. I’m no stranger to emotion; some would say I…
