How I’m dealing with disease stigma because of my pulmonary fibrosis
Have you ever had the nagging feeling that a gray cloud was hanging over your head? For the past three years and 10 months, I’ve felt such a cloud. It comes from being labeled…
Modern Day Mutant
— Ann Reynoso
Ann Reynoso lives in Alvin, Texas, working and volunteering as a patient advocate for those with disabilities and communities that struggle with inequalities in health and social care. She was diagnosed at age 53 on December 2019 with lymphocytic interstitial pneumonia and pulmonary fibrosis. Her wonderful support team includes her husband and daughter. She writes both to regain a sense of achievement, post-diagnosis, and to make sure no one feels alone in their journey of navigating rare illness.
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How my medical team helped calm my anxiety before a procedure
I recently underwent a bronchoscopy and bronchoalveolar lavage. While I was confident that I was under the care of competent professionals and trusted that the procedure would be conducted efficiently, I experienced a brief moment…
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Finding my mental and physical strength during pulmonary rehab
At the beginning of this year, I was told to start pulmonary rehabilitation to help with my pulmonary fibrosis (PF). I was prescribed 12 sessions as an outpatient, which would take six…
My daughter helps me understand what I’ve learned from PF
Despite having a support group and talking with others who have the same condition, I haven’t gleaned everything I need to know about pulmonary fibrosis. I’m still walking in the shadows of this…
Celebrating the purpose of life while living with pulmonary fibrosis
I always try to find meaning and purpose in the smallest of things, and that practice led me to a realization the other weekend. I was trying to nurse back to health one of…
How my rheumatoid arthritis and pulmonary fibrosis connect
One of my fears about my pulmonary fibrosis (PF) and lymphocytic interstitial pneumonia (LIP) is how vulnerable I am to catching any virus that presents itself. I recently had to face this…
Medical costs and financial strain force me to limit my PF treatment
Dealing with the financial expenses associated with having a rare or chronic illness like pulmonary fibrosis (PF) can be tough. I’m responsible for making sure that I receive all the PF treatments…
Using Ozempic in hopes of qualifying for a lung transplant
My health journey began with a rare illness called lymphocytic interstitial pneumonia (LIP). Coping with the diagnosis was hard, but I knew I could do it. What I didn’t expect was that…
The everyday roadblocks I encounter with an invisible disease
Having a rare disease results in many complex problems, some of which can be debilitating. This has been my experience over the past six months as I’ve struggled with pulmonary fibrosis (PF)…
This Year, I’m Making New Memories, Not Resolutions
New Year’s resolutions are an annual tradition for many of us. We make promises to ourselves to do something better in the year. But this year, I’ve decided to do something different: Instead of…
Coping With Chronic Illness as Life Throws Me a Curveball
Curveball is a baseball term, but it also can apply to life when something surprising or unexpected happens. It’s been several months since my last column, and in that time, life has thrown…
Living With PF Has Inspired Me to Become a Patient Advocate
I have begun a new, educational phase in my life: I’m working to become a patient advocate. Honestly, I’d never thought about patient advocacy until I was diagnosed with pulmonary…
Fighting Weight Bias in Healthcare While Living With a Rare Disease
I have a weight problem. But the bigger problem is that no one believes that I don’t choose to be this way. I’m an overweight, middle-aged woman fighting pulmonary fibrosis (PF) and going…
