Illness, Caregiving and Feeling Vulnerable

As my idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) progresses, I have been having multiple discussions with my personal and professional networks about how they can best support me. Most of the time, I admit, I do not know how they can help or what I need from others. I also…

Pulmonary rehabilitation programs can significantly improve exercise ability, breathing, and overall quality of life in patients with pulmonary diseases, including idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), and should be considered as “a first line therapy” for these people, researchers report. Indeed, the study “Effectiveness of pulmonary rehabilitation in patients with…

Long-term use of Boehringer Ingelheim’s Ofev (nintedanib) prevents disease progression in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), according to the latest results of the TOMORROW trial and its open-label extension. The study, “Long-term treatment of patients with idiopathic pulmonary…

As I sit down to write this column, I am consciously aware of, and thinking specifically about, where I feel pain in my body. Right now, both of my calves are sore. They feel as if the muscles are wound tightly around one another. My right forearm is…

Many people are passionate about traveling, as it can be both exciting and rejuvenating. When diagnosed with a life-threatening illness such as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), or any other type of interstitial lung disease (ILD), a very real fear for some is that their ability to travel will be taken…

A protein called RUNX2 contributes to lung tissue scarring, which makes it a good target for the development of a pulmonary fibrosis treatment, a study reported. It does this differently in two types of lung cells, suggesting that scientists might need to develop therapies that targeted each of the cell types,…

In response to how to cope with a chronic illness, many reply with the following statement: “there is no rulebook, so we write it as we go.” The sentiment of this is to say that there really are no right or wrong ways to deal with the diagnosis of…

A small RNA molecule, called microRNA 101, prevents the proliferation and activation of fibroblasts, thereby eliminating pulmonary fibrosis (PF) in mice, researchers at Oklahoma State University (OSU) have found. Their study, “MicroRNA-101 attenuates pulmonary fibrosis by inhibiting fibroblast proliferation and activation,” appeared in the Journal of Biological…

As a pulmonary fibrosis patient, being on supplemental oxygen 24/7 is quite a challenge. There is a lot to adjust being tied to a cannula all the time, which I’ve written about in a prior column. There are also lots of challenges when dealing with…

Lately, it feels as if I spend most of my time apologizing to friends and family for canceling plans. Before being diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), I rarely canceled plans. Usually, I was the one to initiate and finalize plans, going about my social life at…