Pulmonary Fibrosis News Columns

July 10, 2020July 10, 2020

Call It What You Will, Transplant Helped Mom Beat an Incurable Disease

COVID-19 Columns, Pulmonary Fibrosis News Columns

The correct way to talk about lung transplantation in relation to pulmonary fibrosis is to call it a “treatment.” I learned this early in my caregiving journey through a combination ... Read more

July 9, 2020July 9, 2020

As a Chronically Ill Patient, Lifting COVID-19 Restrictions Scares Me

COVID-19 Columns, Pulmonary Fibrosis News Columns

As parts of the world begin to partially open up again amid the COVID-19 pandemic, I can’t help but feel fearful and anxious. Those of us with chronic respiratory illnesses ... Read more

July 2, 2020July 6, 2020

I’m Taking Medical Leave to Prioritize My Mental Health

COVID-19 Columns, Pulmonary Fibrosis News Columns

I have always advocated for good mental health and promoted the importance of self-care. I preach regularly about this to friends, family, colleagues, and other patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis ... Read more

June 26, 2020June 29, 2020

The Transplant Caregiving Crash Course I Wish I’d Had

COVID-19 Columns, Pulmonary Fibrosis News Columns

As I sat in my mom’s hospital room on the day of her long-awaited discharge, I felt like we were bringing home a very fragile adult baby. Her body had ... Read more

June 25, 2020June 26, 2020

A Guide to Items Pulmonary Fibrosis Patients Pack for Trips

COVID-19 Columns, Pulmonary Fibrosis News Columns

As I continue to recover from an acute health setback I wrote about earlier this month, I’ve been seeking ways to prioritize and improve my mental health. While I’m not completely ... Read more

June 19, 2020June 19, 2020

Mourning the Deaths That Can’t Be Counted

COVID-19 Columns, Pulmonary Fibrosis News Columns

There is a phenomenon in psychology known as “lost possible selves.” Possible selves are the heroes in our life story that we create within our inner narrative. They are made ... Read more

June 18, 2020June 18, 2020

To Succeed, I Must Share My IPF Identity With Others

Pulmonary Fibrosis News Columns

I write a lot about the importance of person-first language and illuminating the identities that make me who I am. I often point out that my diagnosis of idiopathic pulmonary ... Read more

June 12, 2020June 12, 2020

To the Brink and Back: How Caregiving Strengthened Our Relationship

COVID-19 Columns, Pulmonary Fibrosis News Columns

A Yiddish proverb states, “When a father gives to his son, both laugh; when a son gives to his father, both cry.” This is true when giving gifts of time, ... Read more

June 11, 2020June 12, 2020

Recovering from an Acute Health Setback Is Challenging

COVID-19 Columns, Pulmonary Fibrosis News Columns

Many Pulmonary Fibrosis News readers know that during the last few months, I have had several acute illnesses. As a patient living with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a life-threatening lung ... Read more

June 4, 2020June 4, 2020

Measuring Productivity Differently as a Patient with Pulmonary Fibrosis

Pulmonary Fibrosis News Columns

Last week I wrote a column about energy expenditures and how I choose where to invest my energy in the multiple tasks vying for my attention. Unfortunately, since being diagnosed ... Read more

May 29, 2020May 29, 2020

6 People You Will Meet in an ICU Waiting Room

COVID-19 Columns, Pulmonary Fibrosis News Columns

When I recall the times that loved ones were in the hospital for extended periods, I can still feel the energy of the waiting rooms. ICU waiting rooms have a ... Read more

May 28, 2020May 28, 2020

How I Manage My Energy Reserves with Pulmonary Fibrosis

Pulmonary Fibrosis News Columns

Learning how to balance personal tasks with my health needs has been a difficult lesson since my diagnosis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). It’s something I have not yet mastered. ... Read more

May 22, 2020May 26, 2020

My Take on the Trach: It’s a Good Thing

COVID-19 Columns, Pulmonary Fibrosis News Columns

Last week was Global Tracheostomy Tube Awareness Week. The mother of a child with complex health challenges started it. Her goals were to educate people and normalize her daughter’s trach. ... Read more

May 21, 2020May 22, 2020

I Have COVID-19. Here’s What Happened

COVID-19 Columns, Pulmonary Fibrosis News Columns

I am taking a deep breath as I announce to my beloved online community the following: I have COVID-19. I also have idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Until now, I thought ... Read more

May 15, 2020May 15, 2020

Dear Christie: A Letter to a New Caregiver

COVID-19 Columns, Pulmonary Fibrosis News Columns

Dear Christie,   It’s 10 p.m., Dec. 26th, 2018. You just got this crazy phone call from Mom. She told you that her disease — which you still don’t know ... Read more