Sarcoidosis News Columns

June 30, 2020June 30, 2020

Breathing Polluted Air Is the Deadly Norm for Many

COVID-19 Columns, Sarcoidosis News Columns

With stifling June heat and pollen cleared by rainfall, I opened my windows. Drivers finished their workdays and inched forward in traffic outside my home. Within minutes, gentle breezes carried exhaust ... Read more

June 26, 2020June 29, 2020

This Father’s Day Reminded Me of a Valuable Lesson

COVID-19 Columns, Sarcoidosis News Columns

Father’s Day was always a good time for my family when I was growing up. My brother and I were raised by a single mother, but my maternal grandfather and ... Read more

June 23, 2020June 23, 2020

DIY Project Drills Home Important Sarcoidosis Lessons

COVID-19 Columns, Sarcoidosis News Columns

A pile of boards and bolts stood before me as the first inkling of doubt crept in. Gathering what tools I could find — a small hammer and two old ... Read more

June 19, 2020June 19, 2020

A Therapist Could Have Brought More Peace to My Hospitalization

COVID-19 Columns, Sarcoidosis News Columns

Recently, I thought about my past hospitalizations and how isolated I felt. I guess the events over the past three months with social distancing had me feeling isolated … again. ... Read more

June 16, 2020June 16, 2020

Putting Fears Aside to Resume Crucial Healthcare

COVID-19 Columns, Sarcoidosis News Columns

I’ve avoided others throughout the pandemic because of my sarcoidosis. I had thought that if I ever ditched social distancing, it would be to embrace family, but it wasn’t. The ... Read more

June 9, 2020June 10, 2020

Long-term Telecommuting Could Benefit the Rare Disease Community

COVID-19 Columns, Sarcoidosis News Columns

An employer once asked me what was the one wish I wanted granted. Having battled sarcoidosis for years while in the workforce, the answer came easy. I asked for the ... Read more

June 5, 2020June 5, 2020

Sarcoidosis Doesn’t Define My Personal Progress

COVID-19 Columns, Sarcoidosis News Columns

You are where you’re supposed to be — for now. Over the past three years, I’ve been dealing with the effects of pulmonary sarcoidosis. Having suffered multiple spontaneous pneumothoraces over ... Read more

June 2, 2020June 2, 2020

Sarcoidosis Progress Continues Behind the Scenes

COVID-19 Columns, Sarcoidosis News Columns

I spent the first hours of April poring through television news in the U.S. Not a single mention of Sarcoidosis Awareness Month for my efforts. I did see a bus advertising ... Read more

May 26, 2020May 26, 2020

My Love Affair with Meat Hits a Rocky Patch

COVID-19 Columns, Sarcoidosis News Columns

Sometimes in relationships flaws become too glaring to ignore, which either leads to compromise or goodbye. That is now the case in my long love affair with meat.  I’ve made ... Read more

May 22, 2020May 22, 2020

Living with Sarcoidosis Can Change Your Thinking for the Better

COVID-19 Columns, Sarcoidosis News Columns

I once heard an old man say that “a changed mind is a dangerous thing.” In the summer of 2017, I spent two months in the hospital due to spontaneous ... Read more

May 19, 2020May 19, 2020

The Season of Sneezing Is Upon Us

COVID-19 Columns, Sarcoidosis News Columns

Runny nose, sneezing, coughing, and itchy, watery eyes. Getting a breath of fresh air ain’t what it used to be. Spring allergy season is underway in the U.S. And it’s ... Read more

May 12, 2020May 12, 2020

Lingering Questions About Lyme Disease

COVID-19 Columns, Sarcoidosis News Columns

I felt vindicated last year when researchers reported Lyme disease could potentially trigger sarcoidosis. I’ve been trying to get physicians to see a link between the two for years. I ... Read more

May 5, 2020May 8, 2020

I’m Quarantine Ready, Thanks to Sarcoidosis

COVID-19 Columns, Sarcoidosis News Columns

I’ve been managing all right while being holed up alone since mid-March. But when I see my family and can’t hug them, I break inside. My mom worries, so twice ... Read more

May 1, 2020May 8, 2020

We’re Stronger Than We Think

COVID-19 Columns, Sarcoidosis News Columns

Every day is a new adventure, and this pandemic certainly has been challenging. Every morning, I give thanks for seeing another day. I ask to become a better person than ... Read more

April 28, 2020May 8, 2020

The Heroes of the Pandemic Era

COVID-19 Columns, Sarcoidosis News Columns

On April 28 of last year, I had one thing on my mind and it wasn’t my sarcoidosis. I was crammed in a movie theater for “Avengers: Endgame” learning the ... Read more