No Tears for Sarcoidosis - a Column by Charlton Harris

Second opinions are a welcome hope! I received one for the first time this week, and the experience left me questioning my decision. Earlier this year, my primary pulmonologist and I agreed that I should seek a second opinion on my lung health.

It has been an interesting week. I was having a conversation with a friend about getting back into the workforce. Although I have pulmonary sarcoidosis, I believe my 30-plus years as a video professional should still be relevant in the marketplace, especially during a…

Many folks with chronic health issues have difficulty focusing on too much at any given time. I have repeatedly tried to overcome this habit. Each day, I’m faced with the reality that my life is different and I have to move on, but it’s easier…

A best friend from high school occasionally stops by to let my wife and me know what’s going on in her life and to check on my health. We all sit on my porch — socially distanced, of course — with cocktails in hand while we’d…

My wife, my son, and I moved into our house in August 1996. The house initially belonged to my aunt, who lived there since 1982, the year my wife and I graduated from high school. When my aunt and uncle went on trips, I was…

In February, I wrote that sarcoidosis doesn’t play fair. Over the past few days, I’ve thought about that column. It is spooky, but true: Sarcoidosis is a crafty annoyance that keeps you mentally alert. Stay vigilant! This week, I “organized” my…

Let’s be honest … Ok, I’ll be honest. I’ve found that being honest with myself seems to do me a world of good. And I don’t mind being honest with others about my health, but I often find their interest in my honesty is superficial. I…

Like many of us dealing with sarcoidosis, I’ve somewhat mastered contentment doing nothing. Over the past six months, we’ve been forced to live our lives at a distance, but how many of us were doing that before everything changed? My gym recently reopened, and I…

In order for me to do better, I have to do better for myself. That’s one of the obstacles we face when living with this “inconvenience” called sarcoidosis. One day, we’re feeling good and like our old selves. The next, we’re…

I am so tired of the overly used phrases “the new normal” and “we’re all in this together.“ No! These are not the truths we live with. Only other folks in the sarcoidosis…