Columns

By the time this column is published, I will have seen my specialist at the Johns Hopkins Sarcoidosis Clinic in Baltimore, Maryland. Although I live in Brooklyn, New York, I still visit my specialist three times a year. Admittedly, technology and mobile apps make it easy to reach my…

The past few months have been challenging for me. I’ve had several doctor appointments that seemed more serious than usual, and I lost three family members who passed away. To put a number on things, I was close to one of those family members, very cool with another, and very,…

As I write this, I just learned of the passing of former U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell. Admittedly, Powell had so many achievements that I’m not sure which title is most appropriate — general, secretary, or chairman. In the coming days and weeks, no doubt many words will be…

Last week, I took a leap of faith, and it’s given me a new outlook on things. I had taken my car to the dealership for service. It turns out that it needed a whole lot more than an oil change; the mechanic told me that…

Going down the rabbit hole is a real thing. I’ve often heard that phrase when it seemed I was going to let something consume all of my time and attention, to my detriment. As I like to say, “Don’t take yourself out of the game.” The phrase originated with…

The sarcoidosis community took a serious hit when we learned of fellow warrior Rodney Reese’s passing on Sept. 25. A beloved husband, father, and grandfather, Rodney was also a friend, brother, and father figure to thousands of people living with sarcoidosis. We have lost a cherished member of our family.

November 2022 is a long time away, but I’m very excited for it. If all goes well, I’ll be running in the 51st TCS New York City Marathon. Why am I focused on 2022 when we are weeks away from this year’s marathon? Well, it’s because I just qualified…

“I trust everyone. I just don’t trust the devil inside them.” – John Bridger This quote is from one of my top 10 favorite movies, “The Italian Job.” In it, John Bridger, played by Donald Sutherland, leads a band of thieves before turning control of the group over to…

I took a shower yesterday and then had a hard look at myself in the mirror. I didn’t like everything I saw. Later, I was helping my wife clean our living room and I saw a photo of my dad I had taken years ago. I didn’t like what I…

“You really should get that bump checked out.” It was September 2014, just after Labor Day, and a friend was pointing out the obvious. The bump, which I thought was just a rash, seemed to have no intention of going away. I didn’t think much of it at first, but…