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At this time last year, I was in the hospital. I spent three days there, including during my son’s birthday. During that time, my primary pulmonologist broke the news to me that I didn’t qualify for a procedure I was looking to have at this…

I view my biological clock as a stubborn, old mule. She dictates her pace, and getting her to change is hard. Real hard.  She wants no part of the foolishness known as daylight saving time (DST). But the U.S. is among fewer than 40% of countries worldwide that…

We sat just a few feet apart, trying to figure each other out. He jotted down his clues, and watching him closely, I looked for mine. Given that fewer than 200,000 Americans have sarcoidosis, which qualifies it as a rare disease in the U.S., it wasn’t a mystery he often…

I know playing “what if” is a useless exercise when it comes to sarcoidosis. But during a four-day stint without cellphone coverage or internet access, I found myself doing it anyway.  This disease has many scary aspects, such as cardiac involvement, which I wrote about earlier this month. And…

Many call it “heart attack snow.” It’s heavy. It’s backbreaking. Last week, we went head-to-head. In “Terminator” terms, the snow was the advanced T-3000 cyborg. I was “Pops,” the old T-800 out to prove I wasn’t obsolete. I’m used to sarcoidosis putting me through the wringer emotionally. But fluffy…

My physician’s index finger slid across the X-ray, briefly stopping in areas to indicate the foreign presence in my lungs. I had pulmonary sarcoidosis. And for the next 14 years, I would have regular examinations for my pulmonary health without ever knowing that my heart could be at risk,…

“I can be changed by what happens to me. But I refuse to be reduced by it.” — Maya Angelou Last year, my primary pulmonologist and I decided to get a second opinion about my pulmonary sarcoidosis, as well…

Slowing down has always been hard for me. As a kid, I’d squirm out of my mom’s hugs telling her, “I gotta go play.”   While racing along, details often escape me. Which is why I overlooked the initial signs of my sarcoidosis. The pandemic has changed my…

Dear family, friends, and caregivers, First, I want to thank you for being people I can count on to help me through my health issues, and I apologize for putting you in this situation. Dealing with a chronic condition has taken a lot out of me,…

The more visits I have with a physician, the harder it is to cut ties. Which is why, between breaths behind a face mask, I was relaying my complaint again. It was a loop I had been stuck in since summer. Driving to the appointment that December morning, I hoped…