Columns

I’m Quarantine Ready, Thanks to Sarcoidosis

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 a month I drive over and wait outside. From 6 feet or more, she mothers, telling me I should have…

We’re Stronger Than We Think

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 I was the previous day. I also give thanks for my family, and believe it or…

The Heroes of the Pandemic Era

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 fate of my favorite superheroes. Filling theaters in record-breaking numbers may now be a thing of the past. But, what…

National Minority Health Month Misses the Mark in 2020

National Minority Health Month got underway in the United States on April 1 with the same theme as last year: “Active & Healthy.” Focusing the month on keeping minds and bodies active while indoors may seem like a great idea in light of a pandemic keeping many homebound. However,…

Getting Creative Despite Feeling Blue

It’s difficult not to feel at least a little blue in the midst of this coronavirus pandemic. I bet even the most positive people are feeling the effects of this life upheaval. For those of us with rare diseases and compromised immune systems, it can be especially frightening. Since…

Laughter Is the Medicine You Won’t Mind Taking

I’ve noticed that when doctors pitch something that will be good for my health, what usually follows is something I don’t like much. The reason is that achieving that goodness usually comes with some drawbacks. Taking another medication. Giving up foods I like. Sweating it out at the gym.

Changing Tactics for National Sarcoidosis Awareness Month

National Sarcoidosis Awareness Month begins on April 1 without the fanfare of years past.  We can’t participate in walks. We can’t gather for events and fundraisers. And news cycles are focused on the global pandemic of a virus that attacks the lungs, not a rare disease that infiltrates…