Columns

Whenever I see my friend Laurie’s cats or my niece Nautica’s dog sleeping I think, “I wish I could sleep like that.” Their pets can drop into a blissful snooze anywhere and under any circumstances and look so comfortable. That’s a state I yearn to achieve nightly in my quest…

My daughter always reminds me that I’m just “Dad.” At 20 years old, she believes she knows the ways of the world. No matter what advice she asks for, she always does the opposite of what I suggest and wonders why things don’t work out…

I recently saw an episode of “Family Feud” that made me nostalgic for the good old days — or what my nieces and nephews call ancient times. Contestants on the TV game show were challenged with naming outdoor childhood games from a time when cellphones, computers, and social media…

Pulmonary sarcoidosis is a sneaky character. Last week, I wasn’t feeling like myself. I was more out of breath than usual. I felt weak and could tell something wasn’t right with me. I had my son take me to the hospital, where I was admitted…

I have a rare health condition called sarcoidosis, which causes extreme fatigue, joint pain, and difficulty breathing. It can affect all of the major organs, including the lungs, heart, eyes, and skin. Sarcoidosis affects about five in 100,000 Caucasians in the U.S. For African Americans, that number jumps…

When I stumbled upon sarcoidosis in 2002, I was told it was rare for it to cause chronic health issues. What I wasn’t told was that the disease was rare. I haven’t come face to face with a single person with sarcoidosis since my diagnosis. Nor have I met…

I’ve had an unusually difficult week. To put it plainly, the events of this past week have caused me great concern. For the most part, I’d been feeling pretty good since the start of the year, and I had several medical tests. But lately,…

I often am my own worst enemy. Well, sarcoidosis is actually my worst enemy. But I’d say I’m a close second. I know I need to take good care of myself on a daily basis. I am aware I need to do whatever it takes to sleep well and stay…

When it comes to managing sarcoidosis, rain feels like another obstacle in my day. And Mother Nature has been pouring down plenty of it in the Philadelphia area lately. Give me a day or two of wet weather and it’s unpleasant, but I manage. But being stuck in a seemingly…

In 2003, I lost my mother suddenly. I still remember the day like it was yesterday. I had just returned to work after a break following an outpatient medical procedure my mom had accompanied me to. Before I left my job…