The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted orphan drug designation to XTMAB-16, Xentria’s investigational TNF-alpha inhibitor for the treatment of sarcoidosis. The designation is given to candidate therapies with the potential to be safe…

It usually takes me six months or longer to land an appointment with my neurologist. In October, I met virtually with him just a week after calling to schedule one. It was the same with other specialists: little to no wait time. But while this change benefits me, it may…

I lost my mother two weeks after I had surgery to remove nasal polyps. She had been my point of contact with the doctors during the surgery. I was still dealing with her loss when I was diagnosed with pulmonary…

We’re 13 days from the start of winter. Try telling that to my body, which already has fallen into a seasonal slump.  My knees quit first. After seeing them get away with it, my other joints and muscles followed with a “why bother” attitude. So, my mental warfare to…

I don’t know about you, but I’m exhausted!  This has been a year for the books. We have all been through a lot, and now the year is coming to an end. I’m welcoming the new year with open arms. To use a golf analogy, we’re…

I used to stubbornly hang on to old ways of doing things. Sarcoidosis cured me of that. It’s why I wasn’t among the millions of Americans traveling for Thanksgiving. I won’t be at Christmas, either.  With COVID-19 cases spiking, forgoing get-togethers continues to be my new way of…

If you have reviewed your Medicare coverage options for 2021, pat yourself on the back. Annually, 57% don’t bother, according to recent analysis by the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF). If you’re among those that skip Medicare’s annual open enrollment, there are some good reasons not to ignore this round.

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.

The Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research (FSR) is launching a series of mindfulness and meditation workshops — all as free, live webinars — to support people with sarcoidosis and those caring for them. The workshop series will focus on discussing the physical and mental benefits of meditation and…

Right around this time last year, I was cobbling together homemade chicken soup to get rid of a cold. My victory was short-lived, because a second wave struck a week later.  That’s long been my M.O. — battling an endless series of colds, viruses, and sinus infections.