My timing has been abysmal lately. Take for instance my purchase of an all-wheel-drive car so that I could get to work in the snow. The snow never materialized (Philadelphia had a measly 0.3-inch season total), the job disappeared (thank you, COVID-19), and the car payments remain. Then…

Adiponectin, an anti-inflammatory protein produced by adipose tissue, was seen to be elevated in the blood of people with sarcoidosis in a small study, and may help to ease disease severity.   The finding was…

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,…

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…

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.

Social distancing is the new norm. It reminds me of the two months I spent in the hospital after my first spontaneous pneumothorax. While hooked up to chest tubes and oxygen, I was pretty much sheltered in place. In the beginning…

More than 90 percent of people with sarcoidosis have lung involvement, which makes it hard for me not to worry about the recent coronavirus outbreak. Last week, the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 a global pandemic. We are being bombarded daily with…

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…

In recognition of Rare Disease Day Feb. 29, Bionews Services launched a social media campaign last month asking patients to describe what makes them rare. Running Feb. 7–29, the #WhatMakesMeRare campaign was aimed at uplifting people with rare diseases by encouraging them to share their stories and perspectives. The…