In the midst of a medical crisis, my long-time friend made a suggestion. She advised me to find a calming activity that would help pass the time on the road to recovery. Since she’s both a friend and a licensed clinical social worker, I trusted her input. Not surprisingly, my…

The immediacy of society seems to be a bit out of control. Everyone seems like they’re on the clock for one reason or another. I’ve noticed this for the past several years, and it still surprises me how much people are in such a hurry for everything. The…

I spent months trying to schedule an appointment with a pulmonologist. Finally, I found one in another state. Unfortunately, I had to pay out of pocket for the visit. At this point, however, a potential answer seemed well worth the expense. The pulmonologist listened to my breathing, took note…

My mother always had major health issues throughout her life, including congenital heart disease and serious asthma.  A few years before she passed, she had a procedure done that required a heart valve…

Sarcoidosis and the revolving door of doctors Getting treatment for sarcoidosis can be challenging due to the diminishing ranks and hours of physicians. It’s not likely to get any easier in the future because the demand for physicians is expected to continue to outpace supply. Going in to see…

Last Sunday was the one-year anniversary of the spontaneous pneumothorax I suffered in my right lung. In the lead-up to that day, I had been experiencing more anxiety than usual. At times, I grew deeply afraid and didn’t understand why I was feeling…

My left leg has been numb from the knee down for months. It started with a couple of toes and climbed its way up. Every once in a while, the numbness and tingling will get ambitious and trek all the way up my left side, dulling everything along the…

Last week, I spoke with an old college friend of mine. He’s my age — mid-50s — and a professional with an impressive résumé. I hadn’t heard from him in over three years. He, his wife, and I were college friends in the early 1980s. His career has…

It began as just a typical cough. At first, I thought it was related to a common cold or some type of seasonal allergy, and I expected it to last only a week to 10 days. Over time, it became a hacking cough, deep in my chest but unproductive. Until…

The hardest part about change is starting. The first “start” is the hardest, whether you’re starting a new job or welcoming a new spouse or child into your world. You realize that if you want something to work out, you have to start somewhere, and you have to…