Columns

Yes, I Will Get the COVID-19 Vaccine

I can’t remember when I first fell in love with science. I loved learning about it and going on field trips, but I didn’t enjoy science fairs because I missed hanging out with my friends (although I did place second at a science fair with some assistance from my dad).

The Existential Crisis of Going From Dying to Living

Imagine living your whole life knowing you have an early expiration date. Then you wake up one morning, and that’s no longer the case. Sounds great, right? Of course it is, but it’s so much more complicated than that. I never would have understood before living through it. Trikafta…

Birthdays Are Bittersweet

Most people hate the attention birthdays bring. I get it. It’s only in recent years that the meaning of birthdays has shifted for me. Prior to my double-lung transplant three years ago, every year of life felt like a feat. Now, every birthday is icing on the cake — literally.

Maybe I Should Stop Writing This Column

I don’t want to write this column. OK, for the sake of my editors, let’s be clear: I love this column and this company and this job. I am so lucky to have it, and I honestly can’t imagine how I’d get through parts of life without a consistent…

Holidays Are Complicated This Year

The holidays always seem to be a complex topic. Adding chronic illness to the mix makes them even more tense. And now the world is living through a pandemic, which adds a layer of ambiguity. Navigating uncertainty brings anxiety, but we have a choice in how we respond. Holiday…

Sickness Is Giving Me a Panic Disorder

Yes, sickness is giving me a panic disorder. Let me explain. No, there is too much. Let me sum up: Never knowing exactly what to do or who to call or what the protocol is with every new symptom, in a body that creates new symptoms annually, makes me long…