Covid-19, Pulmonary Fibrosis And Fear

I've been very lucky in my life of 76 years. I've survived a lot. Twenty-six years ago, the upper lobe of my right lung was removed along with a malignant tumor. It placed stress on some physical activities then and required a time of healing. In 2014 I had another run-in with cancer, this time in my colon. Again, surgery, healing and lifestyle changes. 

That was then, this is now. A little over a year ago, I was diagnosed with Pulmonary Fibrosis, a terminal illness complicated by Emphysema. I've probably had it for a longer period of time but now it's very evident. I use supplemental oxygen 24/7 and struggle with pretty basic activities. I'm staring my mortality in the face during the Covid-19 pandemic.

As it turns out, doctors are finding that individuals struck by the Covid-19 virus, in some cases, experience lung damage very similar to fibrosis, scarring of the lung tissue that impacts the everyday functions of the lungs. Pulmonary Fibrosis is a progressive disease where tissue in the lungs becomes hardened like glass and less and less functional. There are medicines that try to slow it down or stop the progression but they seem to work in some cases and not others. They are also extremely expensive and come with various unpleasant side effects. I've been taking one of these for close to a year. 

Pulmonary Fibrosis is also considered a rare disease. Research resources have been fairly limited and most treatments are experimental. Due to Covid-19 and the reported similar pulmonary impact on the folks who have become known as "long haulers", some of this is changing. Doctors and researchers are looking at Pulmonary Fibrosis and treatments as more people are impacted long term by Covid-19. Perhaps something new will come from the additional research.

In the meantime, people like myself with Pulmonary Fibrosis or IPF as it's known, are extremely vulnerable to respiratory failure as a result of contracting Covid-19. The fear of exposure and the self-imposed physical isolation is pretty extreme. There is very little outside activity that is safe. Some is necessary, like blood tests due to the potency of the medication prescribed. Most Doctor visits are via computer with a few exceptions. I am pretty much tethered by 50' of oxygen tubing which allows for a simple walking exercise program through my house. 

I have the best caregiver and aide, my spouse, Jeannette. She spends time in isolation with me, getting out for longer walks as well as outside yard and garden work in better weather. She finds curbside shopping alternatives in our rural community. She keeps me positive and we help each other laugh. We organize, we plan. We enjoy nature from windows and decks. I try to stay relevant by reading and writing but my energy level sometimes keeps me stuck in the same place, both physically and mentally.

With all of this going on, it's important to understand that there's always someone having a more difficult time than you or me. There are people who's health situation is worse than mine. But there are others too. Young people struggling to pay their rent or their mortgage. Homeless people trying to make it while living on the street. Families without food trying to figure out where meals will come from and how children will be fed. People working at or dying in hospitals. Families are losing loved ones at an astronomical rate, sometimes without the chance to say goodbye. These are difficult times to say the least. Many of us are living in fear, perhaps for different reasons but the fear is very real. 

Watching our government fail us is hard. It's debilitating. Watching fellow citizens casually blow off Covid-19 and refuse to follow basic health and safety precautions is stunning. People like me who are seriously compromised by health conditions need the help of people who care enough to take precautions for themselves and others. We also need help from federal and state government. Responding to a pandemic isn't a State's Rights issue. It's very clear that states don't have the resources to vaccinate everyone. They don't have the resources to do that and do contact tracing. I for one would much rather see our military assisting states and citizens instead of waging or responding to battles. We know that the military is capable of building hospitals and/or mobile vaccination sites. That's what we all need right now - people caring about each other and not worrying about whose job it is. Wear those masks and wash your hands. Help out where you can.