Published in the Lancet

In November last year I was asked if I could write an article for the Lancet about my experiences as a patient with IPF.

It went through a couple of iterations, but this week it was published, and I've had some very positive feedback from it.

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanres/article/PIIS2213-2600(20)30067-9/fulltext#.XkjnsBZUqO8.twitter

I hope it brings some inspiration and help to some other patients, but also helps the medical professionals understand the patient side of things a little better.

I'm feeling a lot better now - but I still have an occasional cough, and at night I feel I'm not getting enough air, so am constantly using the CPAP machine, which helps me get off to sleep.

Yesterday I had my dental check up. Everything fine, so no work needed at all, but I need to floss my teeth more.

The storms have quietened down, actually quite sunny at the moment, but there is a lot of water around. If it rains again there will be instant flooding.

I've had some issues with the lights at home, constantly blowing the fuse. It's been sorted now thank goodness. All the visible connections have been changed, so now I need a load of new lampshades - currently have Russian lampshades in all the rooms.

Possibly overdoing it..

Choral Diversity, a choir in the Hereford area which rehearses at Leominster Golf Club had a concert in Hereford, and raised £5745 for Action for Pulmonary Fibrosis.

I had the pleasure and honour to meet them to pick up the cheque. It was a long drive but well worth it.

Listened to part of their choir practice.

My granddaughter Molly is home from University ill. Fever and cough. Quite poorly.

Yesterday, before I drove up to Hereford, I waited in for my Oxygen equipment to be serviced. Today, I waited in for my Pirfenidone delivery. I was glad of the chance to sit and doze for a few hours, although I could have done with staying in bed.

I really must slow down.

I feel a lot better, but when I start coughing I get sick, and giddy. Really not good when I'm driving. It's a really weird feeling, feels like my vision does a 'freeze frame', and I sort of lose consciousness. I always stop when I feel this coming on.

There's a paper with my name on being submitted for publication in the Lancet. That'll make two in the Lancet - Yay. All about how short Telomeres can be a cause of PF - which could lead to a test at an early stage, before symptoms become apparent.

Added to this there is a second study just published which indicates that first degree relatives of IPF patients have a 30% chance of getting IPF themselves - and if this could be detected through the test for short Telomeres - could be a game changer.

Looking forward now to another weekend chilling out, doing nothing.