Breath of resilience

How a daughter navigated the realities of her father's quiet battle with a mysterious lung disease

- Dr Roopa Menon

Acha (dad) was getting weaker by the day, and a -part of me refused to accept it. Five years and six months ago, we sat in a pulmonologist's waiting room. Our family doctor had referred us after weeks of a persistent dry cough.

After a series of tests, the doctor explained that Acha had idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). He explained that the lungs would get scarred, and it was progressive, with no known cure. We left in silence, taking an autorickshaw home. Acha said, "Let's not tell Amma too many details." He always shielded her, absorbing every setback himself. Back at home, we had dinner, and everything felt safe. But I spent the next few days endlessly googling the disease, trying to grasp what lay ahead.

The word "idiopathic" means unknown. While there are a list of probable causes, we do not know what actually caused the disease. Acha had never smoked, his job did not expose him to harmful substances, and there was no family history. Despite extensive research, the exact cause of IPF remains a mystery. It is more common in older adults, particularly those above 60, and slightly more prevalent in males.