Breathing Should Never Be Hard Work: One Man's Journey with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis

Robert Davidson was diagnosed with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis in October 2007 after having difficulties with the fitness test necessary to retain senior level soccer referee status. Rather than give in to the disease and die, he decided to fight and live as normal a life as possible, borrowing from Winston Churchill, the mantra "Never surrender". He and his wife, Heather, believe it was this attitude that led to him "winning" a double lung transplant January 30, 2010, just weeks before he would have died from the disease. This book is about his journey with that life threatening disease. Although it "steals away the sufferer's breath" Robert travelled to China (finding 12,800 feet up the Himalayas too high) and to the highlands of Scotland for his wife's 60th birthday celebration. He describes with great candour, and sometimes humour, the worst symptoms and challenges of Pulmonary Fibrosis. The huge efforts of getting up in the morning, visiting the local pub for "attitude adjustment hour" and just breathing. The relief of the lung transplant that saved his life and the establishment of The Canadian Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation tells us that we should all have hope and never surrender. Hope you enjoy the journey!