Yosef Ben Moshe, 64

The diagnosis

Eventually I went to a doctor and an evaluation began. I went through various tests, and in the end I underwent a bronchoscopy with cryobiopsy — a procedure in which a sample is taken from the lung tissue. That's how I received my diagnosis: IPF — idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

This is a disease in which progressive scarring forms in the lung tissue, making breathing increasingly difficult. The word "idiopathic" means the cause of the disease is unknown.

At first I could still live with the disease. Lung function tests already showed some decline — for example, DLCO around 60–70 percent — but I could still keep up my routine. I knew there was a problem with my lungs, but life still went on.

The event that changed everything

And then came an event that changed everything. Last October I underwent a procedure called bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), which is intended to check for infections inside the lung. But in my case something unexpected happened — after the procedure my oxygen saturation dropped significantly, and my respiratory condition deteriorated.

If before that I was living with the disease — from that moment I had to be connected to oxygen 24 hours a day. Suddenly the oxygen concentrator became an inseparable part of my daily life. Simple actions like a short walk, climbing stairs or leaving the house — became much more complicated.

The shock of the word "transplant"

I went through another series of tests and treatments trying to understand what caused the deterioration and to improve my condition. But when the treatments didn't change the picture, my pulmonologist mentioned for the first time the possibility of a lung transplant.

When I heard that word — I went into shock. For two whole days I barely spoke. It's a word that shakes you. Suddenly you realize how far the disease has progressed.

But after the initial shock I understood there was no choice — you have to face reality and keep moving forward. I made an appointment with a lung transplant specialist and started learning more about the options and the road ahead of me.

One step at a time

The journey with pulmonary fibrosis is a long one. It's a disease you don't always feel right away, but it progresses gradually and changes your life.

Over time you learn many things: you learn to listen to your body, you learn to manage at a different pace, and you learn to find the way to keep living despite the limitations.

There are hard moments — of fear, of uncertainty. But there are also moments when you realize how much strength you have inside.

To anyone just diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis: don't go through this road alone. It's important to find a pulmonologist who accompanies you, to stay under follow-up, to ask questions, and to surround yourself with people who understand what you're going through. The disease changes your life — but it doesn't take away its meaning.