An Alpha-1 COPD Love Story

Sally Everett was about to turn fifty. A single parent and a successful attorney, she was, seemingly, a picture of health. She ate right, she didn’t smoke, she was almost never sick, and she exercised regularly. A few weeks later she was diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) caused by Alpha-1, a genetic abnormality more common than cystic fibrosis but often undiagnosed. Her doctor gave her, at most, ten years.

After a week of self-pity and a year of self-indulgence, sh...