COPD and Other Stuff …
…came about for several reasons…because people do not seem to know much about COPD, this disease seems to attract friends in the form of other diseases for the COPDer and the Kitsap Sun is willing to allow this shared adventure.
COPD is not a death sentence but it sure is a wake-up call.
I have a theory that the more informed we become about our condition and the more active we are in our own care, the better off we are. Our doctors are trained in medicine and indispensable but the responsibility for our life is ours.
There are a million things I want to say but for this first post, I am using a copy of a letter in part, I sent to my daughter when she told me that good friends had serious Emphysema hit their family.
“I’m sorry, but if they get on the right track from the beginning,(friend)may not go on to develop other ‘Stuff’.’

For starters:

Has (friend’s husband) Pulmonologist described the healing his lungs will do – the improving – for the first six months to a year after he stops smoking?

My doctor drew a graph showing the approximate lung improvement over months until the lungs have dispelled the last of the sticky smoke residue and healed until they are as good as they are going to get. His lungs will then continue normal aging.

The wonder though is that he, with full knowledge of his damaged lungs, will not be further destroying his lungs by continuing to smoke…like kicking a sick horse and adding insult to injury.

Today the idea of actually inhaling the foul smoke into my laboring lungs is noxious.

Another aid to stop smoking is for (friend) to visualize his impaired lungs and imagine inhaling the smoke into a distressed airway and down through his sick lungs. Yick!

Also, tell him to keep fighting to be the best he can be. THAT fight includes EXERCISE for a quality life. Tell (friend) not to give up and accept a role as an invalid…NEVER! (Some of the most invalid people I know have not got a thing medically wrong with them)

Tell (friend) (state) has a good teaching hospital she might want to run (husband) through for a second opinion.
(His) Primary Doctor is the key…the hub of the health wheel.

(State) also has the BEST Pulmonary Rehab Center in the whole country – right there.

That is enough for starters.

Life is not over for (husband and new caregiver, his wife)…far from it.
They are on an adventure of their lives and do not kid yourself.
Any disease that affects one member of a family affects ALL members of that family.”

Together, here, I hope we can help each other and others share hard-earned information about COPD and Other Stuff.
My comments are mine as a patient and in no way reflect medical advice. For medical advice, talk to your doctor.
Together I hope we can communicate and narrow the distance between the physician, patient and caregiver.
As Yvonne says, “We are in this together.”
Sharon Blomlie O’Hara