COPD and ME 41

World COPD Day 2014

2014-11-10T05:42:00.000-06:00

This year I am teaming up with Concentric's #daretostair campaign to raise awareness!

I hope that you will all join me to help raise awareness!

COPD sucks, so little research is being done!

We need to FIGHT and make more people aware of this very misunderstood illness.

Share with your friends, family, and dare them to take the stairs November 19th!

Ask them to share videos or photos on social media sites documenting their stair climb using the hashtag

#daretostair

Let's help others understand what COPD is like.

Could you have COPD?

With increased funding, death rates DROP!!!!

We MUST raise awareness to help ourselves, and our loved ones!

I cannot do this alone, I need you to join me.

You can find me here:

Twitter

HOPE for COPD Facebook group

COPD Foundation

Google +

And of course here, at the BLOG

It's here! FINALLY!

2014-11-05T07:00:00.000-06:00

The Living Alphabet Series

ABLE ~ You ARE able to do things! DON'T let your illness hold you back! Try, just take it slow.

ACCEPTING ~ Accept the things you cannot change, you are "sick". This is now part of your life.

ACCESSIBLE ~ Friends and family still need you! Be available to them, by phone or in person, online or by text.

ADAPTABILE ~ Things are different now. It is okay to make changes in how we do things. Life will be easier.

AFFECTIONATE ~ HUG AND KISS your loved ones! TELL them you love them every chance you get!

APPRECIATE ~ Obviously your friends and family are more needed now. Be sure to thanks them in a variety of ways. Tomorrow isn't promised to anyone!

ASSERTIVENESS ~ This is especially important in regards to your medical care. You don't have to get angry. But make sure you push for the diagnosis, the tests, the treatments, the medications, the care that you need.

ASK ~ ASK for help when you need it! If affordable... Hire a maid, a lawn service, or have your laundry done for you! IT IS OKAY! Your energy can be better spent doing more desirable things, like taking a short walk, a long but slow trip to the zoo with the kids and grandkids.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ~ Denial of your diagnosis may happen. Embrace this new chapter of your life. It is only going to be as good as you make it!

Filing for Disability in the USA

2014-10-29T03:59:00.000-05:00

I thought I would write today about my experience with filing for Social Security Disability. It is not and easy task for many Americans. For some, the rare few, they are approved right away. Not in my case. After my being denied, I missed my appeal filing deadline because of illness and a friends death. Then, I had to reapply, get denied, appeal, denied again, appeal with an attorney and go to hearing.

So here is my experience with this so far, remember post this if you need to apply.

First a little back story in case you haven't read my first few posts.

After I realized I needed to quit working to focus on my health and achieved a clear and accurate diagnosis, I did just that. I accessed my savings, and knew I could live for about a year without a job. I had already been seeing a physician for 2 years about my getting bronchitis or pneumonia every 2 months. "It is because you smoke." That is all he ever said, then prescribed a Zpac and steroids. Obviously, that was not a good way to go about things.

So, I made MANY appointments and changed physicians twice. I needed a diagnosis. A real one. I had no time to play around with my health like this!

When the diagnosis came in of Stage III COPD I was floored.

How will I cover my expenses?

How will I provide for the baby I just had?

Will I ever be able to work again?

Am I dying????

WHAT DO I DO!!!

Well, you get as much documentation on your illness as possible. Keep a list of all attacks, breathless days, day you couldn't complete tasks. Track days you miss work or appointments or family functions.

Keep lists of your appointment with your doctor, and any other symptoms of any other ailments you may have. Start scheduling appointments for each varied thing, and PUSH your doctor for more testing. HARD! PUSH HARD!!!

Most COPD patients don't get diagnosed until at least one year after their first COPD related appointment! For some, it took a few YEARS to get a diagnosis. Think about how much the disease had progressed by the time it was finally diagnosed and treated?!?!

I had appointments for my COPD, arthritis, tendonitis, carpal tunnel, foot pain, hip pain, every pain. One doctor got mad that she was seeing me so often. Well, I changed doctors. You MUST push for your health. PUSH for an accurate diagnosis.

At each appointment, ask for copies of why you had that appointment, and any test results.

You should research the laws about filing for disability where you live. Then, once you feel you meet the criteria, which isn't easy... You file your disability claim. I did mine online and it was easy. In my case, I did not have enough current documentation when I first filed. So, I was denied twice. And then, I sought an attorney.

Having COPD means you are not always thinking clearly, may be a bit forgetful, dare I say a little irresponsible when your O2 is low? For myself and many others this is true. An attorney helps keep you focused on what you need to do to meet the terms of meeting disability guidelines.

Yes, you will have to let the attorney take a small part of your settlement, but you didn't have that money to begin with. It isn't like you are losing something you didn't have to begin with. I know some will be upset with that statement. But, that is how I must look at it to not be so sad to see the money go into someone else's pocket. Plus, they did me a great service by aiding me in this difficult chapter of my life.

Normally, when you apply, they will deny you. It is the way things work. We just have to deal with it. Some, get approved straight away. Luck is on their side, it has nothing to do with anything else. The system is designed to put off dealing with you for a while. Trust me, it has been 3 1/2 years.

When you are denied, you reapply. If you are denied again as I was, you get to appeal that denial and have a hearing with your attorney (or yourself?) in front of a judge and most often times, an "occupational expert".

This is a chance to plead your case, and let the judge know any new developments.

**A word on occupational "experts". I could run this chink into the ground. She has probably only had 2 jobs in her life. Student and "occupational expert". She knows NOTHING about the vast amount of jobs we have had. She has no clue what these jobs REALLY require of us or what we have to do to keep them. So, pay them no mind and speak up if they are acting as if there is no reason you cannot do one of your previous jobs.

Speaking of previous jobs, think of ALL the reasons you cannot do them. Every little nit picky thing counts for something.

~The perfume customers wear triggers an embarrassing exacerbation.

~Body odor is also a trigger.

~So are air freshener, deodorant, soaps, and lotions. YOU have no control over these things.

~Temerature, humidity, and dust are also triggers.

~Talking too long, can be a trigger.

~think of every single trigger and USE it in your defense if you get the opportunity.

The Hearing

You will meet with your attorney, assuming you have one and sit before a judge. This may be in person or via video or phone. They will ask several questions for clarity. You will then also be asked many questions that your attorney thinks will aid you in your case.

You may also be given a moment to speak freely about your illness. I was allowed to elaborate a little and was never cut off from speaking at any time. Try to keep your statements brief and to the point. It is okay to write down things you want to say, and have a card in front of you in case you need to refer to it. If the judge asks why you are reading, tell them you didn't want to forget anything, that your illness causes forgetfulness. The judge will again ask a few clarifying statements and then conclude the hearing.

In my experience, there was no immediate ruling. She wanted to revisit all the facts carefully, and then come to a determination at a later date. This is respectable. In just a brief meeting, how can one really come to a solid conclusion.

Now, you will have the chance to take a deep breathe in and relax. This part is over. Time to wait for a fair and just decision. Until then, think about ways you can supplement your income. We can all do SOMETHING. We just can't do it under the strict time requirements of an employer.

Start reading about something you have always wanted to learn about. Or, write about something you are passionate about. You may make things that can be sold to others, or have a service you can offer on your own terms and limitations.

Disability is only the base of your income. You ARE allowed to earn a little bit of money each month.

Think about this. Once you get that disability check, you are in complete control of you future. Sure, you may have to downsize your home, car, and more. But, like you as a disabled person really NEED that big fancy house in that uber expensive subdivision? That Jaguar can be sold for a customized van for your wheelchair.

Oh, what is that? You don't have those things to give up? Oh, neither do I. So, we must resolve to live in a way that is meaningful, happy, and fulfilling without the price tags.

If you have those things to give up? LUCKY! But, again, there are more important things in life than expensive cars, and big fancy houses.

You are ALIVE!

You deserve a home you can manage, a car that can carry your oxygen tanks, wheelchairs, and other medical equipment you need.

My Health Update 10/23/2014

2014-10-23T22:56:00.001-05:00

On Wednesday I tried to refill my prescriptions. The pharmacist called to tell me that all them were rejected by my insurance because, it EXPIRED! Now, since I had to quit working, I have had to depend on Medicaid to cover my medical expenses. Great, that is fine. But when I expire without notice? That is a huge problem.

Calling the Department of Human Services is no easy task. It takes about 40 phone calls over the course of several days to finally get a hold of anyone. Of course, that person can't help you. So I explain ever so... Dramatically, that I will DIE without my medication and oxygen. Of course, my oxygen concentrator went out too!

Still waiting to hear back from DHS. He did call back. But of course, I missed his call and he left no message. I called 4 more times and got no answer. After spending all day on the phone, I took a nap! LOL

Have any of you had issues like this with your insurer?

Let me know in the comments, or shoot me an email!

I would love to know if anyone else has had to deal with anything this.

Have a great day my friends!
~April

Find more support! Facebook Support groups

2014-10-17T09:00:00.000-05:00

SUPPORT GROUPS

When I was first diagnosed I didn't know much about COPD. I knew it had to do with not breathing well. It was, in my opinion, a senior aged smoker thing. How could someone my age, some who smoked less than a pack a day, most of the time only half a pack, HOW could I get this??? I was in my 30's! Thinking back, I had it in my twenties, and just didn't think anything of it. It was an occasional breathlessness.

As a kid, I was never an athletic girl. Always the last one picked in gym class. I didn't like playing in any sports, or anything physical. But, I did love walking for hours at the forest preserve, and was always there when the weather was good! HOURS, not minutes, of walking the trails. I would say hiking, but not quite.

So I had COPD. Stage 3 at that point. But, what does it all mean? The woman who first diagnosed me accurately, told me something scary. "Getting sick just one time, might be your last." She was wonderful, honest, and so caring. I took her words to heart.

I joined support groups on Facebook. And, learned as much as I could about my new diagnoses disease by googling reputable sites. There is so much to learn! So many different experiences. So much misinformation.

I will not post specific online groups, they are out there. You just have to find them, join them, and decided which ones you want to take part in.

Today, I present to you some helpful links to help you learn more about COPD. These are traditional sites on facebook, and included are a few transplant and alternative treatment sites. ALL of these have wonderful, caring people to talk to about their own experiences. They will guide you and encourage you every step of the way.

My personal groups are here: HOPE for COPD and COPD and Me my journey to get new lungs

The groups that helped me the most! I thank you all so very much!

THE COFFEE TABLE
https://www.facebook.com/groups/161980837227267/

COPD Alternative's NZ
https://www.facebook.com/groups/COPDalternatives/

COPD Navigator
https://www.facebook.com/groups/COPDnavigator/

ORGAN Transplant Initiative (OTI)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/COPDnavigator/

Lung Transplantation: Taking Flight with New Life Support Group
https://www.facebook.com/groups/240751732632213/857116400995740/?notif_t=like

COPD ~ patients chat line
https://www.facebook.com/groups/239936746096089/

The Transplant Community Outreach
https://www.facebook.com/groups/thetransplantcommunityoutreach/

Treating COPD with Cannabis
https://www.facebook.com/groups/781548365212107/

Michael's Second Wind Transplant Journey
https://www.facebook.com/groups/315726365162239/

Cannabis Oil Success Stories
https://www.facebook.com/groups/416702921703509/

COPD Exacerbation

2014-10-14T17:30:00.000-05:00

A huge part of having COPD is the horrible exacerbations we have. If you are newly diagnosed you may wonder, what exactly is an exacerbation?

Well, we cough... More than we should. COPD exhibits differently in each of us. An exacerbation, is when we cough excessively and produce phlegm. Coughing up phlegm is actually a good thing for us to do, as some of us over produce it. This can be an embarrassing event. While working as a retail manager, and speaking with customers, this happened often. VERY OFTEN. Coughing up more than a Kleenex could hold, a handful of phlegm. Gross.

Now, I said that is is healthy for us to do this, but you must look at it. Yes, look at the phlegm you coughed up. Keep track of the color. The color is telling you what is going on in your body. Is it clear? Then you are fine. White, okay no problem. Gray? That is okay too. Also, keep in mind that if you just drank something with color, like a glass of red wine or soda... It may be scary to see blood red phlegm. But, remember that you just drank that red wine!

Coughing is also the first indicator of infection. For myself, coughing doesn't mean I have an infection. I also have allergies, and I react to new environments. Is this place dusty? Are there animals here? Perfume or cologne? Air freshener? Is someone burning leaves or Barbecuing? Is there something new in here? Anything that changes our usual environment can be a trigger. Be it an allergic reaction, or just that subtle odor. They can trigger an exacerbation.

You want medical attention BEFORE this chart states you need help.

Now, if the phlegm is yellow, or dares to be green you must seek medical help immediately as it is a sign of infection. And, with COPD, each infection brings you closer to the next stage of COPD. So, please go get an antibiotic! If you are getting infections frequently, every month or two, or more often. Ask your Doctor for a long term antibiotic. This means you will take and antibiotic at least 3 times a week for the rest of your life. But, will extend your health, giving you more good days than bad.

This is 40!

2014-10-10T14:36:00.000-05:00

So this is 40!

I wish I was 17 again, no wait... Maybe 21. The past week has been tough. My Uncle lives a block over from me. I saw flashing red and blue, and an ambulance. So I picked up the phone and called my Aunt to ask if everyone was okay. Nope, they were taking my Uncle to the ER. No diagnosis yet.

So I took a little trip to Kentucky with a cousin. We get there and find out that another Uncle is in the ER, his pacemaker stopped working well. They sent him home and told him to go to the VA Hospital the next day. Then when we got home my father needed to go to the ER, turns out it was just a UTI, thankfully. Got home from that to find out my mothers cousins husband (LOL they were like sisters) is in the hospital, diagnosed with end stage liver cancer! WHAT???? That was the 5th, his birthday was the 8th, he passed away on the 9th.

Tomorrow my baby brother will be getting married. Then I have to clean an office (I actually pay someone else to clean it, but I do some dusting). Then I have that funeral, then court hearing for my disability case, and AHHH!

This is what happens when you turn 40, everyone starts getting sick, the older generation starts move on to where ever you believe they go when they die. And the younger generation keeps moving so fast you might have a heart attack trying to keep up with everything.

This, is 40. Your body starts to slow down, making it harder to keep up with your own life, let alone the lives of others. 100X harder if you suffer from a chronic illness. The energy just doesn't live in here anymore. Sort of thankful I can't work anymore. Although, I do miss the social interaction and my previous job was very personally rewarding. Of course, the little bit of money I made was nice too.

The next several days, I will be pumped up with Coca-Cola and Iced Coffee. Hopefully, my hearing goes well and I start collecting some $$$'s! Then, I am taking the winter off and hibernating!!!

This is just a "keeping it real" note on my life currently. OH how I wish things would slow down for a bit!

Thanks for reading friends! Breathe Easy!

~April

REMOVE THE STIGMA

2014-10-07T23:31:00.000-05:00

In the USA Mental Health Week is October 5th - 11th.

Please join me this week to talk about mental illness. It's TIME.

I will be hosting a discussion in my group, HOPE for COPD at: HOPE for COPD on Facebook.

THURSDAY October 9th from 7PM-9PM CST.

Come talk about how mental illness affects you. Be it your self, a family member, or friend. Without open and honest discussion, the stigma will remain.

The group is closed, only group members can see your posts. Your friends and family will not be able to see what you post in the group. So, you can speak freely.

*One in four adults−approximately 61.5 million
Americans−experiences mental illness in a given
year. One in 17−about 13.6 million−live with a serious
mental illness such as schizophrenia, major depression
or bipolar disorder.

*Approximately 20 percent of youth ages 13 to 18
experience severe mental disorders in a given year. For
ages 8 to 15, the estimate is 13 percent.

*Approximately 60 percent of adults12, and almost one-half
of youth ages 8 to 15 with a mental illness received no
mental health services in the previous year.

*Individuals living with serious mental illness face an
increased risk of having chronic medical conditions.
Adults living with serious mental illness die on average
25 years earlier than other Americans, largely due to
treatable medical conditions.

*Although military members comprise less than 1
percent of the U.S. population, veterans represent
20 percent of suicides nationally. Each day, about 22
veterans die from suicide.

APPS for managing illness 2

2014-09-25T06:00:00.000-05:00

The apps listed here are not COPD specific. They can be used for many different illnesses.

My personal favorite! That is why I included it again.
MediSafe Meds & Pill Reminder
ANDROID
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.medisafe.android.client&hl=en

iTUNES
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/medisafe-meds-pill-reminder/id573916946?mt=8

I LOVE this app! This is what I use to remind me to take my medications on time every day. It has many features that make it one of the best apps I have tried for this purpose. It will even remind you of refills, and remind your health partner to remind you to take your meds! You can use it for multiple people, and it has a great notification sound of shaking a pill bottle!

MediSafe is a beautiful, visual and easy-to-use pill reminder and medication management app. It will help you take your medicine on time and safely. It also allows you to help your family members with their pills.

---> Download MediSafe, and start managing your medication right now!

Whether you are taking one medicine or more, you know how difficult it is remembering to take each one at the right time. If you are a caretaker for a parent, child, or patient, you know how stressful it is not knowing for sure if your loved one took their pills on time.

MediSafe has the solution. It's free and simple!
MediSafe will remind you when to take your medication. You can also update your app manually. Your Med-Friend (family member or caretaker) is notified if you don’t check in, so they can remind you only if needed.

---> Download MediSafe, never forget a medicine dose again!

Free features:
• Visual and super easy to handle Medication Reminder.
• Synchronizes the family medicine pillboxes to one place.
• Reminds you to take your medication on time, even if your device is asleep.
• Choose your meds reminder sound to make MediSafe a comfortable addition to your day.
• High end graphics that look great on HD Displays.
• See a list of what medication are "due today" and check them off as you go.
• Rx refill reminds you when you need to restock on medicine.
• List PRN (on demand) medication.
• See your progress report and send it to the doctor as an Excel file.
• Sync reminders with your Android Wear smartwatch. Shake your wrist to mark that you took the medication.

Free extra features, after registration:
• Syncing family members' devices and medication in real time.
• Automatic secured backup and restore on the Medisafe cloud server (HIPAA compliant servers).

---> Download MediSafe, never worry about family meds doses anymore!

Please watch these instructional videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCRpF0b1MPc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pR-Z5ymsMig

Medi Safe is well adjusted for managing medications for many complex health conditions such as Diabetes, heart conditions and cancer treatments, but also as a convenient reminder for taking birth control lady pills, contraceptives and vitamins.

Reduce your stress and improve health with Medi-Safe - the best medication reminder !

EPOCRATES - Android
ANDROID
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.epocrates

iTUNES
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/epocrates/id281935788?mt=8

-NEW: Find providers for consults and referrals in the Provider Directory
-Review drug prescribing and safety information for thousands of brand, generic, and OTC drugs
-Check for potentially harmful drug-drug interactions among up to 30 drugs at a time
-Select national and regional healthcare insurance formularies for drug coverage information
-Identify pills by imprint code and physical characteristics
-Perform dozens of calculations, such as BMI and GFR
-Access timely medical news and research information

WebMD - Android
ANDROID
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.webmd.android
iTUNES
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/webmd-trusted-health-wellness/id295076329?mt=8

KEY FEATURES
• WebMD Symptom Checker – Select the part of the body that is troubling you, choose your symptoms, & learn about potential conditions or issues.
• Conditions – Find medically reviewed information about Conditions relevant to you & learn more about causes, treatments, & related symptoms.
• Drugs & Treatments – Search our extensive database for information on Drugs, Supplements, & Vitamins. Access content such as Uses, Side Effects, Warnings, and more.
• Pill Identification Tool – Identify your prescription drugs and over the counter medicines by pill shape, color, & imprint.
• First Aid Essentials – Your handy guide for medical emergencies. From insect stings to broken bones, helpful treatment tips are always available, even without an Internet connection.
• Local Health Listings – Find the closest physician, hospital, & pharmacy based on your current location or search by city, state or zip.

Personalization:
• Create custom lists of Drugs, Conditions, and Articles
• Save custom lists securely
• Review your saved information anytime and anywhere

WebMD Allergy - Android

ANDROID
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.webmd.allergy
iTUNES
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/webmd-allergy/id588509171?mt=8

WebMD Allergy is organized into 4 easy-to-use sections:

♦ Allergy Forecast
WebMD Allergy delivers up-to-date allergen levels based on your location. If you’re traveling, you can look up the allergy forecast for your destination and save locations that you frequently visit. Have kids with allergies? You can manage each family member’s allergies using individual profiles, too. You can now get proactive with managing your entire family’s allergies from one place, anytime, anywhere!

♦ Allergies 101
Browse through WebMD Allergy’s rich library of allergy articles, slideshows and videos in 7 categories: Outdoor, Indoor, Skin, Drug, Food, Insect Bites and Stings, and Latex. Or you can search to quickly find exactly what you’re looking for.

♦ Weather Forecast
Get the 3-day weather forecast for your area or another saved location.

♦ Allergy Tracker
Track how you feel, your RECORD symptoms and treatments, and add notes daily. Generate a report you can share with your doctor.

COPD Resources, find info you need.

2014-09-19T21:00:00.000-05:00

When you are diagnosed with COPD, your Doctor will ask if you have any questions. If you are anything like me, I might have one or two. But, without a complete understanding of the illness, it is hard to know exactly what questions to ask. Of course, your doctor cannot spend the time to explain EVERYTHING to you. So there are many things you can do on your own to learn about this.

No, I don't expect you to understand everything you read. BUT, you will gain a much better understanding if you do some reading, and watch some videos. We are living in an amazing time, where information is out there and free for use to learn.

Plus, I am a strong believer that you have to be your own health advocate. Of course, I do not want you to barge into your physicians office acting like you know more than they do. Some general practitioners admit that they don't feel confident about their knowledge of COPD. I think it is best to learn all you can, so that if they are not admitting this, you can push for someone who does.

When I first thought something was wrong, my GP said I was sick because I have asthma and smoke. I have never had asthma! Sure, I smoked, but really? There is something worse than those two things going on. So, I switched to an APN who was terrible, but admitted she didn't understand lung diseases. She sent in a respiratory specialist who ran some tests. This confirmed COPD. She put me on the appropriate meds, referred me to a pulmonologist AT a lung transplant hospital, and pulmonary rehab. I am forever grateful for her knowledge!

Learning more about COPD will help you know what to look for in yourself. What questions to ask, and what medications are available as well as other treatment options. You CAN ask your doctor to try these things. Who knows, something you suggest might help more.

I have listed the links to several The American Thoracic Society PDF files where you can read more about COPD. These will be especially helpful to newly diagnosed patients.

First, I highly recommend visiting the COPD GOLD PATIENT PAGE
for some great information.

Please check them out, print them for your family or caretaker if desired.

A complete list of files can be found at this address http://patients.thoracic.org/?page_id=2226

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
http://patients.thoracic.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/chronic-obstructive-pulmonary-disease-copd.pdf

COPD Exacerbations
http://patients.thoracic.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/ATS-Patient-Ed-ECOPD-Proof-2-for-IT-posting.pdf

COPD, Pulmonary Function Tests
http://patients.thoracic.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/pulmonary-function-tests-in-copd.pdf

COPD, Signs & Symptoms
http://patients.thoracic.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/signs-and-symptoms-of-copd.pdf

COPD, Sleep Problems in
http://patients.thoracic.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/ATS_Patient_Ed_Sleep_Problems_d_MT-09112013-Final.pdf

COPD, Surgery
http://patients.thoracic.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/surgery-for-chronic-obstructive-pulmonary-disease.pdf

Circadian Rhythm Sleep Disorders
http://patients.thoracic.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/ATS_Patient_Ed_Circadian_C.pdf

IMPORTANT COPD NEWS!

2014-09-06T10:30:00.000-05:00

Do you know what this image is?

THIS is a cell nuclei that has been stained to reveal IL-33.

It is a type of signaling molecule found in very high levels of COPD patients! It signifies the presence of a viral infection, past or present.

I am really excited about this news!

Since being diagnosed with COPD I have researched everything I could, to learn as much as I can about this disease. My first Dr. Told me that I was getting sick because I smoke. I thought, how does a cigarette put bacteria in my lungs? It is made of tobacco, not bacteria! New research has shown that there is the viral infection. This viral infection causes and overproduction of mucus. Which causes inflammation of the lung tissue. That process can cause what we know as an exacerbation. This news could mean new research into therapies that will help COPD patients manage their disease much better.

Some of you may already know that I will be researching and writing a book about COPD. With this new insight I will not only focus on boosting immunity and reducing inflammation. But, I will now include antiviral foods. All the information I have found out about COPD specific diets are on paid sites. Which I don't think is right. I have studied nutrition for years and taken a few online classes from various universities and I know that this will not be easy. It will take it least a year for me to just study and research a diet that may be beneficial. It takes another year or two to experiment with this diet and began writing the book.

The book, yeah, I'm gonna have to charge for that. But it will be a small fee for all the hard work I put into this. This book will include variations for each person. Some COPD patients need to gain weight, they have trouble consuming enough calories to maintain a healthy weight. Some people are overweight, because they can't exercise enough to burn off all the calories they consume. And then there are those where few, who need to maintain their current weight. I hope to make lists of foods for you to choose from depending on which category you fit in.

A truly hope that there's much more research done on this terrible disease. Every year there are more and more people diagnosed with this disease. As many as 24 million people have COPD, and 12 million don't even know it! When I was first diagnosed, my respiratory specialist was shocked at how bad my illness was for my age. I have learned that many, many people with COPD were never smokers. Nor did they come from a home where their parents or spouse smoked. So how did these people get COPD? A virus that damaged the lung makes perfect sense. I can't wait to learn more about this! And, I honestly hope that new antiviral therapies will be in the works and may be used routinely in our care soon.

Original Article

What has been going on.

2014-09-02T04:57:00.000-05:00

The past few weeks have been so tough. On Sunday August 17th, my father was in the hospital for tests after having chest pains on the 15th. I came to visit him and he said my sister called and told him my niece was hit by a semi and died. WHY DIDN'T THEY CALL ME????

So, I called the number to find out it was my Aunt. Her youngest daughter, my dear cousin had been hit on the highway by a semi and died. My father had my Aunts number saved under my sisters name and was confused by this on top of the caller being very upset and hard to understand. My Aunt asked me to notify my brother and sister and my adult kids.

At his point I am crying, and notifying other family to meet at another cousins so my Aunt can tell everyone what happened all at the same time. After my phone calls and text messages, I go to my cousins where everyone is crying or in total shock. HOW does this happen? She was so bright and beautiful! She has a son, and he needs his mom!

After talking with and hugging everyone, even a prayer outside with my cousin and her friends, I came home to see this...

I thought squirrels busted into or out of our roof!!! I called my father to see what he wanted me to do. He said to call our neighbor to see if he could help. Well, by this time on Sunday, it was dark and my neighbor came over with a beer in hand. The roof was not getting covered that night. He said he would try to make it in the morning before the rain came.

The next morning, he said he was trying to find a ladder tall enough to reach, then they sky opened up and POURED HARD! All of that water went directly into the hole, into a closet on the second floor, out through two bedrooms, and down into the living room and my fathers bedroom on the main floor. It then went into the basement and soaked many boxes that were stored down there. The floor boards on the main floor are warped and buckled and will need replaced. AH!

We had "When Nature Calls" come out to trap any pests, they caught two squirrels and two english sparrows and patched the hole for us. They said this had to be done by a raccoon. Which could be true, the tree in the neighbors yard reaches the right side of the house and it would be easy for them to get onto the roof. The roof is being replaced the week of August 15th. What an expense for my father! He had already offered to help pay for his nieces funeral, and then this happened! Who has that kind of money just laying around? UGH!

Then there was the drama, fighting, and resolution to attend the funeral peacefully. When tragedy strikes, someone has to get blamed. I had hoped for better, but was disappointed to have to go against a family member and stick up for my deceased cousins husband who was getting blamed.

This Labor Day weekend I was supposed to hang out with my cousin, she invited me over for a cookout. Then, all of this happened and I will never see her again, so I am heartbroken.

After all of this, I look forward to getting a little something for myself tomorrow to get me inspired and focused. Tomorrow I will be getting Ommwriter and Hemingway to keep me on track. Hemingway costs $6.99 and OmmWriter is donation based with a minimum donation of $4.11. Hemingway will be great for self editing and proper spelling, punctuation and more. OmmWriter, is a distraction free writing environment with options to use different backgrounds that can stimulate your mood, and even sounds for typing like a typewriter. Which is the first thing I used when I started writing as a teen. It also has very soothing, peaceful music built in. I really want Scrivener as well. But I am not sure if I want to spend the $40 it will take to get that. It would be nice to have for organizing my ideas and formatting my writing. We will see.

I have already started a trilogy of fiction novels, that will follow a group of teens into adulthood. A mixture of adventure, drama, and romance. It has been a long time since I have written, and hopefully it comes back to me easily. So, I may even take a refresher class to make sure I am writing well.

On the side, when I am not writing the novels, I will be doing LOTS of research and experimentation for a COPD book. It is a wildly misunderstood disease and so many medical professionals are undereducated about it. It is my way of contributing to the people who suffer from this disease. I have found "pay to know" diets online... But, I will be using my nutrition knowledge to develop a diet that will help reduce inflammation and boost immunity. Of course, I will be looking for a nutrition expert to back up what I am working on. I will also be looking into some complementary and alternative therapies and using them on myself. This may take a few years to finalize.

Hopefully, it will work out well. Fans of my blog should look for some surveys in the next few months.

Sorry!

2014-08-21T19:12:00.000-05:00

The last few days have been crazy. My sweet, baby cousin was killed in an accident on Sunday. I am heartbroken. The whole family is. Her young son is left without his mother, A husband without a wife. Sisters, her mother, cousins, Aunts and Uncles, friends. How can this happen? She had cheated death twice. None of us will ever be the same. There is no excuse for this.

There is more to this story. I will post more after her funeral. Venting is healthy right? Writing, my therapy. No one knows exactly happened. But I know one thing for sure. It was not intentional.

Please excuse my temporary absence while I grieve with my family. I will be back shortly.

What to expect when you become disabled.

2014-08-14T22:55:00.001-05:00

Finding out you are no longer going to be able to work, is challenging at best. But, there are other things you may find more depressing. Here is a (by no means comprehensive) list of things I have experienced since finding out I had stage III lung disease. They are in no particular order, all are important for you to know about.

1. Your friends and family may doubt you.

Google "invisible illness", it is any disease or defect that isn't visible on the outside. Now, there are ways to handle this. And, I am not here to tell you what is the correct way. Each person is different, and will need further explanation in different ways. I am very sarcastic, and TRY to be upbeat about my situation. I joke, I laugh. But, I will not bow down and supply you with all of my medical records to appease your appetite for confirmation.

2. People will be mad at you.

They will blame you for causing your illness. You should have went to the Dr sooner, you shouldn't have smoked, you smoked pot when you were a teen, you work too much, you are too lazy... That is okay, they either LOVE you and just need to place blame somewhere... OR, they are selfish and have little compassion for others. You decide. If you know they are just upset and love you... HUG them tight! This hurts them too. If they are the selfish person, just avoid them.

3. Your friends and family relationships will change.

They are going to love you more, try to spend more time with you, help you more... Take it! You need it, and those precious moments you will be spending with them will make up for the next group of people... The ones that avoid you. These people can't deal with watching you go through this. That is okay! Just make sure you are not mean about it. Yes, it hurts. It will break your heart into a million pieces when some of these people start to avoid you, stop inviting you to things, don't call or come visit. It is their way of dealing. Let them have it. You need to keep happy, positive people in your life and close to you!

4. You will need to apply for Social Security Disability right away!

Don't wait like I did, until all of your saving is gone. You need to get medical coverage and financial assistance as soon as possible. Some medications can run into the hundreds + and procedures can run even higher. My medications run about $800 a month. That doesn't include rental of my oxygen concentrator, or nebulizer. I have problems with my hands, I have to wrap them every day, and every night. The wrap costs about $5 a roll. So I spend about $20 a week on those, $80 a month. Then there are many OTC medication I need to keep on hand as well. A decongestant, cough expectorant, cough suppressant. VITAMINS! You need to take a good multi vitamin every day! I also supplement with B-complex before bed.. It helps me sleep and wake up energized. So about $1000.00 a month just on medical expenses. There are a plethora of other supplements you may choose to use for a variety of reasons. That adds to your expenses. You NEED to use what is safe, doctor approved, and actually benefits you. Melatonin, St. Johns Wort, and so many others are beneficial and I may write a post about these at a later date.

Invisible Illness

2014-08-14T22:51:00.000-05:00

I used to look at people so differently. Especially, the people parked in the handicap parking spots. I didn't really see them.... Never really thought to much about them. When I did think of them, it was to help them load their van with the groceries they bought, or let them know the door in back was still open. But a part of me, was jealous that they got special treatment. Now... I look at them, HARD. That is now my special parking place! Then I look at myself... I don't look sick.

Sure, I have gained weight due to my illness. But, there is nothing on the outside that screams I need this parking place. I have no wheelchair, no crutches, no service dog, I have all of my limbs. Now, I just look like I am too lazy to walk any further. But I know. Some of you may know. We have a secret. Within our abled looking bodies, hides a serious disability. One that takes our breathe away, limits the amount of physical activity we can handle, one that is progressing a little more every day. One that is harder during certain types of weather. For me, it is the humidity, I can't breathe well at all. For others with COPD, it is the cold air that they can't handle. Making that prized parking spot all the more precious.

We can still function, and should to the best of our ability. Walking through the weather that bothers us the most too far, means we may not be able to finish getting our groceries, or what ever we were shopping for. I have cut many shopping trips short due to this. I just didn't have the energy to get it all done and had to leave before I got everything.

One major change I have made, is ordering groceries and having them delivered! In my area, the only service option I have is Schwann's... And I LOVE IT! I order bags of chicken breasts and veggies. All perfectly frozen and easy to portion out for myself and my 4 year old. All can be cooked stovetop or oven, or even microwaved. One thing I would love to have delivered is all of the gallons of milk we go through! I know there are other services in other areas that offer full service delivery. Take advantage of this! Your energy is better used for other things you enjoy doing.

If you haven't heard of The Spoon Theory by Christine Miserandino it is on http://www.butyoudontlooksick.com/wpress/ here is the direct link to the story: http://www.butyoudontlooksick.com/wpress/articles/written-by-christine/the-spoon-theory/

It explains how people with invisible illness live, manage their lives. I won't try to recreate that. By this time, I only have enough spoons to use the restroom and watch some tv before bed.

2014 until today

2014-08-11T23:38:00.002-05:00

2014.... What can I say about this year so far? My FEV1 is down to 26% which is pretty bad. Well, I heard those tragic words spoken at my last appointment....

"you qualify for a transplant."

So far, we have been working on that. Getting my weight down. Plus, I have to have been off cigarettes long enough. Then, my pulmonologist had me come in for another revaluation before she went on maternity leave. Since I was doing great, she decided to wait to make the big decision until AFTER she comes back from her leave. That is fine with me. I love her, she has been a wonderful Dr. and so helpful.

I am working on myself, trying to get as healthy as I can be, and waiting for her to get back to work. Of course, I get sick this past few days. Hopefully nothing too bad. Every respiratory illness is so dangerous. My pulmonologist will be back in October, then on Halloween my sweet little princess will turn 5 years old. My oldest just turned 27 and her and her hubby bought their first home! Soon, my middles child will be 21!

Very exciting time for us all.

The next few post will most likely be general interest articles. I hopefully won't have anything health wise to report!

APPS that help with managing COPD

2014-08-07T16:38:00.000-05:00

APPS... Whether you love them or hate them, they are here too stay.

I have found them to be a great way to help manage my COPD, and give me something to do when I am feeling too down to do much of anything. Sure there are games, you can even read books, watch videos. But, I am talking about the apps that are going to help you live better.

The apps I have inserted links for, are all for Android, because that is what I am currently using. There is a good chance they are in the iTunes App store as well. And, all are for America. But of course there are many great apps for other countries. Check them out!

There are apps to help you manage and take your medications on time, remind you to refill them, and keep a log of all of this to take to the Dr. office. The most comprehensive app I have found for this is :

MediSafe Meds & Pill Reminder
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.medisafe.android.client

Of course, many pharmacies also have apps that work well, and can be used if they suit your needs.

Symptom Trackers, log how you feel:

COPD Care
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=air.com.sunovion.copdcare.A20131202
COPD Diary Card
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=B4B.DiaryCard

There are apps to remind you to take a break or meditate. I find these useful reminders are a great way to take time to exercise my lungs with an exercising devise like Accapella, POWERbreathe Plus, or whatever your Dr. has recommended...

Universal Breathing: Pranayama
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.saagara.universalpranayama&hl=en

Peaceful Breathing
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.kunstmusik

Breathe Well
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.complitech.breathewell

There are apps for services you may need. Like, pizza delivery and other types of food of course! Grocery delivery, and other services, depending on the area you live. Just look up your favorites and install them! You may find something that could really help you live better.

There are also apps to help you keep tabs on environmental triggers:

State of the Air
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.reddeluxe.sota

If you have a favorite app that you think would be helpful to others, please leave it in the comments, along with whether it is Android, or Apple and what country it is for.

2013

2014-07-27T03:56:00.000-05:00

So I have changed pulmos and my lung function has decrease at this point. Struggling to quit smoking and stay quit. No one calls me, no one invites me out anymore. No one seems to care that I really need them and WANT them in my life. As my lung function decreases, so does my group of friends. No one wants to be friends with a chick that is going to possibly die in a year or two.

Seems as though I try so hard to stay positive and do right, no one seems to care. Not many seem to offer help or even a kind word. No matter. I will be strong and positive for myself and my children like I always have been. There are too many what if's? And, to many other questions going through my head this year.

I want to write personal letters to each of the friends and family members I have. I know I can't write EVERYONE. But, those that I have been closest too. What do I say? Tell them good things I assume. How they helped shape my life, how I valued their friendship. Been looking for stationary to do this. It has to be beautiful, meaningful, and hopefully lined! I cannot write in a straight line for anything!

I have made my will, my 5 Wishes, and my adult daughters are going to raise their little sister when I am gone, if I am gone before she is old enough. Some things need finalized. Others can wait, or I trust that my kids will do the right thing. I don't want cremated. But, how can I leave a heavier burden on my family with the cost of a burial?

Things get heavy. Thoughts, feeling, and at this point I am planning for the worst case senario... But of course, keeping my head up and a smile on my face.

I know the last few posts haven't been super eventful or exciting. But, after next Saturdays post, I will post more freely and touch on many more topics.

Thanks you for reading! I can't believe how many readers I have in just a few short weeks! Thanks so much!

2012

2014-07-18T21:14:00.000-05:00

2012 was full of waiting... Waiting to get into the new Pulmonologist. Waiting to get into pulmonary rehab. Waiting for my insurance o cover nicotine patches. Waiting to get results from my Alpha-1 test. Waiting just to wait more. Last year, I filed for social security disability. WAITING to hear from them. Waiting and wanting this to all go away.

Nothing eventful happened, just more appointments, some medication changes. I feel like I am cheating on the readers of this post! There was just a lot of waiting. Of course, I sat down and googled COPD. I watched videos about COPD. I joined many online support groups, and learned each persons COPD journey is very different, yet very similar as well. There is not clear setting or situation with COPD. There is no definitive reason one gets COPD. Sure, the majority are or were smokers. Although pretty rare in my experience, Alpha-1 is a genetic defect that causes COPD. There are people that are not Alpha-1 and never smoked and have no heavy environmental exposure that could cause it.

This disease is perplexing. There are more people with it at and older ages than myself, being 41, most into their 60's and older. A very rare few are younger than myself. Mostly younger women, in their 20's... Mostly? All of about 2 or 3 out of hundreds of people in the groups I belong too. The way COPD presents in people is varied, the way it decreases ones ability varies a little. I have found that most people breathe better in warm, humid air... Mine lungs would rather be breathing icy cold, dry air. Some, have a very low oxygen level that means they have to be on oxygen at all times. Others, need oxygen only for sleeping, like myself. Some, use it only when exercising. My FEV1 level is low, but my oxygen stays pretty high unless I am sick with a respiratory infection.

There needs to be much more research on this disease, and illnesses it encompasses. I hope you will support group efforts and donate when you see the opportunity.

2011

2014-07-12T19:33:00.003-05:00

FINALLY got a new Dr. that asked if the Respiratory Specialist could take over my appointment! YAY! Susan Collazzo talked to me about everything, ran some tests and told me I may have asthma, but I have a bigger problem. COPD, my lungs were very ill and I needed different medication. My lung function at that time was charted at 40%. She talked to me about the disease, and asked me many questions about my habits... Where did I work in the past, what environmental exposures could have caused such damage to my lungs?

Sure, I smoked. I smoked for many years, about a half a pack a day. Occasionally, I smoke a little more than that, and never smoked anything weird. Honestly, I smoked marijuana very rarely... Maybe one hit every year or two? Seriously, not my thing. And, I never smoked anything else. No, I am not saying that smoking did not contribute to my illness... But, it is not the major cause. It is an aggravator. And, has caused less damage than me being sick with pneumonia for nearly a year without medical intervention caused.

I have worked in a few places that I would consider "dirty". One was a packaging plant and the air was THICK with oil. They called it tarp(?), and it was "boiled" in big vats in the back room. There was zero air purification, no air conditioning, and only a few windows opened. I remember coming home from work and taking a shower right away because I felt so gross. The water would run off of me so dark, and I had to shampoo twice to get all the gunk out. My ears and nose needed cleaned out too. The black gunk on the Q-tips, disgusting. But, I had to work. This was only a temp job. I worked there for 2 months.

In recent years, my allergies have gone through the roof. Everything was more severe than in previous years. I was working in a pet store in 2008 and was really sick all that year. It always started with a cough, then phlegm, then full blown pneumonia. Every 2 months, and it would take 2 months to recover, just to get it again. This went on for a YEAR before I went to the Dr. or an ER. I left one night, a little early and went to the ER. I was admitted and stayed for 4 days. It has became a yearly occurrence. My ignorance for putting my job before my health. And, that is most likely why my lungs have so much damage to them.

She told me I had the lungs of an 80 year old coal miner, and that getting sick with a respiratory infection just one time could be the last time. She told me I should go to pulmonary rehab, quit smoking and lose weight. So, I have struggled with quitting for a long time. I thought medication would help, so I tried Chantix...

FROM THE CHANTIX WEBSITE (https://www.chantix.com/how-it-works.aspx)

(There are receptors for nicotine in your brain. When you smoke, the nicotine you inhale attaches to these receptors. This sends a message to a different part of your brain to release a chemical called dopamine. Dopamine gives you a feeling of pleasure. But it does not last long. That's why your body craves more nicotine. This can become a vicious cycle.

For illustrative purposes only.

CHANTIX is different from most other quit-smoking products. It targets nicotine receptors in the brain, attaches to them, and blocks nicotine from reaching them. By activating these nicotine receptors, it is also believed that CHANTIX causes less dopamine – compared to nicotine – to be released.)

It did not work for me. All it did do for me was make my McDonalds Sweet Tea taste really gross. So, I asked for the nicotine patches. Denied! Over and over, denied. What am I going to do? The cigarettes are stronger than they were years ago when I quit! Now, the addiction to cigarettes is being compared to a heroin addiction. So at this point I am really upset and worried about my being able to quit. Because I am HOOKED.

COPDandME41

2014-07-09T16:12:00.001-05:00

How to stay in touch with this blog? Of course, you can click the follow button! But you can also fine me on

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/COPD-and-Me-my-journey-to-get-new-lungs/1428398230710263

Or Twitter:

https://twitter.com/COPDandME41

Thanks for reading! Have a beautiful day!

2010

2014-07-05T12:00:00.000-05:00

After I had my little princess, of course I had maternity leave, and a week of vacation, I was still so tired! Something wasn't right. I waited until she was 6 months old to have the gallbladder removed. Hoping it would help me regain all of the energy I had lost. It is amazing how cutting FOOD out of my diet helped prevent further attacks while I was pregnant. Even after the surgery, I was still so tired, it never went away!

By now it is mid 2010 and I am making several Dr appts. Going in every 2-3 weeks to try to find out what is wrong with me. I mean, I know last year was rough. But, I am pretty tough. I don't crack under pressure. What I do is internalize stress. That stress exhibits in different ways, usually making me tired! After going to several appts and getting no where, I decided to rethink how to handle this. The old Dr, did send me for a sleep study. Which came out okay. Sure, I have a touch of sleep apnea, but nothing that requires further treatment. By years end, I decided to change primary Dr.s and seriously consider quitting my job.

How can I keep working and being a full time parent when I sleep nearly every minute that I am not at work? I had a teen at home and an infant! The teen was getting way too much unsupervised time, and the baby wasn't getting time with her momma like a baby needs. Yes, I am a single parent. Being so drained all the time, I am cheating my family, and cheating my coworkers. Which is not fair to anyone. I need to be at my best and at that point my best really sucked.

Changing primary Dr.s was easy. I made an appt and saw the new one, and she decided not to change anything just yet. Fine, get to know me. LOL This is a pretty uneventful, and unremarkable year. Short post! Do you feel cheated? Okay, I will post 2 this week. I want to keep them separate so it is easy to see how long this all went on.

2009

2014-06-21T12:30:00.000-05:00

Sometime between late-December 2008 and January 2009 I got pregnant. The how, we all know that. Why? Well, I ended up with the most amazing little girl! So all of that really doesn't matter. She is the light of my life, what drives me, what makes me breathe, she is just precious.

Welcome to the world Tiny Princess!

Okay, so anyways... My mother was also going through some major medical issues at that time. I cannot begin to tell you how many trips to the ER, or how many times she was admitted to the hospital, or transferred back to the nursing home. If I got a phone call, I left work to be by my mothers side, unless that wasn't possible, then I went as soon as I got off. I was working full time, and then on the weekends my middle daughter and I went to concerts to see my friends band play. We helped promote and sell merchandise, and we loved it. My oldest had given birth to my first grandson and my second was a "wild" teen. Mom was working too much, she had too much freedom through the week. With their grandmother so ill, there was no one to looked after her while I was at work. Life was crazy at the time. I was busy. And, I was TIRED! Which is a normal thing for me to be when pregnant, but not this tired.

After I found out I was for sure prego, we were told that my mother wouldn't make it much longer. Those phone calls got even more urgent. We got a call that "it was happening" and to hurry and get to the hospital. I left work, telling them I really wasn't sure when I would be back. They were so good to me during this time, and I was so grateful! We sat bedside for hours. Hours turned into days. Then it happened. Surrounded with the love of her family and dear friends.

I never told my mother I was pregnant. I didn't want to hurt her like that. She LOVED her grandchildren and they were very, very close. We lived with my parents a good portion of their childhood. When we moved, we tried to stay close to my parents home, twice we moved to different cities, and my mother would practically beg me to bring the girls to say the night on the weekend. So, I did. LOL

Well, just after we had the memorial service for my mother, I had the most horrible pain in my abdomen! I was only 8 weeks along, and I have had a miscarriage before at about 6 weeks. There was no way this pain was a miscarriage. I was writhing in pain, and knowing I was pregnant made me so afraid for my baby that I went straight to the ER. The Dr. told me he thought I had gallstones and needed to do a few tests to confirm. HE also asked if there was any chance of me being pregnant. YES I am pregnant. He came back and said I needed surgery... But, was right about being pregnant. The pain, I would have to bear throughout the pregnancy. I could have surgery after she was born. So for last 7 months of my pregnancy I was having trouble eating, or keeping down my prenatal vitamin. I drank lots of Muscle Milk and SlimFast for the nutrition. LOTS of it. And, slept every hour that I was not working. That is how completely drained I was.

Me, at work. So close to delivering my baby my Halloween baby.

What does all of this have to do with COPD????

I'll tell you in my next blog post!.

Look how small she was. A whole 5 pounds of her.

Introduction

2014-06-21T09:50:00.000-05:00

Hello!

I am so glad you took the time to check out my blog. This will be my way of communicating to everyone my struggle with COPD.

The next several posts will be about the first year I found something was wrong, and a summary of year following that. Of course, I will sprinkle in some more personal info about myself and interests here and there for those who don't know me or don't know me very well.

Being diagnosed with this "invisible" disease has been tough. I am only 41, and was diagnosed in 2011. I have a tiny little princess who is just 4 years old! My two older girls are 26 and 20. And, I have two grandsons as well. So with this diagnosis, I worry so much about them all. I want to see my little girl and grandsons, and my future grandchildren grow. Being there for their big days, and their bad days, and all of the days in between is so important to me.

No one lives forever. Although, sometimes we wish we could. I have accepted the reality that I may not be here in a few years. But, I maintain a positive attitude and make light of my situation. The only time I get down, is when someone challenges me about being sick, or how sick, or just doesn't understand how much help I really need, or why I can't keep plans, go to events, don't come visit, or show so little empathy that I wonder if they are actually human.

Since my diagnosis, I have joined many online support groups, and educated myself about the disease. I do not know everything there is to know about COPD. The term was coined more recently and is more of an umbrella name for many diseases of the lungs. There has not been enough study done on COPD, but one major find, was that it can be genetic. Rare, but possible. I have two DNA tests to be sure that is not the case for me, and thankfully, I am not a carrier.

So, in closing, I am here to share my story, my experiences. Hopefully, you will join me and learn more about this disease, one of the fastest growing diseases we face today. This isn't just about me, it is about you, and your family and loved ones too. Grow with me, learn with me, share with me, breathe with me.