Becky Brooks

Living with COPD is not easy. Dealing with the day-to-day aggravations of being short of breath and the anxiety it causes is hard. But on top of that, a lot...

"Attitude is everything." We have all heard that saying. But what happens when you have a really tough day? It's one of those days where you feel like giving up...

What are your living arrangements? Are you able to live independently? Are you married? Do you have family close by? Do you have a caregiver in your home, or are...

After my first serious exacerbation, I was too weak to walk across the room. I was devastated and scared. A very serious case of pneumonia had almost put me in my grave. ...

I exercise, meditate, eat healthy meals, and am generally happy. Yet, there are days that I wake up depressed, feel out of place in my own home, or find myself...

I often hear some of you that have COPD say that you have no help. I believe people when they say this, but I also know that sometimes we need...

Healthcare can be problematic for those with COPD who live in rural areas. There isn't a pulmonologist in our area; the nearest specialist affiliated with our medical group is two...

Like many of you, I am on oxygen twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. I got pneumonia, was hospitalized, and woke up on oxygen. It was a stark reality...

Before having COPD, I never suffered from panic attacks. It just wasn't a part of my world. I guess I never even witnessed someone else experiencing panic to the level...

We recently took our first vacation in almost 2 years. I spent hours planning this trip because I am a planner by trade and a worrier by night. I say that in...

COPD opens the floodgates to many psychological demons. Some of the demons that plague me are depression, embarrassment, fear, and feelings of worthlessness.  I know that I am not alone in...

What a motto this saying became back in the 80's when the song "Don't Worry, Be Happy" came out. At that time, I worried about very little. As my health deteriorated though...

Change is hard for me. Any change is a challenge when you have a debilitating disease. Right now, the season is changing. The air is starting to chill in the...

When you are diagnosed with COPD, you will most likely want to make changes in your home environment. It is so important to eliminate anything that may be harmful to your...

Stress is my enemy. It can wreck my day, make my heart race, and take my breath away. How those of us with COPD handle stress impacts our daily life. It can make...

Pre-COPD, I had always led a fairly active life. Up until about ten years ago, I snow skied, hiked, gardened, and worked lots of hours. As this disease progressed, I...

Many of us that have progressed stages of COPD also have a harrowing tale of our first exacerbation and the fear we felt when we couldn’t catch our breath. My...