Inhalers and Their Proper UseToo often, I seem to read about "inhaler abuse." A recent study cited in the Journal of General Internal Medicine stated, "Inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) use among patients with COPD increases...reactions13comments
Fresh Air!Is there anything better than being inside the house or apartment on a cold winter’s day when you don’t have to go out and you can enjoy all that beautiful...reactions18comments
My Friend Rick (Part 4)Editor's note: Check out Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3 of this interview series. Kevin: You had gone to rehab before the surgery? Rick: Yeah. I really liked it...reactions3comments
My Friend Rick (Part 3)Earlier this year, I wrote two articles (Part 1, Part 2) about a new friend “Rick” (not his actual name). I had been making an effort to be placed on...reactions7comments
Thunderstorms and BreathingWhen I was a small child, I was deathly afraid of thunderstorms. According to my late mother, at the first crack of lightning and thunder, Max, the family German Shepherd...reactions9comments
Transplant – Part 1“Wake up, Mr. Davitt. Wake up.” “Mmmph...ehhh...wha? What?” “It’s time to wake up and see how you’re doing?” My eyes opened and my vision was very blurry. I saw faces...reactions34comments
Virtual Reality and COPDI was never a video game player. My two sons play – too often, in my opinion - and many of my friends play as well. These are men in...reactionscomments
Oxygen TechnologyGadgets and modifications of everything we use in the kitchen to sophisticated changes in top-notch computers are announced each day and celebrated in the media. Every day there seem to...reactions106comments
If you use supplemental oxygen, which kind do you use?Do you use a portable oxygen concentrator or a metal oxygen tank with a regulator?...reactions4replies
Caring for Our CaregiversHow aware are we of our loved ones and those who look out for us? Have we recently shown our appreciation for the consideration they have for us, for our...reactionscomments
My Friend, Rick (Part 2)This is the second part of the series 'My Friend, Rick' which showcases my interview with a friend who recently had a lung transplant. Part one can be found here...reactions4comments
Oxygen DepletionAfter 8 years of living with COPD, you’d think I know all about oxygen and its usefulness in treating the disease. I don’t. But I’m always anxious to learn. I...reactions16comments
My Friend, Rick (Part 1)I’ve been doing as much research as I possibly can about lung transplants. I previously wrote that I’ve been pre-accepted into the New York/Presbyterian/Columbia Lung Transplant Program. That means that...reactions4comments
Snow and COPDSince my COPD was diagnosed, I miss being able to shovel snow. Honestly. Sounds crazy, I know. But growing up in the Northeast United States, shoveling snow has been a...reactions5comments
ThanksgivingThanksgiving. It’s my favorite holiday - way beyond Christmas which has become so commercialized it’s no longer recognizable to me. The Christmas decorations used to go up sometime after Thanksgiving...reactions2comments
Congratulations to New York State!The State of New York just raised the minimum age required to purchase tobacco and electronic cigarette products age from 18 to 21. The law went into effect November 13...reactions3comments
The FallLove the fall. It’s my favorite season. I feel like my lungs open up (relatively, for someone with COPD) and that I can breathe so much better than I can...reactions3comments
One Way to Spread Awareness of COPDCOPD Awareness month presents the opportunity, for those of us who currently live with COPD and all of its symptoms, to call attention to the deadliness of the disease and...reactions2comments
VapingI Googled, “vaping” and “death” just now. There have been so many awful headlines lately and so much bad/sad news about folks, many of them very young, who had died...reactionscomments
New Lungs!Sometimes I fantasize about having new lungs. Seriously. I’ve applied for a lung transplant and I’m making progress. But, it’s kind of a “Catch-22” situation if you’re familiar. You have...reactions19comments
