The Confident Traveler

image of a cartoonish anthropomorphic hiking boot blazing a trail

I know I have limitations, but I have come up with ways to work with them.
I still think there is a treatment option out there that can help me.
My life has changed a lot, but I am finding solutions and open to more.
I am comfortable talking with my doctor and welcome new information.

Self Love Is Acceptance

Acceptance of our condition is acceptance of our life situation and our COPD. The key to being chronically ill is to accept your situation. It does not mean that you...

How COPD Affects Every Aspect of Life

We recently asked our COPD community on Facebook if there were any symptoms that took them by surprise. Many respondents answered that they were surprised about how COPD has affected...

Accepting Limitations

A big topic of conversation frequently seems to be on weight. It seems easier to help others with their struggles, yet more difficult to deal with my own. Is it...

Becoming Friends With COPD

I know it sounds absurd, becoming friends with an illness that has changed my life so drastically. When I was first diagnosed with COPD, I raged against it, life and...

COPD 101: Staying Independent vs. When to Accept Help

When you have a chronic health condition such as COPD, there can be a fine line between staying independent and accepting help. Most of us want to care for ourselves...

Limitations to Everyday Living

People constantly say that the hardest part of living with COPD is in the limitations of everyday living. At Resp Rehab, I was taught that breaking tasks down into smaller parts...

Why I Chose Not to Have a Lung Transplant

I have been quite happy with my general practitioner handling my COPD. On one visit he decided I should have a pulmonologist. He explained they keep up on new medicines...

Be Kind - Always

I’m told that quote is attributable to the late Catholic missionary – Mary Teresa Bojaxhiu, commonly known as Mother Teresa. She is now a Catholic Saint. What extraordinary words. What...

My Window: Creating Some Pleasantness When You're Sick

Like many of you, since I’ve been diagnosed with COPD (I’m stage three) my mobility has become severely limited. I am basically limited to my house and yard. We live...