Asking for help is so so hard

Having stage 4 COPD is hard enough to live with but been active all my 63 years I am learning to adapt and plan ahead any days out watching football ,going for meals and fishing and more importantly holidays.
If involves long walks or hills and steps then it’s a no no.

I love to go fishing in the fresh air here in uk but really struggle lifting and carrying my gear people always used to ask if I needed a hand but I’d always refuse and struggle myself due to been embarrassed,in fact one day it took me 4 hours to pack away due to my stubbornness.

However I am learning to accept help when offered more and more as I was only making myself worse refusing.

The majority of people are genuinely kind and realise I am not well and are more than happy to help than see me suffer although I always apologise as I so wish I could still lead a decent life.

So my message is simple once you realise that people genuinely want to help you and it’s not embarrassing anymore to say actuality I wouldn’t mind some help and you perhaps won’t have to hide and try and get your breath and fill your lungs back up and go through the discomfort.