When you think stage 4 copd is too much to handle.......
I was diagnosed with copd age 48 and placed on oxygen within a week. I kept busy and moreless distracted raising our three children. Kids grew up, married, had children and went on with their lives with us getting together weekly which was my highlight of my week......as my kids were always my life and loved dearly.......
but now I am 72.......stage 4 and to top it off with a rotten cherry, i have been most recently diagnosed with cancer......and so the treatments will begin, first starting with surgery to remove as much as possible.
I have learned not to fret over A......because there will one day be a B or even a C or D to absolutely blow your mind and throw you into the biggest depression imaginable tossed in with huge doses of self pity and asking, "Why me, I am kind to everyone".......bad things happen to everyone and anyone.....its called life and we can mope and cry .....but why waste time and the energy when you will need that energy to fight off the latest of evils, with me, being cancer.
Now don't start throwing your phones or computers at me......i am human too and from living life, I have learned and chosen to take with me, the mindset to fight off diseases with calm, laughter and love, and when they don't seem enough, prayer.......turn to praying....meditation with calming music....it wont take away the facts, but does help you manage and deal with all you are going through.
Js Joan,
Very well thought out and stated Joan. I agree 100% with everything you stated in this post. Everyone with COPD and any other disease for that matter has to deal with their own thoughts. It is not an easy task for sure. Just when you think you have it all under control, wham, another problem to deal with. As you stated, that is how life is. We must learn to cope as best as possible as soon as possible. I loved everything about this post! Take care and God Bless!Thank you.....not perfected but i gotta keep trying.........
Hi Joan - we could all take a lesson from you, your outlook, perspective, and approach to managing these diseases and....life, too!!
Keep up the good, calm, laughing, love, and musical fight!! It all helps BIG TIME!!
Warmly,
Leon L (author/moderator)
Leon, I have my moments too, trust me but then when my copd worsens due to my tears and fear taking away what breath i do have or stressing out over my health, realizing stress can lead to cancer.......i go in prayer, meditate, take deep breaths, get myself together....stress is a very negative thing, whether to yourself or those creating it, affecting you.....i also put on my Roku to the calm station and lay back comfy, eyes closed, listening to ocean waves.....my happy place has always been the beach.
Calm vs Stress........a no-brainer........yet i at times force myself as i realize its worth it for mind and body.hey Doris.........you are quite strong, good for you. i will add you to my prayer list as we can never get enough help and healing from above.......please enlighten me regarding your Immunotherapy treatments....what is involved, how, etc.......I'm totally interested....i have read and totally believe a broken down immune system is the culprit to all diseases.... Hello again! I agree with you on a broken down immune system problems for I have 3 different autoimmune diseases and now the cancer. But this treatment does not correct that at all. darn it anyway! Here is a couple links that might be helpful to understanding how the immunotherapy works in more simple terms for those of us that can't follow all the medical lingo LOL there is so many different types pending on which cancer and where it's located can help.
https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/types/immunotherapy and https://www.cancer.org/cancer/managing-cancer/treatment-types/immunotherapy/what-is-immunotherapy.html
My therapy is given via infusion. Since I had to have multiple Chemo treatments and now multiple Immunotherapy treatments a "Port" was placed in my shoulder / upper chest area. Why? Because the infusions are done through the veins, this "port" helps with not having to constantly be picking more holes in the veins and cause scar tissue issues, instead it's a little ball type device with a pick line that remains in the vein, the little ball is then used to draw blood and run the infusions through like a little gateway. That was surgically inserted under the skin so no one can see it, it is not opened to air either. Still have to be aware and careful protect that area. Mine takes about 2 hours in a recliner at the Cancer Center/Hospital, most of the time is waiting for the blood work to came back first to see if my body / organs are tolerating the medication okay. All medication has side effects you know. Once the IV bag is empties, then of course the IV lines are removed. bandaged and off I go. I usually sleep through the treatment, have seen people read, crochet, knit, play games, do puzzle books... just sitting there!
Side effects and tolerating such treatments is all individual of course. As the doctor explained to me on the one I am taking it is tolerated quite well, have not noticed anything really, I guess I would say my fatigue is still pretty heavy, but that is caused by a few different things. Pretty much do what ever I can and live life until the next treatment .
The best advice I can give you is, listen to your Doctor(s), ask a lot of questions when given new information or even send them emails or call later if you think of something else to ask. Everyone has been extremely kind and helpful, patient too! Keep yourself as healthy as possible with eating, sleeping, and staying away from sick people, use a mask if your not when going out and about, wash hands.. You know that routine right, not like we all haven't had to live that recently.
Thoughts and prayers for you too! Never can have to many.
If you have any other questions that you might want to ask pleas feel free to ask. Doris
Doris, You have given me a lot here and i do thank you for taking the time to do so. How do you feel with them chemo outside of tiredness? Are you nauseated much? You sound like you are handling this well and sleeping through it would be my choice as well.....it would go faster for one. I'm in the beginning stages (although the Dr refers to it as aggressive) Next month I sit on the "chopping block as he starts to get all cancer out layer by layer the "Mohs" way.....so it doesn't spread to my other organs. At this time, they are calling it, aggressive squamous cell carcinoma skin cancer. I was misdiagnosed being told I had non-cancerous PN..(i did get a second opinion, thank God)....If he can cut it all out on my leg and my arm, it has a good chance not to spread to organs but he's concerned due to the rapid growth thus far. Oddly, i learned steroids cause cancer........many of my copd meds contain some steroid. So it's rather a matter of what to do next...again, thank you! You are a strong person.......A strong person helps to make their body strong.....good for you! My prayers are with you, please know it.
Thanks for asking and your support. Only nauseated once, after the first treatment, but the doctor had already prescribed me a couple meds for that just in case. After that, nothing, just was never hungry, but had to eat of course. Hair loss and fatigue. This new treatment has been just the fatigue. VERY LUCKY I AM! As for your issues, hoping the removal will go well and heal up quickly with not to much pain. My sister has had both basil and squamous cell cancers removed from her skin on several occasions over a period of at least 10 yrs. She has been fortunate for it not to spread to the inside of her at this time. She goes in for regular check ups of course, has her body scanned to make sure nothing new appears or if it has its caught quickly. Gee's so happy you went for the 2nd opinion, smart lady you are! Oh the woes of medications and side effects. It is actually a tough thing to figure out. You know having to weigh out the good, the bad and the ugly of them all. Funniest thing I think is that even cancer treatments can cause cancer let alone all other medicines and their side effects. Anymore I read the warning, tuck them in to my head and move on with what needs to be done, live the best life I can and what will be will be. Not that I want anymore trouble, just all the stress of "what could happen" seems to make some of my other medical problems worse and makes me feel like dirt.
I so wish you with much lucky for the doctor to get clean margins and kiss that squamous cell GOOD BYE !!!! You have this, you are strong! Doris
