My Grandsons Interviewed Me About COPD: Here's What They Asked

My grandkids are always inquisitive about my Alpha-1, so I thought I would share their questions and how I answer them in an article. I gave them instructions to ask me some questions on video that they wanted to know about my COPD, and then once we had the video done, I went back, listened to the answers, and wrote it all down.

An interview with my grandsons about life with Alpha-1

I started with my youngest grandchild, Nash, who is six years old.

Do you work out every single day?

Not every day. I try, and I should, but there are days that I don't. We need exercise every day, which helps keep us going. Everybody should try to get at least 30 minutes of exercise a day.

How much medicine do you have to take every single day?

Well, I take two breathing treatments in the morning and at bedtime. Then I take an inhaler which I take for my lungs. I take this one time a day. Methotrexate for my arthritis. I take Humira for my arthritis as well. Yeah, and those are my vitamins (as Nash is pointing to my vitamins).

What are those? (pointing to my vitamins)

I also take vitamins and then a nasal spray, and I take folic acid that I have to take because of the methotrexate for my arthritis. I think that's it.

What do you do every single day when you wake up?

Well, I take my CPAP off as soon as I get up. You know, that mask that I wear to bed? I take that off, hook my oxygen back up to my tubing, and I put my oxygen on, and then get up and go to the bathroom. Normally, I'll get washed up and dressed, change my clothes for the day, and brush my teeth. I then come out and start doing my breathing treatments and taking my medicine for the day, and then I try to get some exercise in if I can.

What do you do with your arm?

I try to remember to do some arm exercises every day. That helps, and I try not to baby it, but sometimes that's hard when it hurts. I also do Tai Chi. That is another exercise that I do.

Do you go out of the house every single day?

Well, not every single day. It depends on the weather. Most of the time, when I get out of the house, it's usually to go to one of your guys' games. Or to get groceries.

Do you help people when they don't know if they have your thing (Alpha-1)?

When they have COPD like me? Yes. I do try to help people. I'm in a lot of different support groups online. Yes, I'm on that phone all the time, aren't I (as he is making phone gestures with his hands)?

I help answer questions or write articles. I am on the computer trying to answer any questions from COPD groups. I also like to help my friend run a support group for A-1 patients and help people with A-1.

I then began a conversation with Nash's brother, Nixon.

How's your health?

I'm not as healthy as some people, but I'm pretty stable regarding my lungs. I can get sick at times, and I've had pneumonia a few times, but as far as my lung function goes (that means how well Nana’s lungs are breathing), I've been pretty stable over the last 13 years since I've been diagnosed with A-1.

I'm done

I hope you have enjoyed this article. I wish I could capture the humor that they had in the videos when I initially let them interview me.

If you have any comments or questions, you can ask them below in the comment section.