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a woman who is out of breath putting up a hand to a doctor

My Diagnosis of COPD

The first time I realized that I might be having some breathing problems was many years before my diagnosis.

Working in the downtown core often meant that parking wasn’t always close or easy. This day I had to park a few blocks away. Getting to work was a slow and steady walk. After work, my son and daughter met me to get a ride home. They walked ahead of me and I could not keep up with them to pick up my car.

Catching my breath

I had to stop a few times to catch my breath. Finally, when I caught up with them, I was gasping for breath and working hard to get a breath in, the very opposite of what I should have been doing. I had never even heard of a disease called COPD and I had no idea how to breathe properly. My son and daughter were deep in conversation and didn’t notice my gasping and wheezy breath.

My biggest mistake

That was the day I made my biggest mistake. Instead of seeing a doctor, I shrugged it off as if it were nothing. I got into my car and lit a cigarette and didn’t give it a second thought.

However, I did notice that as I continued smoking and time went on that I was very aware of not being able to exert myself. Shying away from partaking in the physical activity at work functions, I assigned someone to vacuum the carpets for me and to change the bed linens. If we went to a restaurant with stairs, I stayed put once I climbed up, saying I was cutting down when asked to join the smoking crowd.

My secret

You see, like most of us, I was keeping it a secret without even being conscious that I was doing it. Getting very good at hiding it from everyone, even my daughter who I worked with, I am not too sure what I was thinking at the time. Probably I was just in denial and that it just couldn’t happen to me as I continued to smoke a package of cigarettes a day.

It never occurred to me to stop smoking or to see my doctor. It would be many years later that I would ask for a lung function test. After seeing a commercial on TV that said if you are finding yourself short of breath, see your doctor and ask for a lung function test. My entire family asked me if I had seen that commercial and that it was for me. I was so good at hiding my symptoms that my doctor didn’t believe me when I said I thought I might have COPD.

Getting the results

The results showed I had a lung function of 29%. Without knowing what a lung function was I knew from the tone of the doctor’s voice that I was in big trouble. I was devastated. He indicated that he couldn’t do much for me. He ordered me an additional puffer and set up an appointment to see a specialist. By the time I saw the specialist, a month later, I would be in critical condition and in heart failure.

If I can say anything to everyone about COPD it is that early diagnosis is the key to functioning with COPD. I try to imagine that I went to the doctor on that first day when I had to walk to my car. What a difference that would have made to my life!

Editor’s Note: We are extremely saddened to say that on January 7th, 2024, Barbara Moore passed away. Barbara’s advocacy efforts and writing continue to reach many. She will be deeply missed.

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This article represents the opinions, thoughts, and experiences of the author; none of this content has been paid for by any advertiser. The COPD.net team does not recommend or endorse any products or treatments discussed herein. Learn more about how we maintain editorial integrity here.

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