What Do You Like to Do on a Rainy Day?

I usually know before I get out of bed that it is going to be a cold, wet day. I can hear the rain on my windowsill and feel the difference in the air. These days are never good for those of us with COPD. The rain leaves a ton of humidity in the air and it makes us feel like we are trying to breathe underwater. Our airways feel clogged and damp and getting air in and out makes it hard on us. Some days I am just left gasping for air.

A self care day

I know one thing for sure, this will not be a productive day. I will probably not be sitting in my office working, rather I will be in my comfy chair in the living room either watching a good murder mystery or reading about one on my tablet.

Diet

My diet will be light today. A homemade chicken soup is in order. It takes little effort to put the ingredients into the crockpot because I chop and prepare ahead of time. A few carrots, celery, an onion, some garlic, chicken broth, and chicken breasts. The smell is a heavenly scent throughout the house all day. A bit of turmeric added to the broth will be extremely helpful. I can add rice or noodles at the end of the day. A fresh loaf of bread will finish off my bounty.

Exercise

My exercise will wait until later in the day after I have regained my breathing to a reasonable state. Then I will use my peddler and push the peddles slowly until I get into the ZONE. By then I will feel better and I will be able to get my necessary time and steps in for the day. It always feels great to keep up with my exercise despite how I feel because it always makes me feel better.

I did very well for myself

As I get up and wander around the house, I will start the dishwasher, put in a load of laundry, and use my Roomba. This means that housework is being done with no effort from myself. The house looks tidy and well kept and I didn’t have to lift a finger.

I may take a few minutes to call my sister or a girlfriend and text with my daughter. I love keeping in touch and I know they like to hear how I am doing. We try to find some common ground to talk about and it is rather nice to hear about their hobbies and what they are doing. It's great to get caught up in their lives for a few minutes.

Once my exercise is done and I have finished my chicken soup, I feel much better, and looking around I realize that despite it being hard to breathe that day, I accomplished a few things and did very well for myself. I feel better at the end of the day, but I pray that we don’t have another day of rain tomorrow.

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.