Dear Santa: Here’s What We Want For Christmas

Dear Santa,

Thank you for the Littmann Cardiology IV stethoscope you gave me for Christmas last year. It’s by far the best stethoscope I’ve ever owned. I appreciate it so much.

This year, I have a very special request. Rather than getting something for me, I would like you to help out my COPD friends. Here is a list of things I think would be perfect for them. Many of these are things that they have specifically told me they would enjoy.

Help around the home

• Someone to volunteer to rake the yard and clean the gutters
• Someone to volunteer to do the cooking and cleaning without asking for something in return
• Someone to volunteer to take you to doctor’s appointments or to the store
• Someone to clean the top of your cabinets, or the ceiling fans, of course, if they want to tackle the bathrooms that would be great too
• Someone to volunteer their services to help out with simple chores
• A paid housekeeper would also do
• Someone to help you make your home COPD trigger free
• A Gift card for a restaurant for free delivery
• Or, just a gift card to a restaurant
• Free membership to a food delivery system

Support from others

• Someone to just hang out with you and keep you company
• Someone to give you a massage or to treat you special
• A year without someone judging you
• Someone to educate family and friends on what it is like to have COPD
• Or, simple empathy and understanding
• A voucher for help whenever you need it from someone who cares for you
• For people to come to visit - kids, grandkids, and friends
• For family members to visit more often - how about if they just came and hung out or a while, even if it’s just for 5 minutes to say hi
• For people living with you to agree to quit smoking with you (if you smoke and want to quit)
• Someone to help you afford your medicine
• A great doctor who is understanding, empathetic, and also has the knowledge and skill to help you breathe better, feel better overall, and live longer

New research and medication

• A steroid that makes breathing easier without the side effects
• More medicines in the COPD pipeline
• Medicines in the COPD pipeline to come to fruition and soon
• Research that discovers a new treatment option that may help you feel better and live longer
• An opportunity to get a new set of lungs
• Or, approval for one of the newer FDA-approved procedures to help them breathe easier - a good example here is endobronchial valve systems (Zephyr Valves)

Hobbies and activities

• An exercise bike or something along those lines
• A book about COPD
• A video game system or another hobby you enjoy
• Or, a simple novel to help you enjoy your time

Great COPD gifts

• An FDA-approved pulse oximeter
• A portable nebulizer
• A mesh nebulizer
• An acapella device
• An oxygen machine
• A portable oxygen system that is light and easy to lug around, such as the Innogen
• A pet that notifies you when you are experiencing your early warning symptoms of COPD - This pet can help keep you company and also help you decide when you need to seek help
• A humidifier
• An air purifier
• An air conditioner, a fan, or even better - central air
• A free spacer for your metered-dose inhaler
• Or, even better, free inhalers
• Or how about a year's supply of your medicines
• Or, as long as we're going this way, a lifetime supply of your medicines
• More affordable healthcare
• Free healthcare

Holiday wishes

Thank you for any help you can give, Santa. Any help you can give will be much appreciated. And, again, I don't need anything this year.

All I ask is that you help my COPD friends. Any of the above will be good gift ideas for them. Or, perhaps you and your elves have better ideas.

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