Living

I’m so excited! I will attend my first in-person Alpha-1 education day in over three years. You all know why: Covid. Alpha-1 is a genetic liver disorder that can cause...

Yesterday I saw the first robin of the year. It is always a delight because this is when we know that spring is coming. It’s been a long and cold...

After my mom’s diagnosis, we were all trying to learn how we could help support her health. After learning about pulse oximetry, we felt we had something to measure. Her...

Shingles is a viral infection that is often misunderstood. Understanding the myths and misconceptions about shingles can help reduce your chances of getting it. Here are 7 common myths about...

You may know what COPD is and that it affects your organs. It can affect your body and mind. It’s very important that you see your doctor as scheduled. Maybe...

Editor's Note: Always talk with your doctor before altering your drug schedule or if you have any concerns regarding your treatment. In the early 1990s, some of the world's most...

It is a new paradigm. We must learn to breathe differently by becoming more efficient at moving oxygen around our lungs and expelling used oxygen. I began to study the...

No two days are the same and some days are better or worse than others. The fight just never seems to go away, and it begins anew every morning. Some...

I have seen quite a few people in this forum and on many social network forums trying to quit smoking. I have shared some tips that helped me there, but...

We just had a time change and sprung ahead an hour. I read that the general idea of why we do this is to make better use of natural daylight...

I live in Illinois, and for the most part, we have four seasons. I loved growing up in a little rural town where everyone knew everyone, and I felt safe...

In our forums, some people share things that they wished they would had known about COPD. One lady shared that she wishes she had known how to cough so she...

Journaling. I remember keeping diaries when I was younger. The tiny keys that came with the diaries were so cute. It’s funny that I would think that lock and key...

In the past, I used to swim like a fish. My kids could never understand how I could hold my breath under the water for long periods of time with...

Many of us have had to have extra care lately and have been hospitalized. It seems that winter is an extremely tough time for us.   Being isolated during Covid...

Does anyone else have hobbies that help them get a little more exercise? Some people might be interested in finding ways to "hide" the exercise but still get it. One...

Once diagnosed, after the denial, we accept our COPD and can learn how to live the good life despite having COPD. Some people name their COPD, and some won’t acknowledge...

Spring is my favorite time of year. I love that first day when the snow is gone, and the air is warm enough to be outside. I love the sounds...

I had an opportunity to speak one-on-one with a respiratory therapist. Not my RT but someone who I have never spoken to, and she didn’t know me. I was confused...

COPD is far from funny. We often have one great day, and the next day are struggling to breathe. This constant struggle leaves our thoughts scrambling and keeps us off...