December 2020 JournalDear Journal, Here we are at the end of another year. It has been a strange year for most, great sadness because of so many lives lost with Covid, and... By Carol Kirker3 min readBookmark for laterReactions0reactionsComments4 comments
Exercising With Resistance Bands (Part 2)Editor's note: This is part 2 of a series. Check out part 1 and part 3! Doing respiratory rehab one-on-one with my therapist on ZOOM made it even more intimidating... By Barbara Moore2 min readBookmark for laterReactions0reactionsComments7 comments
Ask the Advocates: IrritabilityWe asked our COPD advocates for their thoughts on irritability and here’s what they had to say. Our families and friends know that I have COPD, asthma, allergies, and more... By Editorial Team 4 min readBookmark for laterReactions0reactionsComments17 comments
Nose Dryness With Supplemental OxygenSometimes mom had nose dryness with supplemental oxygen for COPD. Then the cannula would irritate it and make things worse. Her skin seemed drier and thinner inside her nostrils anyway... By Karen Hoyt2 min readBookmark for laterReactions0reactionsComments29 comments
What Can I Eat?It never occurred to me when I was diagnosed with COPD how much it would affect my diet and eating habits. I have been lucky in that I don’t have... By Carol Kirker2 min readBookmark for laterReactions0reactionsComments25 comments
Blood Tests Your Doctor May Order and What They MeanDoctors often order blood tests which requires that you have your blood drawn. The information obtained from your blood can be helpful to doctors. It can help them monitor how... By John Bottrell, RRT3 min readBookmark for laterReactions0reactionsComments15 comments
A New Year With COPDIt could be a New Year's past, a New Year's future, or even a New Year in the present. New Year's Eve is always the 31st of December. This is... By Janet Plank2 min readBookmark for laterReactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Creating a Positive PollyOne of the most difficult things for me to commit to is exercise. Actually, diet too. Why exercise, you may wonder. Exercise can help to slow the progression of this... By Janet Plank2 min readBookmark for laterReactions0reactionsComments3 comments
Ask the Advocates: ImpatienceWe asked our COPD advocates for their thoughts on impatience and here's what they had to say. Patience is a virtue, so they say. I try, but am finding out... By Editorial Team 4 min readBookmark for laterReactions0reactionsComments27 comments
Exercising With Resistance Bands (Part 1)Editor's note: This is part 1 of a series. Check out part 2 and part 3! In December of 2019, I asked my doctor to be admitted to a respiratory... By Barbara Moore2 min readBookmark for laterReactions0reactionsComments12 comments
Ask the Advocates: WithdrawingWe asked our COPD advocates to share about the topic of withdrawing. Here is what they each had to say. When I learned that I had COPD, I went through... By Editorial Team 4 min readBookmark for laterReactions0reactionsComments17 comments
Favorite Products for Dry Mouth with COPDEveryone has their favorite products for a dry mouth with COPD, and there are many to choose from. Mom battled the symptoms of dry mouth and learned how important it... By Karen Hoyt2 min readBookmark for laterReactions0reactionsComments13 comments
COPD-Friendly FoodsFor those of us that have COPD, eating is not always an easy task. Sometimes it is the stomach that is upset or bloated, sometimes it is the shortness of... By Barbara Moore2 min readBookmark for laterReactions0reactionsComments19 comments
Making Life EasierIf you're struggling, it's pretty difficult to enjoy your life and life is for enjoying. COPD is a difficult illness to live with and as we're aware, it's an illness... By Debz Borge2 min readBookmark for laterReactions0reactionsComments4 comments
COPD DrynessMost of us with advanced COPD will eventually end up on supplemental oxygen. We will be assigned an oxygen company that will oversee all our oxygen needs in conjunction with... By Barbara Moore2 min readBookmark for laterReactions0reactionsComments23 comments
Your Inner VoiceSince the time we were children, we have had one. We probably developed it around the time we learned to talk and started to know the difference between right and... By Barbara Moore2 min readBookmark for laterReactions0reactionsComments2 comments
Inhalers and Their Proper UseToo often, I seem to read about “inhaler abuse.” A recent study cited in the Journal of General Internal Medicine stated, “Inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) use among patients with COPD increases... By KevinDavitt2 min readBookmark for laterReactions0reactionsComments1 comments
Can COPD Cause Choking?Mom and I were enjoying a cup of coffee one morning when she started coughing. It started as a tickle, and then suddenly she was gasping for air. Jumping out... By Karen Hoyt2 min readBookmark for laterReactions0reactionsComments9 comments
The COPD Journey ContinuesHi all! Hope everyone has had a few easy-breathing days of late. It's sure been a challenging few days for me. Highs and lows, laughter and tears. No one said... By Debz Borge2 min readBookmark for laterReactions0reactionsComments5 comments
Fresh Air!Is there anything better than being inside the house or apartment on a cold winter’s day when you don’t have to go out and you can enjoy all that beautiful... By KevinDavitt4 min readBookmark for laterReactions0reactionsComments18 comments