My Two-Week Experience With HealthcareWhere do I begin? I'm not sure where to start, but here goes. As you all may know, we've just recently emigrated to the UK. Before leaving South Africa, my... By Liana Collet2 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments6 comments
Is That All There Is?If you are familiar with the above-titled song by Peggy Lee from 1969, then you know it provided a topic for many debates. Is the song about being disillusioned or... By Carol Kirker3 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments7 comments
Juggling COPD With the Responsibilities of a FamilySuffering from a chronic illness doesn't stop me from being a parent and a partner to my family. Unfortunately, this unpredictable disease can sometimes hinder that. I try and wake... By Liana Collet2 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments9 comments
Five Years InA few days ago, I quietly and somberly celebrated the 5th anniversary of my journey with COPD and heart failure. Those that have had my experience often call this our rebirth... By Barbara Moore2 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments8 comments
The StruggleWow. One day you're okay and then the struggle appears like a mighty rock that fell in front of you. Everybody is different and so are people's struggles. Trying to... By Debz Borge2 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments4 comments
What Are Bubblers? Some people with COPD require home oxygen. The most common delivery device for this is a nasal cannula. Cannulas have prongs that enter your nostrils allowing you to inhale a... By John Bottrell, RRT3 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments45 comments
How Overwhelming Moving Has BeenIt was quite a surreal moment seeing my family after so long. They hadn't been around when I was diagnosed, so I'm sure it was a shock. I wasn't the... By Liana Collet2 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments2 comments
Thanks for Inviting Me"Hello...my name is Jeff, and I'm an addict!" "Hello, Jeff!" I didn't realize I was an addict till after I had quit smoking for 3 years and still jonesed those... By Jeff Collings2 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments40 comments
Meditation for Better BreathingWhen many people hear the word meditation, they think of some new age mumbo jumbo. It is immediately dismissed, never realizing the good that can come from it. Then there... By Carol Kirker3 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments13 comments
COVID-19 Vaccines for People With Lung ConditionsPeople living with COPD face a higher chance of serious illness from the virus that causes COVID-19 and having other long-term lung diseases like moderate to severe asthma and cystic... By Editorial Team 2 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments0 comments
What Causes Pulmonary Hypertension?Some people with COPD also have a condition called pulmonary hypertension (PH). This means that you have elevated blood pressure inside your lungs. So, what might cause a person to... By John Bottrell, RRT3 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments2 comments
Exercising With Resistance Bands (Part 3)Editor's note: This is part 3 of a series. Check out part 1 and part 2. Lots of anticipation led to my second attempt at respiratory rehab. Due to the... By Barbara Moore2 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments0 comments
COPD Welcome WagonIn the good old days when a person or a couple moved into a different town, when they got married, or when they had a baby, a gift basket was... By Janet Plank2 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments3 comments
My Experience Flying With COPDWell, it's been about a little over a week since landing on UK soil, and what a time we've had. I would just like to share my personal experience as... By Liana Collet2 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments7 comments
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 laterReactions 0 reactions Comments4 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 laterReactions 0 reactions Comments7 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 laterReactions 0 reactions Comments17 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 laterReactions 0 reactions Comments17 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 laterReactions 0 reactions Comments25 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 laterReactions 0 reactions Comments15 comments