Spring Has SprungThe past few mornings I was greeted with sunshine and the sounds of birds chirping. Temps in the 60s and 70s and very little humidity. This wasn’t because of a... By Janet Plank2 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments0 comments
COPD and Sleep ApneaYou have been diagnosed with COPD, which is Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. This is a disease of the lungs that causes obstructed airflow. COPD is the third leading cause of... By Janet Plank3 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments9 comments
More Tips for Talking With Your DoctorUnfortunately, we must all accept that doctors in the U.S. today have very little time to spend with each patient. Changes in health insurance and electronic records have greatly changed... By Kathi MacNaughton2 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments10 comments
COPD Lexicon: What’s a Breathing Treatment?So, what is a breathing treatment? Who needs them? How do they work? Here’s what to know. Actually, here's some basic terms associated with breathing treatments. It’s a small, handheld... By John Bottrell, RRT3 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments0 comments
Lessons From A Mom with COPDAround Mother’s Day, my heart always feels a little empty. My mom was a woman who could fill a room with laughter and love. Even when she was confined to... By Karen Hoyt2 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments6 comments
It Couldn’t Happen To MeIn my EMT class some years back, when we were learning to take patient evaluations and then the reports, sob kept coming up. The patient was sob. I couldn’t believe... By Janet Plank5 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments0 comments
COPD Inhalers vs. Nebulizers: Which Is Right for You?COPD is best treated with inhaled medicine. However, there are 2 ways of delivering this medication: There are pros and cons to both methods and no one right answer for... By Kathi MacNaughton4 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments6 comments
What Are COPD Flare-Ups?The term “COPD flare-up” gets bandied around quite a bit. So, what exactly are flare-ups anyway? What causes them? Here’s what to know. According to Oxford, a baseline is "a... By John Bottrell, RRT3 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments30 comments
Understanding and Coping With Severe COPDCOPD is a chronic respiratory illness for which there is no cure and that will progress steadily over time. How much time can vary greatly. Often it will take years... By Kathi MacNaughton5 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments18 comments
Ready, Set, GoEvery day has been a race to get functional again. My mom passed away January 16, 2018 from cancer, another close relative was diagnosed with breast cancer just a few... By Janet Plank2 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments1 comments
Forming Relationships With Respiratory TherapistsAs a child asthmatic, I got to know my respiratory therapists. Two therapists I met in 1980 are still friends to this day. In fact, they were helpful in me... By John Bottrell, RRT2 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments5 comments
Always Something to Look Forward ToWhen I set out to write this article, I was feeling down about my limitations and didn't particularly know what to say about COPD, but felt like I needed to... By michelle.vincent4 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments2 comments
Saying GoodbyeOn January 16, 2018 I said goodbye to my mom. She didn’t have COPD, she had 2 types of cancer. It was a blessing, because the cancer had affected her... By Janet Plank3 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments1 comments
What Does COPD Feel Like?I was given the asthma/COPD overlap diagnosis when I was 25 years old. But for me, the COPD part has been pretty mild, however I do have severe asthma. Being... By Theresa Cannizzaro, Respiratory Therapist3 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments27 comments
What is Airflow Limitation?You hear the term bandied around. It’s described by the GOLD COPD guidelines as a key component of COPD. If you have it, and it’s always there to some degree... By John Bottrell, RRT3 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments2 comments
Are You My Doctor?People have asked frequently about lung doctors and who are they. Is there someone else they should be seeing? They wonder if they are getting the right medications, because medications... By Janet Plank4 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments2 comments
When the Doctor Leaves QuestionsBased on the feedback on my last article, which was fantastic by the way; I am left with a growing number of questions for my doctor. I’ve been told to... By Steven Workman2 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments4 comments
COPD Lexicon: Hospital Staff (Folks You’ll Meet in the Hospital)I work at a small town hospital. Where I work professions are color coded. This makes it nice for patients. Once they know the color scheme, they know who they’re... By John Bottrell, RRT4 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments0 comments
Do You Know These Ten Things About COPD?1. Did you know that COPD was first referred to as “chronic airflow obstruction” and “chronic obstructive lung disease.” The first person to use the term COPD, was in 1965... By Janet Plank3 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments6 comments
Spring Is In The AirIt looks so beautiful outside, yet it’s cold, It’s only the first day of March. Geese are flying, so we know that spring is in the air and getting closer... By Janet Plank2 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments0 comments