Understanding A Social Security Disability DenialAfter the long, confusing process of applying for Social Security disability benefits, it is understandably very frustrating to receive a denial. While the Social Security Administration (SSA) has no official...reactions2comments
Community Feedback: Tips for Showering with COPDCOPD brings with it many challenges, one in particular is the increased difficulty of everyday tasks. When your breathing is labored and you often feel exhausted, so many daily tasks...reactions32comments
Now Is Not The Time To Be StubbornAre you the type of person that leans into the medical help that is provided, or are you the type that runs away as fast as possible? Maybe you have...reactionscomments
10 Things You Might Not Know About COPDCOPD is a complex and intricate group of conditions. Even for those who educate and familiarize themselves with this condition regularly, there are always new things to learn and new...reactionscomments
Well Balanced Affordable Meals for COPDI live on Social Security. I have no other income, I don't get food stamps or low income housing. I am telling you this so you know you can eat...reactionscomments
My Initial Thoughts As A CaregiverJust before my mom was diagnosed with COPD, I was living in Central Florida working my dream job, at Disney World. Every day I was busy making guests laugh and...reactionscomments
Overcoming Eating Challenges, Part 4 - Microwave Cooking with COPDEditor's note: This is part 3 of a 4-part series. Be sure to check out part 1, part 2, and part 3. When it comes to cooking, for people with...reactionscomments
Community Feedback: Rib Cramping with COPDOne aspect of managing a chronic illness is the constant deciphering of new symptoms! Every time you experience something new you have to ask “Is this normal?” “Is this because...reactions54comments
It's Been A YearThis year has gone by so fast. Maybe it’s because I’m getting older, and maybe it’s because I had to just put my head down and push through it all...reactionscomments
The Rewards of Quitting Smoking In a NutshellEveryone today knows it's better to quit smoking, that are some significant rewards to quitting smoking. When my parents started smoking in the first half of the 20th century, the...reactions11comments
Getting Through Difficult Blood DrawsPatients with COPD will have to endure countless blood draws over the course of their lives. For most, this is uncomfortable, but it can be tolerated. For others, it seems...reactionscomments
Overcoming Eating Challenges - Part 2: Overweight and UnderweightEditor's note: This is part 2 of a 4-part series. Be sure to check out part 1, part 3, and part 4. I know it is very hard to maintain...reactionscomments
Building An Indoor GardenI remember one year when my mom planted almost three hundred tulip bulbs in my grandmother’s yard and some in her yard. She loved to be outside, with her hands...reactionscomments
Overcoming Eating Challenges - Part 1Editor's note: This is part 1 of a 4-part series. Be sure to check out part 2, part 3, and part 4. COPD is a challenging condition to live with...reactions2comments
Weight, a Cold, and SpoonsSadly my mother suffers COPD at an advanced age. As a result I am sure sometimes our genes are more responsible for our COPD than we realize. I had sarcoidosis...reactions3comments
From Caregiver to AdvocateAs a co-caregiver for my mom, I thought about her health constantly. I spent countless days thinking about what I should do, wondering if there was anything else that I...reactionscomments
Have A Good LaughWe were recently cleaning out our garage, and we came across a board game that had been the Sunday afternoon activity with my mom, just after my husband and I...reactionscomments
Mourning the Death of Your Previous Life: Navigating Deeper Emotions and Finding AcceptanceWhen you are in mourning for the life you've lost to COPD, denial, disbelief and grief are the easiest emotions to deal with, but they can lead to the stronger...reactions17comments
Mourning the Death of Your Previous Life: Understanding the Initial Emotional ImpactThe reaction to being diagnosed with COPD is as varied as the people who get COPD. Being diagnosed with COPD may cause feelings of denial, fear, anger, blame, guilt, confusion...reactions34comments
Bloating and COPD - Part 2In part one I explained how COPD causes many of us to bloat. I also explained how large our lungs become inside our bodies. Bloating can be uncomfortable, and in some...reactions22comments
