Learning to Cope: Making Lifestyle Changes...Most people with chronic lung diseases don’t walk around saying, “Woe is me!” We don’t do that. We make adjustments and we...reactions2comments
Why Quitting Smoking is So Hard...It’s often said that cigarette smoking is one of the hardest habits to break. Quitting smoking, for lack of a better way...reactions6comments
Quitting Smoking...Quitting smoking is the most important thing that a person with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can do to manage the disease...
Trying To Quit Smoking? Never Quit Quitting...So you tried quitting. You quit cold turkey. You tried a medicine like Chantix. You tried working with your doctor. You quit...reactions5comments
Top 12 COPD Comorbidities...COPD is generally considered a disease associated with emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Often overlooked are the other chronic conditions sometimes associated with...reactions4comments
COPD Comorbidities...You have likely heard me say before that we are unique in our own diseases because we have other health conditions, medications...reactions27comments
Managing COPD: A Guide to Community Support and Daily Living...Whether it's learning about oxygen therapy, adapting to lifestyle changes, or just finding joy in the small moments of life, our community...reactions2comments
Not Just Difficulty Breathing! COPD Awareness Month 2020...November marks COPD Awareness Month. Now more than ever, let's bring awareness to what it's like to live with a chronic lung...reactions3comments
Why Did I Become A Respiratory Therapist?...The question I'm often asked is, “Why did you become a respiratory therapist?” There's no simple answer, but the pivotal point that...reactions4comments
Why I Became a Respiratory Therapist...“Hi. My name is John. I’m a respiratory therapist. What is your last name?” That’s the typical way I introduce myself to...reactions4comments
10 More Things Not to Say to Someone Living With COPD...Four years ago, I wrote a post called “Things Not To Say To Someone Living With COPD.” I received many great responses...reactions37comments
What To Say to Someone Who Has Been Diagnosed With COPD...I will be honest with you. When someone is diagnosed with a disease, it's not easy for me to come up with...reactions2comments
How Do You Feel About the Word “COPDer”?...At my work, we often refer to our COPD patients as “COPDers.” It seems to be a term that is often used...reactions40comments
Your COPD Dream Team...My favorite team of all time was the Chicago Bulls of 1995-1996. They became the first team to win 70 regular season...reactions5comments
COPD Moments That Can Be Avoided and How to Prevent Them...A gallant is a person living with COPD who does everything right. While we all aspire to be gallant COPD patients, most...reactions10comments
Tracking, Charting, and Planning Your Chronic Illness...Why should you maintain a daily journal to track your chronic illness journey with COPD, heart failure, and diabetes? There are a...reactions6comments
Creating COPD-Friendly Gatherings...This year, I set to embark on my first major holiday season without my mom. Her battle with COPD did limit her...reactions1comment
My story...I was diagnosed with severe COPD 3 years ago. I smoked for over 42 years and when I was rushed to the...reactions3comments
Thoughts Only Those With Lung Disease Can Relate To...We often refer to anyone with breathing issues as "lungers." This includes people with diseases like asthma (which I have) and COPD...reactions9comments
Tilt-a-Whirl of Home, Hospital, and Rehab...There is a revolving door that often starts slow until the frequent hospitalizations become dizzying. It may start with a fall, which...reactionscomments
