My Journey with COPD

I was diagnosed with COPD about 8 years ago, but I am sure I have had this terrible disease longer.

I started smoking at an early age, thinking like most of us I am sure, that it made you one of the gang.

After leaving school in the 1960s I started work in a sawmill in my home town of Grimsby. In those days we didn't think about health and safety, hence I didn't wear a safety mask as you would today.

So now I had smoke going into my lungs as well as sawdust. I joined the army in 1974 and this is where I am sure that my lung problems started, i.e. 4 years into my army career I started having big problems with my lungs. I started having pneumothorax problems, also I had pneumonia at least 3 times. In 1980 I had to have a partial lung removal. I was advised by my army surgeon that if I did not stop the cigs I wouldn't live to a ripe old age. I did as he said for 3 months but stupidity kicked in and I started again.

I was being more active, i.e. I was doing long distance running and lots of distance swimming so I thought nothing would happen to me.

Since leaving the Army things steadily got worse and the doctors told me I had acute asthma. So I thought, I am not going to let this hold me back! But because I was still smoking it did, everything I did I was breathless. So I became less physical and my chest was ok, or so I thought.

10 years ago I started training in karate and yes my problems with the chest seemed worse but I did not want to quit at something I really enjoy. I went to see my doctor who thought it best for me to go and see a specialist about my chest, this is when I first got diagnosed with Stage 2 COPD. It was at this stage I decided to give up the terrible weed i.e. cigarettes. I was still training and teaching karate up until 7 months ago and this was when I found out that I was once again having pneumothorax problems. I am unable to train at the moment but my GOAL is to get back to training and teaching just as soon as I am able, after my operation to remove the lower part of my other lung.

So yes this is a terrible disease but we all have the ability within us to do what we can to stem it off. Give yourself a GOAL and stick to it. Help yourself to slow down this disease and benefit from it.

I hope that this story of my journey helps you with your own journeys. Respectfully, Phil