| Diane Bell:
I started smoking when I was 19 years old and smoked for 38 years before
finally quitting. When I was in my late 20's chronic bronchitis became a
problem for about 10 years until all the cilia in my lungs were
destroyed, so that I no longer coughed. I would ease the coughing by
switching to menthol cigarettes until I was well again. Tried to quit
many times, couldn't do it, gave up, and promised myself that I would
quit smoking with the first symptom of lung problems -- of course,
chronic bronchitis didn't count! And the sad thing to me is that I never
read or heard one word about that fact that by the time you have your
first symptom of lung disease, your lungs are already 50 to 75% gone.
Would it have made a difference? Probably not. But I always make sure
it's the first bit of information out of my mouth when anyone asks.
I moved to Colorado in 1991 and immediately started having trouble getting around at this high altitude. All physical activity was marred by fatigue and SOB (shortness of breath). My respiratory problems began to get "out-of-hand" in 1998 -- continual sinus infections treated with prednisone bursts and z-paks, edema in feet and calves that had gotten worse and worse each year, couldn't walk five feet without huffing and puffing and sweating profusely (it was so bad I was embarrassed to go anywhere), constant exhaustion, extreme fatigue, and foggy brain. In August, 2001, a month before my 57th birthday, I was diagnosed with Emphysema and quit smoking on 11/28/01. I think of 2002 as my year of terror. Every two or three months I would have a panic attack, triggered by getting SOB, and wind up in the ER where a simple nebulizer treatment with albuterol would fix me right up. After a whole year of living in terror a nurse in the ER finally told me that my primary care doctor was responsible for educating me about COPD and working with me to find the right meds to manage it better. My doctor was on maternity leave, so while I was waiting for my appointment with a new doc, I went poking around on the internet to learn about COPD on my own. The first week in January, 2003, I found COPD-Support.com (through www.Olivija.com) and immediately subscribed to the beginner's list. It has been a life saver for me because I was certain that my death was imminent. I had no clue that my FEV1 of 68% when I was diagnosed meant that I have mild to moderate COPD and that my "condition" was totally manageable. After not smoking for over three years, my FEV1 improved to 78% which is good cause to celebrate! I learned all that here and will forever be grateful for the education and friendships I have gained through this group. In 2003 I volunteered to help and feel incredibly grateful for the opportunity to return a small portion of what I have received. |
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