Monday, September 15, 2014

Life Goes On....




Have thought about this, how much do you put out there?  Do you tell everything?  What is appropriate and what not so much?
So, I am going ahead...  life has dark parts as well as wonderful, sunny days.... Last week I was diagnosed with COPD.. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease..  how in the world did that happen?  It is my wild youth catching up with me..  :0    I did smoke from age 18 to my mid 30's.. so I have not smoked for over 30 years, yet there was still damage, apparently.  Doc said had I not stopped smoking I would more than likely have gotten this in my 40-50's.. well. great....  Have been back to doc and gotten pneumonia shot and flu shot for this year, learned things I can do and should not do.  (why oh, why, does everything always come down to exercise  :) I don't feel it is that bad really, it explains problems I have with humidity and when there are forest fires in the area and the smoke blows in, and even standing around others who are smoking. ( I try to get upwind of them :)  But am not really short of breath.  Had no problem with the 4 mile walk around Sahalie Falls, done in about 2 1/2 hours....  When we went over Monarch Pass in Colorado last year (14,000 ft) my heart was fluttering and was short of breath..  but don't expect to be at that altitude on any regular basis, and consider it just something to watch out for...
So, there is nothing to fret about, interesting to Google it tho and see what all does NOT apply to me, with all the symptoms people have or the disease has, I am in the very early stage, don't smoke, so don't have to stop and don't need oxygen.... those are good things..
AND.... my nurse friend said that you no longer fight, gasping for your last breath as there is Hospice now and they give you lots of drugs there at the end, so you are comfortable..... soooooo there is not that worry...
Had to tell the family and that was not very fun, but is over now... and I will be fine and can still do all the things I want to do, just have to exercise while doing it... hahaha
It was a beautiful day here in Central Oregon today, 82 degrees.. worked in the yard,  spread the bark chips I got last week, loading wheel barrow and then rolling it here and there, then unloading and spreading,  planted some bushes, cut back some over grown poppies and sunflowers bending over into the yard, I am so over them right now  :)  watered.. in and out for that, is that exercise  :)  ?
Take Care All & God Bless

13 comments:

  1. So sorry to hear of the copd. I too have been told that exercise will help my heart--even though I get short of breath with exercise. As far as I know I don't have copd. But I do have congestive heart disease. You are definitely doing more exercise than me!

    ReplyDelete
  2. That's not good news. I was a former smoker, and like you quit some 35 yrs ago. Wonder if I like you will have issues down the road. Perhaps I should get my butt out of the chair more often and start a walking routine!!! Take care of yourself.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Never fun to learn we have these problems. Jim has COPD and he gets along just fine. He uses two inhaler type things (one is Spiriva and I can't remember the new one) in the morning and then he has a ProAir emergency type inhaler that he has to use when he does any exertion especially when we're up higher in altitude. But other than he just keeps getting on. We need to do more exercise and we don't even have a hard to work in.

    ReplyDelete
  4. So sorry to hear your news, Loree. Yes, all that yard work should definitely count as exercise!

    ReplyDelete
  5. While any illness is not pleasant today there are great medications for so many things. My dad had COPD and didn't find out until he was about 89. He lived a darn good life until he was 92.

    Working like you do in your garden is very much and exercise. Take care and live you life just the way you have been. Enjoying it to the fullest.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Technically I have COPD due to the asthma. It does not keep us down unless we let it! And, there are people in my walking club on Tuesdays who still get out there even with their little oxygen tanks; not fast, but moving!

    ReplyDelete
  7. P.S. The yard work does count as exercise. You burn plenty of energy doing yard work!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Diet and Exercise....the doctors always seem to boil it down to that, don't they? We would rather have the D&E mean drugs and easy...but that's not what it usually means. Glad that you now know what to look out for and why.

    Take good care of yourself, Loree. Life is good, and so are you.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Am I the only one who thinks you should get a second opinion about this? Did you have symptoms that took you in to the doctor's office? I exercise like crazy and have had a lot of shortness of breath out west. I attribute it to the altitude but I guess I'd better mention it at my next physical. Everything does seem to be diet and exercise the older we get. I don't remember all that emphasis when I was in my 30's. Is it just a fad or really true?

    ReplyDelete
  10. Interesting comment from Sherry. Never occurred to me to think about a second opinion. I know an awful lot of people with COPD, and most of them have symptoms and smoked a lot. Good news from all that is that the ones I know just keep plugging along and aren't anywhere near hospice care time. well, except for Bel, but she refused to quit smoking all the way to the end. So you aren't that. And...for what it's worth...we all sorta get to know each other out here...some more than others...so the ones who care about you will be glad to hear how you are doing, good or bad, and the others can just go somewhere else, so write what you feel, dear Loree!!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Thank You SO much everyone for your great, insightful comments, I truly DO appreciate them and you ALL!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  12. I am sure you will handle this! Just keep enjoying life!

    ReplyDelete
  13. I feel that it's YOUR blog and you should write what you feel comfortable with. Those that don't want to read it, which I doubt are many....can just skip it.....but I am sure most people will want to know what is going on with you so post away.
    I enjoy reading whatever you post about....
    HUGS!!!!

    ReplyDelete