yeah, I've noticed a drastic change to my health in just a few years. I was an active CNA taking care of other people & now I hardly have enough energy to do little things! It's a terrible disease we have but we do have each other to help us through the darker times!

Prior to 08 I spent a lot of weekends surfing n camping and other pro active things......then it was like waking from a pleasant dream into the nitemare world of living with a disease I just couldn't figure out n still at times don't....

Irene, you took the scenic trip and some of us took the bullet train ;) Doesn't make today any more swell for any of us though. Just gotta keep on doing the best you can..whatever each new day brings, right? Which is always a mystery. But, then so's life..so it's just what it is.

Hugs~

I certainly think some of the differences have to do with COPD being an umbrella term to describe a whole bucketful of different diseases. It seems it would be likely more consistent if apples were only compared to apples, and oranges to oranges but here we have emphysema copd lumped in with chronic asthma type copd, or chronic bronchitis type copd. Also age and other contributing illnesses or co morbidities factor in as well. One thing all have in common though is the luck to have good people like there are here to share the successes and troubles with and the amazing resource of information it provides and the fact that when it comes to "where you are going" you can be certain that someone here has "already been there."

I feel like one of the lucky ones. When smoking I was on oxygen 24/7 and now I am only on it occasionally. I went on disability for it about 12 years ago. I have seen some that go straight to oxygen overnight and never come off. I got to go back to some activities that I had given up on, Not many but a few! I had given up on camping etc myself but I actually made it camping at a couple of music festivals this summer with help from friends. I got by with a limited amount of oxygen. In those cases I found the venues to go out of there way to help with the disabled. Very nice!! I definitely have to go on slow pace but better than it was when I was 24/7!!

I think Zig nailed it with the many contributing factors for
COPD and the age, etc.

But ~~ we all know we can come here and yak about whatever
and be understood no matter what part of the umbrella
we started out under. :o)

Birdcat

Yes this is a strange, unloving, ugly, disease, and it treats folks different. But if you get enough people in a room, the odds are someone will have problems exactly like yours or close.
That is why this group is so great to come to. Just to talk, ask questions, get advice, or just for the fellowship.
BJ

AMEN, BJ. I agree!

yeah this is such a crappy thing we have, gets old being sob trying to do anything. but feel glad i have you people to relate to, its better than being completely alone. most people dont understand how it feels.

With this group of wonderful, caring, people, no one is ever alone. There is always someone at the other end of the computer keys with advice, hugs, a question, or just wanting to talk.
BJ