COPD & Emphysema Support Group
COPD is a progressive disease characterized by airflow obstruction or limitation. Emphysema is characterized by loss of elasticity of the lung tissue, destruction of structures supporting the alveoli and of capillaries feeding the alveoli. Both have symptoms that include shortness of breath, among other respiratory troubles. If you are a COPD or Emphysema sufferer, join...
I just read a book about COPD written by a gentleman who has it. He was talking about when you tell people you have emphysema and their reactions. He said it is funny when someone has a car accident you don't ask if they are a good driver and when someone has colon cancer you don't ask if they ate enough ruffage. I found this so true. But when you tell people you have emphysema they almost all immed ask if you smoke. When you think about it is really unfair. Just wanted to share this.
Karen
Karen
Smoking being the worst factor , of course, but not if you smoked and are still COPD free. There so many risk factors involved when it comes to damage to the lungs that even though I regret that I ever picked up a cigarette, I can't deny that I did enjoy them.
I quit the blame by about the 1st year into treatment. It took away from my course to help myself as much as possible. I can now wear oxygen in public and am getting less stares and the ones that I do get are usually from little ones. I just wave and smile and that seems to satisfy them.
The first person that blamed me was such a shock that i thought it can only be up from here. The doctor that was filling in for my PCP, the very first time (and only) that I went to the ER and a week hospital stay. Hre came into my room one morning and I was just a basket case and he asked me "What did you expect, You smoked" That was the start of my looking forward because I knew he would never say anything like this to some one that had breast cancer, heart attack or what ever.
BTW, I told my PCP that I was to never be in the same room with that doctor again for as long as I lived. He smiled and said, "Gotcha" And It has been 4 years and I have not seen that jerk and he is still in the same group as my PCP.