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...
Hi All: January 9, 2009
I got home today a little after 10 am. I didn't want to write to you until I knew where I was at. I didn't sleep at the hospital, they see to that!
I arrived at the hospital at 10:30 am (1/8/09)and was immediately met by my Spiration team person. Those people are fabulous!!! We were filling out a few extra forms she needed when they came out and said they were ready for me. I went straight into pre-op and there were so many people there I thought a celebrity must be there. I was informed shortly, there was and I was it. They were ready to roll about 12:15 pm. They hadn't sprayed my throat with that cinnamon/tobacco sauce stuff that Sue talked about so I ask them why. They said I was going to be knocked out. I wouldn't let them take my Albuterol (just in case you know). They made me hold it in my right hand (I'm left handed), and I realized I had to made some concessions. That will give you and indication of how bad my breathing was and that was with all my meds on board. I'm not oxygen dependent so that wasn't a problem.
I remember thinking as we went into the operating room that I hope they didn't fiddle around long in there. I was just starting to get nervous, until then I just didn't let myself dwell on it. They put me on this narrow little bed and I was watching them put my albuterol in a plastic bag when they said 'Shirley, can you wake up'. And then I GOT PISSED.
As I was coming to I saw my doctor and he was telling someone that I had severe emphysema. I was coughing up all kinds of goop. I had expected them to take a high powered vacuum in there and get all that stuff out! Didn't happen, and my throat hurt bad. It felt like when you're going to get a bad cold and you get that sore throat first. I did notice they had put another albuterol in my plastic bag (that was nice). The doctor told me he had talked to my son and told him everything had gone very well. I was also told my daughter was waiting for me and I could meet up with her as soon as they got my room ready. That is also when my status as a celebrity ended. Two hours later they finished cleaning room (poor Shana). I immediately went to the rest room and was very SOB. Later Shana asked me to walk down the hall and I was SOB, refused to walk anymore.
They brought me a roommate about 8:30 pm and she had a lot of issues. They were busy with her from then on out. I think they finally got her settle about 5:30 am. Needless to say, there was no sleeping that night. I noticed that my throat stopped hurting at 2:30 am (lol). Had lots of time to make note of this kind of nonsense. I wasn't coughing up stuff anymore but I felt like I had a big glob of something stuck in there. I did noticed that I wasn't struggling with the bending over motion. I didn't feel like my lungs were collapsing or getting SOB whenever I did this motion. A nurse came in and listened to my lungs. He said he heard good air movement 4 out of 5 of airways, none for that little lower one. A doctor told me the next day that didn't mean anything. I don't know, I know they didn't hear any movement before.
About 7 am everyone started showing up, they took a blinded lung x-ray, they told me that when they did the bronchoscopy they didn't see any suspicious cells at all and were pleased about that. I left the hospital about 10 am (my roommate was looking and doing great).
I got home shortly after that and felt exhausted. You folks were all on my mind but I was so tired and really didn't know how I felt. I decided to let sleep do it's magic healing. I fell asleep on the couch and woke up about 5 pm. I put on my pedometer and decided to take a walk. Hadn't eaten yet all day.
I WALKED ONE MILE ALMOST NON-STOP. I STOPPED ONCE FOR A FAST PODDY BREAK AND TOOK ANOTHER BREAK FOR ABOUT ONE MINUTE. I DID NOT GET SOB, I DID FEEL LIKE MY LUNG WERE TRYING HARD BUT NOT REALLY OUT OF BREATHE (I don't think normal person would feel this). AFTER A FEW MINUTES I COULD CATCH MY BREATHE. I GOT TIRED BUT NOT SOB. I WALKED ALMOST NON-STOP FOR ALMOST AN HOUR. I HADN'T BEEN ABLE TO WALK 5 MINUTES THIS LAST MONTH. Within a minute with PLB I had my oxyen stats from 94 to 98. I had not done any inhalers since before I left the hospital about 9 am. I'M NOT HAVING ANY PROBLEMS BENDING OVER. I FEEL LIKE IM ON A GOOD RUN OF PREDNISONE.
I don't know, maybe I'm just having a good breathing day, What Do You Think?
Love and Hugs to You All,
Shirley
I got home today a little after 10 am. I didn't want to write to you until I knew where I was at. I didn't sleep at the hospital, they see to that!
I arrived at the hospital at 10:30 am (1/8/09)and was immediately met by my Spiration team person. Those people are fabulous!!! We were filling out a few extra forms she needed when they came out and said they were ready for me. I went straight into pre-op and there were so many people there I thought a celebrity must be there. I was informed shortly, there was and I was it. They were ready to roll about 12:15 pm. They hadn't sprayed my throat with that cinnamon/tobacco sauce stuff that Sue talked about so I ask them why. They said I was going to be knocked out. I wouldn't let them take my Albuterol (just in case you know). They made me hold it in my right hand (I'm left handed), and I realized I had to made some concessions. That will give you and indication of how bad my breathing was and that was with all my meds on board. I'm not oxygen dependent so that wasn't a problem.
I remember thinking as we went into the operating room that I hope they didn't fiddle around long in there. I was just starting to get nervous, until then I just didn't let myself dwell on it. They put me on this narrow little bed and I was watching them put my albuterol in a plastic bag when they said 'Shirley, can you wake up'. And then I GOT PISSED.
As I was coming to I saw my doctor and he was telling someone that I had severe emphysema. I was coughing up all kinds of goop. I had expected them to take a high powered vacuum in there and get all that stuff out! Didn't happen, and my throat hurt bad. It felt like when you're going to get a bad cold and you get that sore throat first. I did notice they had put another albuterol in my plastic bag (that was nice). The doctor told me he had talked to my son and told him everything had gone very well. I was also told my daughter was waiting for me and I could meet up with her as soon as they got my room ready. That is also when my status as a celebrity ended. Two hours later they finished cleaning room (poor Shana). I immediately went to the rest room and was very SOB. Later Shana asked me to walk down the hall and I was SOB, refused to walk anymore.
They brought me a roommate about 8:30 pm and she had a lot of issues. They were busy with her from then on out. I think they finally got her settle about 5:30 am. Needless to say, there was no sleeping that night. I noticed that my throat stopped hurting at 2:30 am (lol). Had lots of time to make note of this kind of nonsense. I wasn't coughing up stuff anymore but I felt like I had a big glob of something stuck in there. I did noticed that I wasn't struggling with the bending over motion. I didn't feel like my lungs were collapsing or getting SOB whenever I did this motion. A nurse came in and listened to my lungs. He said he heard good air movement 4 out of 5 of airways, none for that little lower one. A doctor told me the next day that didn't mean anything. I don't know, I know they didn't hear any movement before.
About 7 am everyone started showing up, they took a blinded lung x-ray, they told me that when they did the bronchoscopy they didn't see any suspicious cells at all and were pleased about that. I left the hospital about 10 am (my roommate was looking and doing great).
I got home shortly after that and felt exhausted. You folks were all on my mind but I was so tired and really didn't know how I felt. I decided to let sleep do it's magic healing. I fell asleep on the couch and woke up about 5 pm. I put on my pedometer and decided to take a walk. Hadn't eaten yet all day.
I WALKED ONE MILE ALMOST NON-STOP. I STOPPED ONCE FOR A FAST PODDY BREAK AND TOOK ANOTHER BREAK FOR ABOUT ONE MINUTE. I DID NOT GET SOB, I DID FEEL LIKE MY LUNG WERE TRYING HARD BUT NOT REALLY OUT OF BREATHE (I don't think normal person would feel this). AFTER A FEW MINUTES I COULD CATCH MY BREATHE. I GOT TIRED BUT NOT SOB. I WALKED ALMOST NON-STOP FOR ALMOST AN HOUR. I HADN'T BEEN ABLE TO WALK 5 MINUTES THIS LAST MONTH. Within a minute with PLB I had my oxyen stats from 94 to 98. I had not done any inhalers since before I left the hospital about 9 am. I'M NOT HAVING ANY PROBLEMS BENDING OVER. I FEEL LIKE IM ON A GOOD RUN OF PREDNISONE.
I don't know, maybe I'm just having a good breathing day, What Do You Think?
Love and Hugs to You All,
Shirley
Hugs,
Carol
Please keep us posted.
Have a Great Breathing Great Day!
Love
Holly
What do you think accounts for your breathing improvement? I will think it is a good sign.
I printed out your report and it goes on the top of my important info. stack.
I am so happy that you are home and feeling so much better and we will all look forward to hearing how the next 6 mos go. Thank you so much for keeping us informed. There is no substitute for first hand knowledge.
"BIG ATTA GIRL" for you,
Your friend,
Anna
fondly, Peg
I doubt they gave me prednisone if I got the valves. Those pokey things on the legs of the valves are sharp and controlling bleeding is important. Before we went into the operating room the doctor promised me he would take the valves out if he put them in and I didn't want them. Word must of got out that I was worried about that. I forgot to ask him if he did any scrapings to find out why I get so much mucus production. I have coughed up so much that my side muscles are sore. So are my legs from that hike around the house I took (haven't tried the stairs yet). I let myself get out of shape and have to rebuild.
I ALSO WANT TO NOTE THAT I TOLD EVERYONE INVOLVED IN THE TRIAL THAT WOULD LISTEN (INCLUDLING THE DOCTOR PUTTING IN/OR NOT PUTTING IN VALVES) THAT I WAS POSTING THE ENTIRE EVENT TO MY ONLINE SUPPORT GROUP. THAT IT WAS A HUGE GROUP THAT REACHED ALL THE WAY TO EUROPE. I TOLD THE DOCTOR HE BETTER DO A GOOD JOB BECAUSE YOU FOLKS WERE AWAITING A REPORT AND GOING TO BE SPREADING THE WORD.
No don't overdo it, my dear! Have a restful, healing weekend. Love you much, Sue
Im so happy for you . Is it even possible that you could walk that far or even walk period if it wer'nt the real McCoy . Thank you our lady pioneer for being so brave and a great reporter .
love ya
Janice
hugs. Sandi
do you have to do more rehab now? do they check you out, every month or so now? i still want to know all about it.
margaret
You did a wonderful job relating your experience and you have given hope to so many of us!
And your walking sounds just fantastic!
Hope you continue to improve and like everyone says, please keep us informed!
Joni