Living With Emphysema
AND
Anxiety/Panic Disorder!
This is about emphysema or,
Yes, I have emphysema and haven't smoked
When I was having some symptoms,
In the mail one day, there was an offer
It said, if you don't quit smoking,
WOW, strong words and although
I didn't feel bad and thought all was fine.
I was there for 6 days and then I knew,
I don't go many places cause it is hard
Cooking and cleaning like I used to is a no-no.
Please don't think I'm looking for pity for
COPD as it is sometimes known by.
All lung diseases are put in this group.
for 8 years now,
but my lungs will never get better,
unless I receive a miracle.
I wanted to tell my story, and even if you are
reading this and aren't a smoker,
BRAVO!
But you might have a loved one who you
might be able to motivate into quitting,
which we all know isn't easy, but can be done.
I didn't know what was happening,
but then fate stepped in!
to buy a medical dictionary,
and they enclosed some pages
that would be in the book. Trash, I thought,
but decided to open the package anyway.
There was a page about chronic bronchitis,
and it listed all the things
that were happening to me!
with these symptoms, YOU could get emphysema!
I hated going to see Doctors,
my daughters and daughter-in-law
went to the Dr. with me, and accompanied me
for all the tests. Up to that point,
it was the only X-ray I've ever had,
Besides which, I would faint when I had a blood test. :-)
The Dr. gave me some inhalers and other medicine,
but I was still smoking.
In May of 1992, my husband and daughter
came home from work, took one look at me
and rushed me to the hospital.
I had Emphysema!
That stopped me from smoking right then.
As time has gone by, I gradually ended up on oxygen.
Even the medicine wasn't enough anymore!
So I have a machine that makes
oxygen out of the air,
and I'm hooked up to it with tubing.
The tubing sometimes gets tangled,
I get stuck, and feel like a dog on a leash.
When I go to the Drs.,
I have a canister I use,
and my husband helps me with that.
getting the canister and me
in and out of the car.
Besides hot, humid, and frigid days make
it hard to breathe even with the oxygen.
One thing that keeps me going,
is my Webtv. While I'm online,
I don't even think about how I am breathing.
That is really strange!
myself, but if I can help even one person
to see, what I go through, and change
their habits, how wonderful that would be!
Good Luck, Sally
American Lung Association
It seems like I've always had problems
Most of my problems started after a huge flood
One day while reading the newspaper,
For 10 years, I was too afraid
When my children graduated, I couldn't
Trying to take a bath and wash my hair
One night, my Sister stopped by to see
I joined a non-profit group called
I had to quit when I got emphysema,
I leave you with one of their beliefs
Your symptoms are distressing,
I wish you peace and good health!
Living With Anxiety And Panic Attacks
with anxiety and panic attacks in a way,
but that's not true.
I do get a twinge now and then
and have to rely on what I've learned
over the years and it passes.
I do take medicine, but my doctor says
with this problem and the emphysema,
I need something so I won't have a
full blown attack.
that hit our area in 1972.
I was always strong and independent,
and never worried about how I was feeling.
But the symptoms got worse, and here I was,
not even knowing what was wrong with me.
I had to keep quiet about how I was feeling,
because if anyone found out, they would
think I wasn't capable of taking care
of our 3 small children, and I was determined,
no one would ever get my kids away from me.
I noticed an article about agoraphobia
and from the description of the symptoms,
then I knew what was wrong with me.
to leave my house.
I could go in the yard to hang clothes,
and walk to the sidewalk but no further.
go see them, and I only stayed 5 minutes
at my daughter's wedding!
was so scary!
What if I had an attack,
and had to run for help?
if I wanted to go for a short ride,
just as she had done many times.
I shocked myself by saying okay,
and we would go down one street every night
until I went further and further.
What a Wonderful feeling I felt,
after all the years I wasted.
Recovery, Inc. self-help mental health,
and learned so many things.
I even became a groupleader.
From not going out, to leading a group
made me feel like I was trying my best
to overcome this problem.
but I still am group treasurer.
There are groups all over the country.
that has helped me!
but not dangerous!
Let them rise and fall and it will help.
Sally
RECOVERY INC.
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