Meet my friend Gayle Myrna. Gayle is a long time reader of mine and suffers from pretty severe asthma herself. Gayle is also an accomplished performer and songwriter. She recently entered a songwriting contest presented by Billy Ray Cirus, the Country Music Association and DRIVE4COPD to promote COPD awareness. Gayle is probably one of the [...]
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Everyone experiences a little indigestion and bloating from time to time. Did you know that it’s very common for people with chronic lung disease to experience frequent abdominal bloating? What’s not so normal however, is to actually become so distended that it impairs your ability to breath effectively, but that’s what was happening to me. [...]
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I probably sound like a broken record when I say this, but it’s true… I might have crappy lungs, but it’s because of those crappy lungs that I’ve been able to meet so many wonderful and interesting people. My friend Alin certainly fits in that category. Alin has Autism, Spastic Quadriplegia Cerebral Palsy and an [...]
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I normally don’t post excerpts or links to other peoples posts, but this one I couldn’t resist. Like the many others who’ve reposted it, I just love it. Piper, a recent double lung transplant recipient who had Cystic Fibrosis, lists her recommendations for that perfect holiday gift. I especially love the gift of prednisone. Her [...]
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His human name is Steve Ferkau, and his story is truly amazing. Related Posts:What to get the lung transplant recipient who has everything.Life is hard in the FEV1 30′s, but… The meetingThe SARP experienceWay to go Cris!
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I often find it frustrating that here I am, a life long asthmatic, a Respiratory therapist and an asthma educator, yet still unable in normal conversation, to describe what makes my type of asthma so different from others. When asked to define asthma in general, I usually give the spiel about how asthma is an [...]
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How’s this for a view! In just a few weeks , if all goes as planned, I hope to be standing on that very same rock with a half a dozen of my COPD friends. The brainchild of my Boston marathon walking partner Mike Mc Bride, the “COPD Mt Evans Challenge” as he calls it, [...]
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For 5 years now, I’ve been heralding the benefits of daily exercise in people who have severe lung disease. That message is plastered all over this blog, and I believe is the reason that Ive lived so long. But wait, just as with every other facet of this frustrating disease, there’s a catch 22. While [...]
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You might be surprised by how many people it takes to get 2 severely lung challenged athletes and an 80 lb oxygen cart across the finish line of the world’s most prestigious foot race. Introducing the crew ! Our spotters……………………………………Lizzy and Chuck Not only I am privileged to participate again in this incredible race with [...]
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I just want to take a few moments to honor the life of a good, kind person. His name is Jim Cady. The husband, father and best friend of one of my racewalking buddies, Vickie. Jim was a very kind, soft spoken, but courageous person. An avid skier, Jim wasn’t a racewalker himself, but he [...]
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No longer just reserved for severe pain control or to relieve end of life suffering, today a growing number of people with severe lung disease are using opiate medications to help quell their severe dyspnea . Well, you can now add to that list, a certain quirky little asthmatic marathon walker, by the name of [...]
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Last week after finding out just how damaged my lungs really are, the only thing going through my head was..WHY? All of the assumptions I had made about my asthma throughout the years, suddenly didn’t seem to make sense anymore. I was beginning to wonder if I really ever had asthma at all? Maybe I just [...]
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……………….Try saying that 5 times really fast. Before reading this post, you might find it useful to read the first two of paragraphs in the “Rick over at the Respiratory Therapy Cave, does a great job of explaining how asthma can sometimes turn into COPD. *************************** On Thursday I had my first appointment at this [...]
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