David

I was diagnosed with COPD 10 years ago! I now know that I was living with COPD for many years before my diagnoses.

I was brought up on a farm and farmed until I was in my late 20’s --- this was before the time of cabs on tractors and combines that filtered the air for you --- before the time when it was thought that the smart thing to do was to wear masks when dealing with chemicals and sprays --- so even before I started smoking in my 20’s I was inhaling harmful dust, chemicals and sprays into my lungs, not even aware of the damage that was being done.

Once, long before my diagnoses with COPD I can vividly remember one cold winter day --- I was out snowblowing our driveway, sidewalks and the road in front of our home. The snowblower stopped. --- As it was an electric start snowblower I had to drag the machine from the road up to our garage where I could plug it in to restart it. By the time I got it up to the garage I had completely lost my breath and I couldn’t get it back – I was so scared – I didn’t think I was going to make it! I knew at that time that my smoking didn’t help my breathing problems, but I wasn’t prepared to quit smoking at that time either!

In the spring of 2000 we returned to Regina after a winter holiday in Victoria. During that time in Victoria I made promises to family members who are in the medical field, that I would get a complete check-over upon my arrival home – they were very concerned about my shallow breathing and my extreme weight loss! I was down to 134 pounds and looked like a little old man! I kept my promise --- I was going through many tests by different specialists, when I got double pneumonia, pleurisy and a bladder infection all at once --- (I didn’t know I had any of this – I thought I came down with the flu)! Because of this my final test by a surgeon could not be done until the pneumonia etc. was completely gone. After a short stint in the emergency ward I went home to recuperate, only to find out 6 weeks later by the surgeon that I had to undergo immediate surgery - my one lung had collapsed and attached itself to the pleural wall. This apparently had happened during the pneumonia period. During this time I was also seeing a respiratory specialist who informed me that I had C.O.P.D.

Living with COPD has not been easy. The hardest part, especially at the beginning, was learning to do things differently. I couldn’t go running up the stairs --- I couldn’t lift and carry objects --- I couldn’t even start my chain saw!! I remember that incident in particular --- I was out front of our house getting ready to trim a tree. I was trying to start the chain saw by pulling on the starter rope --- over and over. It would not start. I would not give up even though I was out of breath --- thank goodness for the kindness of neighbours – he saw my plight and came over to assist me. That was one of my first insights into just what I was going to have to live with --- for the rest of my life!

Over the past ten years I have learned that any exertion at all will take my breath away --- what a horrible scary feeling! Simple things like dressing in the morning, bending over to put on my shoes, carrying a bag of groceries, walking too fast, trying to get up from a kneeling position, can take my breath away! You have no idea what it is like not being able to breathe! Having COPD has not only affected me, but my family as well. There are many things that I cannot do now that my wife or other family members have to do for me --- things that I used to do on my own with ease. I find this very frustrating as I was a person who moved fast, did physical things and never had any problems. I have had to educate myself as to what I can and can’t do --- my limitations --- that also has been frustrating!

We were living in Regina during this time, and we were fortunate enough to be introduced to the Dr. Paul Schwann Centre where there was an exercise program for persons at risk. With my COPD I was considered at risk. My doctor filled in the proper application for me to join. What a wonderful breakthrough in my life at that time! I went three times a week to the Centre where they tested me, and set me up with an exercise program that was designed just for me. It was regulated by the nurses, doctors and therapists that were there all the time. They tested me regularly and either increased or decreased certain exercises that I was doing according to my testing. I began to feel like I was able to do things again --- only in moderation! I really looked forward to going to the Centre three times a week --- as a matter of fact if I had to miss a day, I really felt the loss!

I was also taught the benefit of pursed lip breathing, --- drinking lots of fluids to keep the mucous thin and easy to get rid of, --- exercises to do at home on my own, --- and just how to get on with life living with a chronic condition.

When we moved to Saskatoon I began to see Dr. Marciniuk at the U of S who informed me about the pulmonary exercise program here. I joined. I find that the regular exercise at the field house with Trent Litzenberger and the others coaching me, has helped in many many ways. I look forward to my three sessions a week, and when I have to miss one for any reason I feel the loss of something important.

Dr. Marciniuk also set me up with Vicky Kennedy who is a nurse dealing with persons with COPD --- my monthly sessions with her are most rewarding! She is another life-line that I can contact should I need help.

I have also participated in many research studies, both drug and exercise related, that I am informed about through Dr. Marciniuk’s office. I hope in this small way I will be able to be one of the “guinea pigs” that tests the drug that will some day be on the market that will make breathing easier for me as well as others suffering from COPD!

It is people like Dr. Marciniuk, Vicky Kennedy, Janet Baron who works for Dr. Marciniuk setting up the clinical trials, and Trent and his crew at the field house who have helped to make my living with COPD just that much easier. Also, the love and support that I receive from my family is unbelievable.

I am now on “exertion oxygen”. Charlie, that is the name my wife gave to my oxygen cart and tank, and I can be seen frequently walking the long halls of our condo, or out around the soccer field and Forestry Farm. Charlie is now a member of our family!

Thank you for allowing me to tell you my story.

Lyn

I want you to know - I was a smoker for many years. I quit only one year before David did, but I am one of the lucky ones – I do not have C.O.P.D.

Living with a person who suffers from C.O.P.D. is not easy!

After David had his surgery in 2000 things really changed. We had a name to put to his constant fatigue; his horrible coughing; his inability to do anything that required exertion – this name was C.O.P.D.

As a normal wife, I nagged at David to quit smoking – as a normal husband, David stood his ground and told me that he would know when it was time for him to quit! That time came on August 25th, 2000, two days before I took him into the emergency room in Regina – he had run out of cigarettes, was too sick with what he thought was the flu to go out and get some, so he decided to use the patches that we had purchased earlier “just in case” he decided to stop. These helped his craving for a cigarette – also he was really quite sick with the pneumonia, pleurisy etc., which possibly also curbed his cravings.

After his surgery and recuperation that he told you about, it came to the time that we had to see just what his limitations were going to be – what C.O.P.D. was all about.

I had to do everything that required a fair amount of exertion – I worked along with David when he was still in “good shape”, but I did not have the strength that he did to do a lot of the things that he always took care of. Now I had to do these things whether I had the strength or not – it was hard. We still were living in a house, so there was all the yard work to do – we had a big yard – it was hard! Harder still, was living with David, who was really feeling guilty about me having to do things he couldn’t do anymore.

Having to watch David struggle with many, many things – walking up the stairs; trying to help with the yard work; trying to help with inside work; trying to get up off the ground when he was looking under the auto to see where the oil leak was coming from; not being able to do so many things that he used to do, really made me feel very sad for him and angry at him at the same time for doing this to himself – smoking!!! I know I sometimes said things that were hurtful when I was doing something that I was having a real hard time with, that I was putting the blame on him for me having to do these things, and I now know he was suffering also from being unable to help me.

David felt that in order to make things easier for me and better for both of us that we should move into a condo so that the yard work etc. would be taken care of. We looked at condos in Regina and decided that they were not for us. Then we came to Saskatoon, found the perfect condo for us, changed our minds, bought it and we moved here in 2003. Yes, it made it easier on me – I didn’t have yard work, etc. to do, but the move was hard on David – he is a putterer – loved working and puttering around in his garage – he had to give this up because we don’t have our own garage in which he can putter around. I felt guilty about the move because now David wouldn’t be able to putter and do some of the things he enjoyed doing.

To make a long story short, our love for each other has helped make things easier, but living with C.O.P.D. is not fun or easy – for both the person with the disease and the spouse. Things really change, and I have had to change and be more accepting of David’s limitations, of his fears and his moods which I know are reflective upon his having C.O.P.D.

When we lived in Regina I joined the Dr. Paul Schwann Centre exercise program with David and when we moved to Saskatoon I joined the Pulmonary Rehab Exercise Program at the Field House with him – I feel that these programs have really helped me – just seeing how hard he works to better his health. I thoroughly enjoy going to the Field House and being part of his strong will to help himself – I am so proud of all that he has accomplished since his diagnosis of C.O.P.D. and I shall keep on trying to help him in any way that he needs me.

Rose L. Beeds

I was diagnosed in 1999 – and felt disappointed but also relieved to know what was bringing on my shortness of breath. I finally realized my life would not be the same, because my physical activities would be limited.

Living with COPD is frustrating. I knew that I would not be able to do the things I used to do. I would tire out doing the simplest little chore like yard work or even cleaning house. Climbing stairs or walking is now difficult. I used to walk for miles, now I cannot for one mile. People like me have to think positive, not negative.

I am famous for my cooking and baking, as well as house cleaning.

Anonymous

When I was diagnosed in 2001, I felt mild shock and very concerned - resignation to a short lifetime of increasing debilitation and recurring illnesses. The shock was mitigated by the instinctive knowledge that after over 60 years of heavy smoking, something of the sort was inevitable.

In the days before and immediately after diagnosis it is physically and emotionally torturous with repeated episodes of “minor” lung ailments and loss of strength and energy. With wise and persuasive medical advise, cessation of smoking, regular supervised exercise and guidance from the pulmonary rehab program/team, and limited medication I am now living an entirely normal life in better health than is generally expected at my age for persons without COPD.

Don Irvine

Knew I had “slight or mild” emphysema prior to diagnosis in 2004. So was not shocked or surprised. Had quit smoking almost exactly a year previous to 2004 attack so felt there wasn’t much I could do about it. In June 2008 I was referred to the COPD pulmonary rehab program at the Field House to get a more active lifestyle. Had not heard of COPD before. Had found that the program very helpful in learning about COPD in particular and the associating with others with similar or much more disabling problems than mine.

In my case existing with COPD has not been difficult or changed my like greatly. I now know of situations I need to avoid, strenuous activity; smoke filled rooms; cold air breathing; etc. However, I have just been told that I have a lesion on my lung, a previous scar that has grown. It showed up on an xray. I have undergone a bronchoscopy which didn’t give any definitive conclusions and I’m now scheduled for a CT assisted needle biopsy of the lesion.

Hertha Tucker

When were you diagnosed with COPD/chronic bronchitis/emphysema (year)?

2008

Breathing test?

Yes

How did you feel when you heard the diagnosis?

In 2008, when I was diagnosed, I felt disbelief and unwillingness, and resistance of accepting the diagnosis as I have never smoked or to my knowledge worked in an atmosphere where chemicals or asbestos were involved. I ultimately came to the conclusion that it really didn’t matter what the cause was, I had a breathing problem.

Because my diagnosis is mild COPD, I don’t have the severe restrictions that others might endure. I often have difficulty getting a “good enough” breathe. I can’t walk as greatly as I use to, odd things. I am now aware that although I avoided exercise in the past, this is no longer an option for me.

I am famous for being a caregiver (teaching, helping parents, grandchildren and friends). Also I am known for hard work.

Frank Tappin

I remember how scared I felt when I was diagnosed with COPD in 1992. I was afraid of what the future might hold – what the impact would be on my quality-of-life as I grew older. I feel badly that I can no longer do run-of-the-mill shores around the house and yard like, painting, mowing the lawn, raking leaves or shoveling snow. I have to rely on others to do these things. I miss not being able to take long walks by the river, go on hikes, climb hills or go dancing with my wife. BUT there are many who are worse off than I am, and I’m grateful for the mobility I have and that I can participate in the COPD Program.

Norman Thomas

Although I was diagnosed in January, 2008, I required oxygen from October, 2003 onwards. I was relieved that the cause of the condition was determined and help could be received. My lifestyle was changed completely with dependence on oxygen, and I am thankful that oxygen is available to live with the condition. I presently am being as active as possible under the circumstances.