Living with Asthma and or COPD

[Nevis]

I am recovering from a bout of Pneumonia. They have also discovered a lung condition that may be either Asthma or COPD, they won't know until I am well enough to have the tests. This is all new to me. I am curious to discover what this all actually means. I will be posting my progress and any information I can find on this page. Can I still work etc? I have also stopped smoking after 45 years and stopped the bottle of wine I was drinking every day. Might as well give everything up and get back to enjoying life. So I will also be posting any helpful information I find about giving them both up. In the meantime, if you have any useful information or experiences that you would like to share, please do so. I'd love to hear from you.
It's not all doom and gloom. Here is my blog so far.

16th January 2020
"Hello everyone. I was taken by ambulance last week to East Surrey Hospital with pneumonia. This last week has been horrendous as was the pain and I don't know how I would have got on if it wasn't for the care and attention of all the staff who looked after me, especially Nurse Rani Bell, who was always there with her soft voice and Kathleen, an 89 year old patient who told me the worst jokes ever to keep my spirits up. I have been pumped so full of drugs that my veins collapsed and my nose is sore from the oxygen and Nebuliser mask (Darth Vader) but I'm home now and alive so lots to be grateful for. I have stopped smoking and drinking and am not missing either. The Doc is going to sort me out with some clinic appointments as I have some damage to a lung (45 years a smoker) as I may have either Asthma or COPD, they don't know yet. I am still on some drugs and have been having some awful lucid dreams, but I am lucky. I have a yellow elastic band with 2 knots in that I wear on my wrist, the big knot is called Rani :) which I ping if I start craving a ciggie and the little knot is called Kathleen :) for when I feel low. I have a long way to go before I'm better, but life is good. Next time you want a ciggie, think of me xxxx Later's, I'm exhausted."

"The family have also been wonderful xx Mick has gone to the hospital to pick up some more stuff, bless him. The parking at East Surrey Hospital is atrocious, which needs to be sorted out. In the meantime, here is why my 89 year old friend and bed neighbour was so important to me. "Do you want to hear a good joke?" she said. "Not right now Kathleen, I'll start coughing again ..." "Why did the Lobster blush?" "Kathleen ... please don't (wheeze)" "Because he saw the Queen Mary's bottom" "Kathleen ... I'm begging you . (big fit of coughing) "That's the way, get it off your chest, laughter is the best medicine. Here's another. When the frogs car broke down, how did he get home? He got toad" It was no use arguing with her and by now I was gasping and spluttering and then suddenly, my chest cleared, and I felt a lot better. "That's the way. Got a pen? mine has run out" she said. I tossed over a pen and she carried on with her word search puzzle book. What a darling."

"Worked out how to use my inhalers (wonderful things) and tablets and have managed to do some light housework and some washing. I have some boiled sweets where the baccy used to sit and a jug of water where the wine bottle sat. Now I am watching "Where's That Fire?" with Will Hay. Funniest film ever :) I am a little bit breathless but all is good. xx Going to take a slow walk up the Court and back tomorrow with my stick".

17th January 2020
"I am feeling positive now. As soon as I am well enough to take the tests then the mystery of which one I have will be solved. Either way, both conditions can be controlled with the right medication and I can still work. I keep remembering how miserable I was when I took 2 years out. Thanks to all of my good friends who have given me such good advice. Love you all. Onwards and upwards. In the meantime, I am putting my feet up for the next two weeks".

"Good morning everyone. It's going to be a lovely day. I was going for a little walk today but decided to stay in. If you do see me out and about over the coming days, I will be wearing a paper face mask (must buy some kind of silk scarf to cover that). I mustn't get near traffic fumes or risk catching any airborne virus. A word to any joggers out there. Running beside a road can do as much damage to your lungs as smoking, so wear a mask. Someone should design some colourful funky jogging masks, they'll make a fortune. Have a great day all of you."

"It just keeps getting better. I have just had a nice hot bath! I haven't had a bath in months as I was too heavy to pull myself up out of it, so I have been having showers instead. I seem to have lost about half a stone, so, eyeing up the bath, I decided to have a go. It was heavenly, lots of bubbles, and getting out was a piece of cake :) Win win. I wonder what tomorrow will bring? :) Now all that's needed is for hubby to put some antiseptic cream on my botty when he comes in as I seem to have developed a little nappy rash in an unreachable place (don't ask, I was out of it on the drugs and couldn't help it). Being stripped naked while people attach several drips and heart monitors and oxygen and nebulizer and inject you with everything going, and everyone passing in A&E (visitors included) are getting a right old eyeful through the half open curtains, makes you lose all sense of embarrassment (what can you do?)"

18th January 2020
"Well that was a great success :) It was such a nice day out there I decided to wrap up, put on the mask and scarf and have a walk down the hill to the shops. I bought some chicken for dinner, had some instructions from Liza Wicks and her daughter, who were sitting outside the cafe in Broadfield Barton, on how to use my inhaler properly, then made my way home. "Now" I thought "This will be the test. Slowly slowly up the hill". Before I was ill, by the time I reached the top of the hill, my lungs would be screaming and wheezing. Not any more. I took it slow, had a couple of rest stops, and carried on. No wheezing, no burning chest, and when I reached our front door, I wasn't even out of breath. Amazing what a week off the fags will do for you. Rewarding myself with a chocolate now. xxx"

20th January 2020
Apparently, I am not quite there yet. Nurse says that I need to wait until Feb 11th before I can have my breathing test. "But I feel so well, I even walked up the hill with no problem" "That would be the steroids Carol, don't be fooled, light exercise and a little light housework only, and keep on using the inhalers" Righty Oh, I'm going to behave myself. I am doing Katie's family tree, so that will keep me busy.

"So, I think I have control of my cig cravings now. When the urge comes upon me I think about the sirens going in the ambulance, and the word 'heart' spoken by the paramedic and the stripping off of my clothes to wire me up to every monitor going and inject me with whatever was needed at the time to save my life. I have been a smoker for 50 years. I get awful cravings for a ciggie, but I also get wonderful cravings for life, to be a nan to our Maggie, Peter, Mitch, Lucia and James xxxx"

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pneumonia/
https://statistics.blf.org.uk/pneumonia
https://www.webmd.com/lung/copd/asthma-vs-copd#1

[Nevis]

I am pleased to say that I passed the breath test and have neither COPD or Asthma. I am very lucky. xxx