COPD

[livingwith]

My dad is 64… forced to retire early because he is now on oxygen 24/7 after is last bout with pnumonia and just started yet another cold 4 days ago. He only has one whole lung, the other, there is only a piece (1/4) left. About 40 years ago, he had hodgekins disease in his lung and they had to cut most of his long off, then he had extensive radiation treatments and them some chemo to boot.
He was considered cured after 10 yrs or 5.. I’m not sure now. Anyways.. he’s been fa...Read the full article

[DADHASCOPD]

Hi Cheryl. My name is Debbie, and my dad also has COPD. I was surfing the subject again tonight, and it directed me to this website and your story came up. I had a rough day with my dad today taking him to the doctor and getting him comfortable at home after he refused to be hospitalized again for an acute COPD exacerbation. You said you need to talk to someone who knows how it feels to watch someone you love struggle with the smallest daily activites, even breathing, which we all take for granted, well I'm here to share my story with you and hear more of yours too. I feel the same way, but my dad is 76 and in end stage COPD, and it's taking a toll on me and my 73-year-old mother. He's suffering so much, but still keeps smoking. He keeps saying "nothing else matters if you can't breathe". Anyway, email me when you want to vent. [moderator note: e-mail address has been removed]

[mvs]

My mother (65 years old) also has COPD. Unfortunately when it was first diagnosed in 1995, she became a "closet smoker", and finally stopped smoking this past May. She believed the "damage was already done".

My mother had her first hospitalization 3 years ago with an exacerbation. She was hospitalized 2 1/2 years later with another one, but this time her weight was an issue (75lbs) and they inserted a feeding tube in her stomach to help her bulk up. She put on weight, they stopped the feeding, and removed the tube in June. Before they removed it, she suffered an exacerbation in May.

Back pain (spinal stenosis and compression fractures caused by prednisone) has been an issue since June and she spent most of the summer in pain. Because of the intense pain she's in, it affects her breathing, and she was admitted to the hospital in August, October, and again on November 4. She is still in the hospital after spending 2 weeks in ICU. The doctors actually thought she was going to die two weeks ago, but she rallied. Her doctors are warning us to be "cautiously optimistic", but when she goes home she most likely be getting support services from visiting nurses/hospice.

Having a loved one with COPD is hell. You never know from one minute to the next when the next hospital visit will be. Some days she's so negative and to see her suffer you can't blame her.

Hang in there. The worst part is knowing is will never get better, but it's good to know there are others going through it too.

[Melanie2]

Hi everyone,

I found your stories comforting - thank you. My mother is currently in the hospital. It seems that 2 years ago she was diagnosed with COPD but kept it hidden from her children (we were told asthma). She is 67 years old and a smoker (something we have always tried to talk her out of doing), and unfortunately developed pneumonia this past week. She is in ICU right now, but it sounds like they are moving her to a med unit soon. I am devastated and scared for her and this past week has been the worst of my life. She, too, takes prednisone for rheumatoid arthritis and suffers its side effects. She also has osteoarthritis and fibromyalgia. She is very weak and exhausted, but slowly trying to eat and sit up and get stronger. I wish I could trade places with her, I am so terribly upset and long to do something to help her. Thanks for listening.

[mvs]

[quote="Melanie2"]Hi everyone,

I found your stories comforting - thank you. My mother is currently in the hospital. It seems that 2 years ago she was diagnosed with COPD but kept it hidden from her children (we were told asthma). She is 67 years old and a smoker (something we have always tried to talk her out of doing), and unfortunately developed pneumonia this past week. She is in ICU right now, but it sounds like they are moving her to a med unit soon. I am devastated and scared for her and this past week has been the worst of my life. She, too, takes prednisone for rheumatoid arthritis and suffers its side effects. She also has osteoarthritis and fibromyalgia. She is very weak and exhausted, but slowly trying to eat and sit up and get stronger. I wish I could trade places with her, I am so terribly upset and long to do something to help her. Thanks for listening.[/quote]


Melanie,
I'm hoping your mother is home by now and doing well.

Unfortunately, my mother passed away December 6. Her doctors told her on December 3, she'd be released on Friday with hospice. My mother did not want to live that way, and the next day she took a turn for the worse.

Fortunately, she was surrounded by all her children, and my dad. We all got to tell her how much we loved and appreciated every sacrifice she made for her family. She was so afraid at night, so we all bunked in her hospital room the last night she was alive.

It's been nearly 2 months, and I can't begin to describe the hole I have in my heart. The only thing that makes it easier, is knowing she's no longer suffering.

Smoking is a horrible addiction, so please try to get your mother to quit. If she stops now it will slow the progression of the disease. It appears my mother never really quit, and losing her at 65 is a difficult pill to swallow.

[boops]

u poor thing i really understand wot ur going through i lost my dad to COPD ,and my mum and i nursed him at home right to the very end as he was afraid of hospitals.COPD is a terrible disease and i know every body is so different to how they react ,i am now currently nursing my mum who also has COPD ,Angina, just enjoy everyday u have with him , u have to prepare urself mentally ,i no i sound hard but believe me i am so sad at the thought of losing my mum that its like my heart is bleeding,im afraid that when u have COPD ur immune system is low thats why ur dad keeps catching colds etc which is dangerous u need to make sure he is not around anyone that has a cold or any other illness as it effects a person with COPD three times as hard than a person that is not suffering from COPD,all i can say is this disease is like a roller coaster up and down, ur in my thoughts please take care of urself and big big hug to ur dad god bless