COPD and Smoking

[Angeleek]

Hi Jillar!  I am so sorry you had that awful experience in January, and so glad you lived to tell the story!! Thanks for sharing for others to learn from.  Young people definitely need to quit now before they get the same disease.

 

COPD took my mom. She too was ashamed to be in public with her oxygen.  It made me so sad that she disengaged from the world.

 

Your life is unique and precious. Enjoy your moments, free from shame or guilt, or worry what others may think.  Chances are, they are too concerned with themselves to be judging you anyway.

 

You deserve to enjoy your life. Live it to the fullest of your ability for as long as you can.

 

Thank you for all the wisdom and support you gave me when I joined, and provide everybody here on the train  ❤ 

[Abby]

There are other reasons people need oxygen . .  Problem is , yes people see others with an oxygen tank and think automatically the cause is always smoking . That is not true . 

If I were you , ( but we are all different)  I would use my situation as an opportunity to educate people , especially young people on the effects of smoking on our health and our family . This is coming from a person who like a person said earlier chalked up my breathlessness  to asthma so I could remain smoking .  Funny thing is , I have both . It started with chronic bronchitis , frequent pneumonia . 

 

Oxygen is giving people a better life . Live for today and this moment . 

 

Copd is progressive so stopping smoking now will slow that progression . Many today have Copd and don't know it , it's a slow and silent disease until it sneaks up on you . 

 

Quitting now is the best thing any of us can do . 

Edited June 5, 2021 by Abby

[jillar]

Are you experiencing signs of COPD including Emphysema....

 

https://medlineplus.gov/emphysema.html

[jillar]

I know I said I want this topic focused on COPD and not me but you guys were all so kind in telling me I shouldn't be embarrassed to go out in public that I wanted you to know I took it all to heart. I also discovered oxy glasses! They're glasses that can be fitted with a prescription lens and have a cannula built into them! So no more oxygen hose across my face

I really think this may be a game changer for me and part of my researching it further is thanks to all of you

P.S. anyone still on the fence about quitting, this could be your future problem too.........

[Robbie]

Great news Jillar, you go girl!!!

[Linda]

@jillar That is fantastic news. You give so much of yourself to this forum!!

Hope it all works out for you. You deserve to enjoy life to the fullest!!❤

[Gus]

I hope that it is something that you can manage @jillar! This would be the ultimate treat for yourself! You so deserve this and I really want to hear that you got out one day and had a blast!!

[d2e8b8]

@jillar, so happy to hear this :).  Hope you feel comfortable enough to do most of the things you enjoy doing.  Made my day so I can only imagine what it must have meant to you.

[Doreensfree]

Yaaa @jillar....

This is Fantastic ....Never heard of those glasses ....but what a difference to your life they will make ...

Life Changing ...

I'm so Happy for you ...Wishing you well Sweetie

[Abby]

This is wonderful news @jillar. Thank you for sharing this information . I know it will help others , maybe here on quit train maybe someone just looking  in . 

I hope this opens new opportunities and a continuous beam of light that gives you even more hope , more energy and more confidence in the days to come . Keep sharing your story , keep reaching out to others . Share this journey you are on . 

Never be ashamed you have COPD . I like to look at it this way its copd  not COPD but that's me and copd . I understand we are all different and that's ok too . You can get stronger , maybe your lungs won't , I don't know , but you can . 

Copd doesn't change a thing about the beautiful person you are and since my time here that's what I see in you , not an oxygen tank at all . 

I hope this turns out well for you . It will be life changing and I'm so happy for you . I am in tears of joy for you actually and I have just known you such a short amount of time . I cannot even imagine how you feel right now   .

All the very best to you . 

 

 

 

 

[AceWhite]

@ Jillar always an inspiration for others!

Thank you for being you

[NADA]

.

Edited September 14, 2021 by BKP

[Kris]

Jillar.

I kind of understand where you being uncomfortable in public.  My sweet husband died of skin cancer that spread to his lungs.  He had to be on oxygen for 5 years.  Had the tanks in the house

and a concentrator.  My guy would not give up his freedom and they gave him one of the portables he could just wear it on his shoulder.  He just hated it when working because there were nonstop questions.  He did not want to spend his time on that, he just wanted to be seen as the hard worker he always was.  He was so brave thru the whole thing. I would not be uncomfortable at all,

you should not either. You have a challenging health issue but you deserve to do everything you can do and to ENJOY your life! If they stare just stare back and if they are rude give them hell.

K

 

[Katgirl]

Well, that’s cool! Hope it’s a game changer…

[Angeleek]

Cool deal on the oxy glasses! Glad you arent gonna let anything stop you, Jillar! Don't know if strength training is an option for you, but from I've read up about it, the stronger you are the easier time you'll have with breathing over the course of things.  You want to be able to exhale forcefully so as not to get carbon dioxide build up in your blood. Thank you for sharing the link on emphysema. God I just wish we all hadn't been duped by cigarettes. What a global public health tragedy! Amazing that it still goes on. It's sick.