Why is it that:

1. The older men get the higher they wear their pants?
2. Birthdays come around faster the older you get?
3. We are still fascinated by Jon and Kate?
4. People who blow their nose, analyze the content of their hanky?
5. Men’s and women’s shirts have buttons on the opposite sides?
6. Tampon commercials so damn cheerful?
7. People take a bath in after shave or perfume?
8. Fritos smell so bad but taste so good?
9. Old people block the aisles in the supermarket?
10. Prizes in a box of Cracker Jacks are getting cheaper and cheaper?

Positive

We all have a lot to learn. Among all the people who have a lot to learn, I probably have more to learn, because I am a slow, stubborn learner, but I hope yesterdays entry conveyed the ability to find the positive within the negative of COPD.

There are certainly a lot of negatives out there, but by finding the positives, we can change our outlook on the world.

I could go on about this point for paragraphs. You know. You’ve seen me do it, but I want to keep this conclusion short and sweet.

Please find what you need in this world. Be it someone to talk to, medical intervention, or a warm puppy to cuddle. There are so many great possibilities out there for all of us, and I am glad I have found what works for me. That entry may have helped you, enraged you, or done nothing for you at all, but thank you for stopping by to read and comment. I feel we are in some small way more connected now, and even though I may not know you, I want you to feel safe, secure, and happy. Find this in whatever you choose to do.

You are okay. You will be okay.

What is COPD

It is chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, it is a progressive disease that makes it hard to breathe. Progressive means it gets worse over time.

COPD can cause coughing that produces large amounts of mucus, wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and other symptoms.

Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of COPD. Most people who have COPD smoke or used to smoke. Long-term exposure to other lung irritants, such as air pollution, chemical fumes, or dust, also may contribute to COPD. Mine is from smoking.

I guess to understand COPD, it helps to understand how the lungs work. The air that you breathe goes down your windpipe into tubes in your lungs called bronchial tubes, or airways. Your airways are shaped like an upside down tree with many branches. at the end of each branch is an air sac. The air sacs and the airways are elastic, meaning when you breathe in each sac fills with air, sort of like a balloon and when you breathe out, the sac deflates.

When you have COPD, less air flows in and out, because the airways and air sacs have lost their elasticity. The walls between the air sacs have been destroyed, or they have become thick and inflamed and have more mucus than usual which will clog the airways. The term COPD includes two main conditions, emphysema and chronic obstructive bronchitis.

In emphysema, the walls between many of the air sacs are damaged, causing them to lose their shape and become floppy. This damage also can destroy the walls of the air sacs, leading to fewer and larger air sacs instead of many tiny ones. In chronic obstructive bronchitis, the lining of the airways is constantly irritated and inflamed. This causes the lining to thicken. Lots of thick mucus forms in the airways, making it hard to breathe. Most people who have COPD have both emphysema and chronic obstructive bronchitis. Thus, the general term "COPD" is more accurate. COPD is a major cause of disability and it's the fourth leading cause of death in the United States. More than 12 million people are currently diagnosed with COPD. An additional 12 million likely have the disease and don't even know it. COPD develops slowly. Symptoms often worsen over time and can limit your ability to do routine activities. Severe COPD may prevent you from doing even basic activities like walking, cooking, or taking care of yourself. Most of the time, COPD is diagnosed in middle-aged or older people. The disease isn't passed from person to person—you can't catch it from someone else. COPD has no cure yet and doctors don't know how to reverse the damage to the airways and lungs. However, treatments and lifestyle changes can help you feel better, stay more active, and slow the progress of the disease.

Even though I may not look sick, I am. My COPD is mainly is characterized by extreme shortness of breath. This condition is very restrictive I avoid strong odors, smoke, flowers, perfumes, cleaning agents, paint, solvents, shaving lotion, scented candles, etc.

I also avoid crowds, dusty places, molds, and extremes in temperatures and windy conditions, because they leave me gasping for breath.

I have difficulty walking up stairs, I can’t walk far, I sure can’t be rushed and believe it or not it is hard for me to talk for any length of time. Oh, and restrictive clothing also makes breathing difficult for me.

I think I have adapted to my COPD emotionally very well. And I can actually do most of the things I need do with in reason. Right now I am avoiding public contact because of the H1N1 flu. I am hoping this blog can help other suffers of COPD as we cope with this disease day after day. I think it is helpful to know what to expect.

We all need some humor in our lives, especially those who are living with a chronic disease, they say humor is the best medicine !

Remember to take time to smile every day.

How to fail a test with dignity

Thanks Gary!

Tiger Woods

Everyone is all up in arms over Tiger Woods accident over the weekend. Silly me, I thought all you had to provide is drivers license and proof of insurance. Why is it that the police are wanting to interview Tiger and his wife? In the news today was a report that the FHP are trying to gain access to Tiger’s medical records to determine if the injuries were cause by the crash or by domestic abuse. Florida law allows the case to proceed without consent. When the officers arrived Tiger was on the ground unconscious and his wife was giving him aid. She told them she heard the crash ran out broke out the back window and drug him out and laid him down on the pavement. Who knows what really happened. But if he is indeed a victim of domestic abuse, as suspected, maybe something does need to be done. If he is not then leave them alone. Let them sort out their problems and let life go on.

Now, I know we all want to know what really happened in the case of the famous golfer. But if you're in the business of trying to keep Florida safe, what's the bigger priority -- getting to the bottom of the SUV vs.. fire hydrant case, or what happened to Caylee Anthony? And why do I suspect that in time we'll get to know all about the Tiger Woods case, while there might never be justice for little Caylee ?

What is it about human nature that we want to believe the very worst about a person? Why do we do that?

I HATE CANCER

I try really hard not to hate, I think hating is unhealthy and that hate in itself is like a cancer that left unchecked grows out of control and kills Joy. Kills Hope. But today I HATE cancer. The bad news is that the cancer rate will double in the next few decades. The good news is that many will survive cancer for years, decades, and sometimes even a lifetime after diagnosis. Five-year "cure" rates vary from 100% for prostate cancer to a scandalous 15% for lung cancer. But aside from the crucial issues of funding for cancer research, treatment, and prevention, it's time that we all acknowledge that cancer's here to stay and that whether we receive a diagnosis or not, we will certainly know and care for someone who has the disease. All I can do is strive to be more thoughtful, sensitive, and considerate. Listen more and talk less.

Below is a survivors story. He is a very courageous and brave man. He has made it his goal in life to educate people on the health hazards of smoking and if I do say so he is doing a great job on twitter.

HERE (in his own words) IS RANDY’S STORY:

A close friend of my wife's & mine ask me if I would write down a few thoughts on cancer. Since I am recovering from throat cancer, I have quite a few thoughts on it and they are mostly all bad.
When I started smoking cigarettes there was no evidence or proof that smoking causes cancer. Once that we found out that all the tobacco companies were not being honest about cigarettes being addictive and possible carcinogens, more testing started and more facts and information were released to the public. Bottom line is that smoking does cause cancer. I knew it but it was too late, I was hooked. I made the decision to quit 12-29-05. I won't say that it was easy quitting cigarettes but I had some insight into stopping addiction since I stopped drinking 13yrs prior to quitting smoking. I had been cigarette free for 2 and a half years when I was diagnosed with stage 3 squimous cell cancer of the throat. All 3 of my doctors, surgeon, oncologist and radiation said that my cancer was 100% caused by all of the years I had smoked. That's why I can say that it is never too soon to quit smoking but it can be too late. Cancer has been the scourge of both the past and present centuries. There were probably people getting sick and dying in the 1800s, but doctors had no idea what it was. Cancer also can run in a family. If there are members in your family that have or have had cancer, that increases your odds of getting some form of cancer. I myself had 2 strikes against me. I smoked and my mother and grandmother both died of cancer and my grandfather had prostate cancer.
There are hundreds of kinds of cancer, some of which have causes that are known but most, just happen. Myself and my partner manage a website for UAW retirees, bcbmonitor.com and in it there is a Medical section. In it we post articles about insurance and health. Our core belief in this section is that Health Care must start at home. This can be done through diet, exercise, regular maintenance and quitting smoking.
Some things that anybody who is diagnosed with cancer must do, is go into it with your eyes open, have and keep a positive attitude and put your life and trust into your doctors hands. It can be hard at times to keep a positive attitude but it is a must. Everybody told me that they couldn't believe the positive attitude I had going through all of my treatments. They would ask, how do you do it, and I would tell them that that was one thing I had control over. Through the surgery in which I was cut from just behind my right ear, down then over to just below my Adams Apple, 3 intensive chemo treatments that were three weeks apart and going to radiation therapy 37 times while doing chemo, it can be easy to get a poor me attitude but that does nothing good for you or your loved ones. When you go through it with a positive attitude, it helps you and gives family and friends more hope that you will recover.
I am 1 and a half years into my recovery and feel great. I will feel much better when I hit the 5 year benchmark and I have no doubt that I will make it. All of my follow ups with doctors have been nothing but positive and I know they will continue to be that way. I know that there are a lot worse kinds of cancer than I had but no matter what kind or how bad, keeping a positive attitude through it all can and does make a difference. A person has control over 2 things that can help get through or even prevent cancer. Keep a positive attitude and if you smoke, QUIT and if you don't smoke, don't start.