Sunday 25 May 2014

My dad has COPD


I was talking to my mum last night like I do every night at 6.10pm I think everyone else knows not to ring me at that time as I am either talking to mum or waiting for mum to ring, but not the point.

I was talking to mum and we were discussing how sick my dad has been lately, he coughs till he throws up a lot of brown/black foul smelling phlegm like stuff this has been happening for a while, he is back to the doctors tomorrow but he was so bad last night that mum ended up giving him a prednisone tablet which helped, she has been trying to not give it to him as she wants him to sound awful when they see the doctor which I get. It sucks when you are rotten and when you get to the doctor you are having a good day and don't sound as bad as you really are, if that makes any sense.

Still not the point, as I was saying I was talking to mum and she told me that dad has COPD, ok why am I only hearing this now, he has had it for a while now and by while I mean years it is due to him only have 1& a bit lungs.

Now this COPD (Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease ) is a type of obstructive lung disease characterised by chronically poor airflow, the symptoms include shortness of breath, a cough with bring up phlegm, in which chronic incompletely reversible poor airflow and inability to breathe out fully (air trapping) exist. The poor airflow is the result of breakdown of lung tissue (emphysema) and obstructive bronchiolitis. When there is severe destruction of the small airways it can lead to the formation of large air pockets also known as bullae that replace lung tissue this doesn't sound good to me.

There is no known cure for COPD all that can be done is to treat the symptoms and try and delay the progression. Suffers should have a flu vaccination each year and should try and reduce exposure to air pollution. Of course suffers shouldn't smoke, and my dad hasn't smoked in 20-25years.

COPD usually gets gradually worse over time and can ultimately result in death, it is estimated that 3% of all disability is related to COPD, however, the overall number of years a person can live with COPD has increased, which is good news for my dad as I don't want to lose him any time soon. How fast a person with COPD worsens depends on the person and things like how much exercise the can manage and if they are under or overweight, if they smoke or around smokers.

COPD has been referred to as “smokers lung”

Someone with COPD is at an increased risk of many complications such as chest infections, pneumonia, collapsed lung, heart problems, anxiety, depression, hypoxaemia.

Hypoxaemia is caused by lack of oxygen to the brain, which can result in confusion, memory lapses both problems my dad has, dad also suffers from depression due to his bad health.

Suffers of COPD are at increased risk of a sedentary lifestyle due to the difficulties they have with walking and doing anything that can cause breathlessness this of course means they do less which make the COPD worse due to less exercise and they end up in a downward spiral of inactivity.

I worry about my dad a lot lately, since having the lung cancer in 2009 it has been one long battle, although when you ask dad how he is he will usually say he is fine nothing wrong, this is because he doesn't like to worry his children and grandchildren.

Dad also hates to go the the doctors since he is forever seeing one doctor or another but he needs to keep up on the doctor visits it is what is keeping him alive, not seeing a doctor can mean a simple to fix problem is not caught till it is too late. Dad knows his family love him and worries about him and that we want him around for as long as possible.

Since dad gets like this a lot I think he should have a stash of antibiotics to take when he is bad and not have to wait till he can get into see a doctor to get started on them, he has the prednisone at home which mum can give to him when it sounds like he needs it.

Ok this has been a long winded post, sorry for that I do try not to write long winded posts.





21 comments:

  1. Blessings for your dad and all of your family!

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    1. Hi my dad has had copd for years now just found out he has lung cancer heartbroken but glad your dads OK

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  2. Sorry to hear that. Hard to know what to do. *hugs*

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  3. I've taken care of a lot of people with COPD. With the right treatment, many of them managed quite well for a long time. I totally understand about wanting the doctor to see how sick he is. It's frustrating to finally get an appointment and on the particular day you feel just fine.

    Love,
    Janie

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    1. Yes mum says he should be ok but things would be better if he didn't have to wait to go to the doctor to get antibiotics

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  4. I've known a few COPD people. It is so frustrating for them to no longer be able to do what once was easy.

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    1. Yes dad gets frustrated when he is unable to do as much as he use to do

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  5. I am sorry your dad has all this. I really am. I wish he had some antibiotics and meds around the house too.

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    1. Yeah if he them he would not end up feeling like he does at the moment I hope the doctor gave him antibiotics

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  6. So sorry to hear this! Healing prayers for your dad~

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  7. I'm so sorry to hear about your dad. I'm sure it's frustrating for all involved. Wishing him the best.

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  8. Sorry to hear about your dad's COPD. I have known a number of people with it and it is horrible not to be able to catch your breath. I hope the doctor can help slow down the progression and keep him breathing easier.

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    1. It is terrible to see dad not being able to breathe but he is terrible at seeing a doctor and taking medicine

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  9. Dearest Jo-Anne,
    It is very hard to watch our Parents going down... on their speedy way to life's exit. That's a FACT but it depends HOW they go. Watching their condition worsen is not easy and often there is very little what can be done. All the medication causes other problems due to side affects and their other organs will weaken too. We always pray that they don't need to suffer; we all have to die, that's a sure thing.
    Wishing your Dad strength for going this road and there is very little we can do for them besides showing them our love and care.
    Like my Mom, don't know if I ever will get to see her alive after our 64th trip back to The Netherlands. She's living day-by-day as she already is one year over the statistics of life expectancy with dialysis at her age for this long. We take it as a blessing and pray that she too will not have to suffer; IF this happens. In November we did have a scare as her vein, the one they use for the dialysis got blocked. I really thought; this is IT. But they managed to bypass the old opening but would that work once again?...
    Hugs to you,
    Mariette

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    1. I can't imagine living so far away from my parents and not being able to see them whenever I want to and I see my parents ever week at least once sometimes two or three times in the week. When dad feels like giving up he just looks at his young grandchildren and great grandchildren. and he knows he has so much to live for

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  10. Dear Jo Anne, the one really good thing that comes out so forcefully in your posting about you dad and COPD is that he is surrounded by a loving family who will do all they can for him and with him. That love and concern and care will go a long way in keeping him alive. I believe that. It is wonderful that your mother can talk with you so openly about this. Your being there for both your dad and mom says so much about your own deep-down goodness. Peace.

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    1. Yes dad is surrounded by a loving family who are always there for him and I think it helps mum with her knowing that she can talk to me and I will not think anything less of dad I just listen and let her vent.

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  11. I have been diagnosed with COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) and my doctor has given me Seebri Breezhaler, it's an inhalation powder 44 micrograms. I take it once a day in the morning. It's a great help to breathing, it's a new medicine on test, 10 out of 10 from me! But still yet i was told it has no cure for it. I was fed up to nearly take my life until my son saw a post of a lady who testify that there's a cure for copd and she was diagnosed with this disease for 8 years before she came arrow a website of an Africa clinic. Which provide natural herbal herbs to cure copd and she purchase it through online. My son purchase their copd herbal remedy on my behalf and give it to me to use with the instructions given on how to apply it, when i applied it as instructed i was totally cured of this deadly disease within 12 weeks of usage. I advise whosoever reading my testimony should visit www.solutionhealthherbalclinic.com and seek for your solution, You also can email at solutionsherbalclinic@gmail.com.

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