Life Tethered to a Concentrator — Caroline Gainer

As a gardener, I sometimes imagine my mind as a garden full of various plants. Advocating for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients while living with the disease myself sometimes causes a few…

Incontinence ranks right up there with religion and politics as topics we don’t usually mention in polite company, partly because it’s embarrassing. But let’s discuss it anyway, because it affects many patients with…

For two weeks, I’ve gone to at least two doctor appointments a week to learn what’s causing me stomach problems atop my chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but I still don’t have a…

If, 58 years ago, I had hated cigarettes as much as I hate them now, I probably wouldn’t have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, that isn’t guaranteed, as two other risk factors…

To live our best lives with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), we know that certain actions are necessary — taking our medications as directed, eating a healthy diet, getting enough rest,…

I’ve been suffering from a bad case of thrush, which has brought to the front of my mind the importance of correct procedures when taking my inhaled medications — as I must because…

May brings sunshine and Mother Nature’s renewal with the blooming of flowers and the greening of leaves. This month has also brought the parting of the clouds of my oppressive thoughts, and the sunshine…

When living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), it can be hard to keep a sunny disposition. When you have trouble breathing, it’s hard to feel positive. One of the best ways I…

Tools that make life easier for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are prized possessions. One of them is the recently updated version of the COPD Pocket Consultant Guide from the…

For years, I got up in the morning and coughed and gagged, feeling like my throat was closing. Then I’d get a prickly feeling in my arms and back, like when your circulation gets…

Note: This column describes the author’s own experiences with corticosteroids. Not everyone will have the same response to treatment. Consult your doctor before starting or stopping a therapy. At some point, most people…

I recently received a call from my oxygen provider asking if I’d be home the next day. They wanted to bring me a new stationary oxygen concentrator, also known as a home oxygen concentrator.