Life Tethered to a Concentrator — Caroline Gainer

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Caroline Gainer is from West Virginia, the state with the highest rate of COPD in the United States. She was diagnosed with moderate-to-severe COPD in 2013 after a pneumothorax (lung collapse). After two more lung collapses she was diagnosed as severe. She has been very active with the American Lung Association and the COPD Foundation as an advocate for people with lung disease. She hopes that her column, “Life Tethered to a Concentrator,” will inspire others to live their best life with COPD.

Losing myself, finding myself: How recovery is harder with COPD

There are times in life when illness doesn’t just slow you down— it rearranges you. I didn’t see it happening at first. I thought I was simply tired or behind, in need of a weekend to catch up. But slowly, almost quietly, I began to lose the version of myself…

The benefits of virtual pulmonary rehabilitation programs for COPD

Pulmonary rehabilitation can help to significantly increase exercise tolerance in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Many hospitals have pulmonary rehabilitation programs, but some patients have difficulty getting to them because they don’t drive, can’t secure a ride, or don’t have easy access to public transportation. One…

How I overcame cachexia, the wasting disease often tied to COPD

It’s not uncommon for those of us with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) to suffer from cachexia, or wasting disease. A 2019 study found that people with cachexia or pre-cachexia had a higher death rate than those who didn’t suffer this uncontrolled weight loss. The reason I’m…

Being prepared for unexpected events is part of managing COPD

Those of us with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease need to be prepared for unexpected challenges like inclement weather or power outages. A few days ago, I was happy that I had an emergency preparedness plan for when the power goes out. We were experiencing high winds, which caused…

Staying positive with COPD means making time for what you love

I’ve been struggling lately to maintain my normally positive focus on life and living. It’s been perplexing to try to figure out why I’ve been falling further off the gloom-and-doom cliff. I eventually realized that I haven’t been doing anything leisurely lately. As the saying goes, all work and no…

My COPD support system helps me avoid negative thought patterns

I recently posted in COPD360social, the COPD Foundation’s online community, that I’ve been requiring more sleep than usual. That represents a change in thinking for me. Normally, I would’ve told myself, “Get up. What’s wrong with you? Are you going to sleep your life away?” Or, “Get up and…

To-do lists help me when I need more than a cup of ambition

You know that Dolly Parton song where she tumbles out of bed, stumbles to the kitchen, and pours herself a cup of ambition? A recent day was one of those days when I need more than one cup of ambition. Days like that one make me almost wish…

Hope for a better tomorrow keeps me happy today

I was scrolling through Facebook recently and found a friend’s post that shared his life philosophy. That philosophy? Forget yesterday, live for today, and hope for a better tomorrow. If yesterday was a bad day because of the weather, for example, we should forget about it. But those of us…

There are a number of opportunities for overcoming social isolation

Many people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) live alone, and because we must exercise care not to get whatever bug might be going around, we often must limit our excursions away from home. Both factors can make the disease a very isolating one. People with COPD may not…

Trying to deal with seasonal changes and health challenges

Note: This column describes the author’s own experiences with phenazopyridine hydrochloride and cranberry juice for urinary tract infections. Not everyone will have the same response to treatment. Consult your doctor before starting or stopping a therapy. As November ends here in West Virginia, the chilly weather is confining…

How technology saved the day and my COPD presentation

No matter how well I plan or how much I want to do something, I have to remember that my chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is in control. One such reminder happened two weeks ago, as I was rounding up suitcases, securing a driver, and ensuring my house sitter…

Since COPD makes me vulnerable to lung infections, I get vaccinated

Each year here in West Virginia, the Greenbrier Clinic, where I have my yearly physical, sends me a complete list of my vaccinations and when the boosters are due. I make every effort to stay current with them because having chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) makes me vulnerable…

Questioning cascades of care helped me tweak my treatment regimen

About a year ago, I attended a conference that addressed the topic of cascades of care, which an editorial in American Family Physician defined as “a seemingly unstoppable succession of medical services often initiated by an unnecessary test or unexpected result and driven by the desire to avoid even…

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