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.

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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…

Caroline Gainer

I am making final preparations for my trip to the GOLD conference

A few weeks ago, I wrote about overcoming my fears about traveling from my home in West Virginia to Philadelphia, where I’ll be attending the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) conference on Nov. 13. I am now in the process of putting the finishing touches…

This COPD action plan is my weapon against exacerbations

For those of us with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), avoiding exacerbations — or flare-ups — is a top priority. The question is, what tools are available to help us do that? Some of them are cleansing our nasal passages, getting vaccinations, and noticing changes in the…

Having an emergency preparedness plan is crucial for people with COPD

Those of us with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who use oxygen therapy must have a backup plan for emergencies like power outages and equipment failure. Even if you don’t use oxygen, it’s crucial to have an emergency preparedness plan if you use a nebulizer or other medical…

In my household, fall chores include staying on top of my health

The leaves are starting to change colors here in West Virginia, which means it’s time to start getting ready for winter. Some of these seasonal preparations concern the house and the car, while others involve my health. Fall is another reminder that those of us with chronic obstructive…

After years of pushing myself, I’m learning to accept my limitations

As we go through life, we face many changes. Some are happy, like the birth of a child or the accomplishment of a goal, while others, like illness and physical limitations, are harder to embrace. Such experiences are on my mind because I’m preparing for my yearly wellness check. In…

How a failure ended up being a win for me with COPD

Several months ago, I was selected by the pharmaceutical company Sanofi to be screened for a clinical trial called AERIFY-1. The study, which is being conducted by the global research company Care Access, aims to assess the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of the investigational therapy itepekimab in…

How I’m overcoming my fears about traveling and public speaking

I haven’t traveled since the COVID-19 pandemic started. This is partly because I was afraid of contracting the virus, but also because I wasn’t sure I had the stamina to travel due to my chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and other health issues. Dealing with acute respiratory…

I shouldn’t have to fight so hard to live with COPD

Do you suffer from emotional fatigue? I do. Mayo Clinic describes emotional exhaustion or emotional fatigue as accumulated stress from challenging events. The symptoms can be physical or emotional. I believe most of us felt a degree of this fatigue because of the COVID-19 pandemic, which set off…

What does a balanced exercise program for COPD look like?

What types of exercise benefit patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)? In my opinion, the quick answer is “all of them,” but let’s take a closer look. According to Harvard Health, the four most important types of exercise — and this is generally speaking, not specifically for…

Can an anti-inflammatory diet help me manage COPD?

I have embarked on a quest to reduce inflammation in my body, which is largely a result of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and aging. My latest effort is implementing an anti-inflammatory diet. When I was younger, anti-aging efforts revolved around preventing wrinkles and changes in body shape. But…

How hobbies can help us stay active with COPD

One topic in the most recent edition of the COPD Foundation’s Faces of COPD newsletter is staying healthy while pursuing hobbies. This subject struck me smack in the face because I’d gotten on the computer to find a squash casserole recipe. I had a beautiful summer squash in the…

What life with COPD looks like when I run out of ‘spoons’

I had not heard of the spoon theory until a few years ago when I was researching fatigue. The spoon theory, created by writer and lupus patient Christine Miserandino in 2003,  uses spoons to represent portions of energy. Earlier this year, The Washington Post provided one…


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