Someone asked me recently what I miss about my life before I had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Without hesitation, I answered that I missed being spontaneous. I can’t just decide, for example, that I want to go to the mailbox. I have to prepare for it, which requires…

Carrying a portable oxygen concentrator (POC) or tank in a backpack is undeniably inconvenient. However, it’s important to remember that chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients are in a much better position today than we were in the past, thanks to numerous advances in oxygen delivery technology. The…

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. Durable medical equipment providers (DMEs) rent those of us with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease…

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…

While the name of this column is “Life Tethered to a Concentrator,” so far, I haven’t yet discussed my journey with long-term supplemental oxygen. Today, I’d like to take you along on that journey. I was in denial — one of the five stages of grief —…

Inova Labs Inc., a company dedicated to medical devices for the treatment of respiratory conditions including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), recently received the New Product Award 2015 for its oxygen concentrator system Activox DUO2™. The award was given by HME Business, part of the HME Media Group, which…