Hello everyone,especially Dot (Ohio) who like me has only just joined the group.
I think we might be the only active members at the moment Dot !!!!
A little about myself: I am a 53 year old female, diagnosed with emphysema and
asthma the day my first grandchild was born..(June 1996). My specialist said I
was an excellent canditate for Lung Reduction surgery and as part of the
prerequisite I was enrolled into the 12week rehabilitation programme.I was also
told I must lose quite a lot of weight. After completing the rehab, I felt so
much better and my breathing had improved to such an extent that I made the
choice of opting out of surgery for the time being. At the moment I am still
able to do my own housework (even tho' some days it is at snail pace), and I can
get around the supermarket to do my shopping, so I figured that while I can
still do those things I do not need the surgery. Maybe when I am ready, more
will be known about it and the success stories will be more numerous. I would be
most interested to hear from anyone who has had the operation.....also any other
techniques that help make breathing easier. I too was a smoker (40 a day) for 35
years and I quit the day after I was diagnosed. I started again 5 months later
and was on and off until 10th November last year when I made a super human
effort, and I'm pleased to report I've not had one since then. My heart goes out
to everyone trying to break the habit as it really is one of the hardest things
I have ever had to do in my life....Just keep on being positive and keep trying
and eventually it will happen if you really want it to. I also used the nicotine
patches each time I tried to quit and they definately helped me with the
cravings.
Hope to see some activity on this site soon as I think it is a fantastic idea.
Best of health to everyone
Delyse (Australia)