I’m so tired of people at work and home telling me that I “should be over” pneumonia by now!
What they don’t know is that my cilia is different from theirs. Cilia are little tiny fiberlike protuberances found in the lungs, respiratory tract and inner ear that wave clean the airways clear of mucus, dirt and germs.
Folks with COPD have marked abnormalities in both cilia structure and function. They’re hard and paralyzed, making airway cleaning much more difficult.
![Cilia-SEM[3]605](https://harvardgazette.files.wordpress.com/2015/12/cilia-sem3605.jpg)
That means germs like pneumonia and influenza get in easier and leave slower. Folks with COPD need to have their Influenza and pneumonia vaccinations up to date – which I do – but there are germs that aren’t covered or slip past in spite of vaccinations.
I was diagnosed in the week between Christmas and New Year. There are techniques that COPDers use to assist the movement out. But it takes time and I’m still coughing out the bad stuff. That takes energy. Just breathing takes 20 times more energy than normal! Coughing takes a lot more.
All I do is work and sleep.
I just found this article about what I want my family and friends to know:
https://copd.net/living/want-friends-and-family-to-know/
I often feel embarrassed for coughing or losing breath. I try to cover it up and keep up with you which is very exhausting. I shouldn’t sit in my recliner and do nothing but everything does take more time – and energy. I feel like I have a BIG S tattooed on my forehead!
You do not want COPD! Don’t think for a minute that you’re too young! In 2000, 3.9% of the U.S. population between the ages of 25–44 were diagnosed with COPD – that number is growing! If you have asthma the odds are even higher.
Supermodel Christy Turlington said she had early signs of emphysema at age 31. Singer Amy Winehouse reportedly had early signs too—when she was only 24.
Whether you already have COPD or want to dodge the bullet – there’s only one solution – Quit Smoking ASAP!
Smoking Cessation is the only way to prolong your life with COPD. Yes, you can take meds, use oxygen therapy, do any number of things that do help – if and only if you don’t smoke!
Is it really worth it?
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