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Post by kygal on Mar 27, 2007 14:11:19 GMT -5
Hi all, I'm Mary and so thrilled we finally have a CDN board to post to. Phil, thanks so much for all the effort you put into this board and thanks to Jackie for all her efforts in the COPD Canada site. There's a wealth of information there and it's really helped me decipher things better in CDN terms. I'm Mary, caregiver to my hubby, Doug, who was diagnosed with COPD about 5 years ago. He's progressively gone downhill over the last year and a half and is now down to about 17% lung capacity. They have said the only hope of help he has is with a lung transplant but he has to go through a rehab program to build his body up enough to withstand the surgery. We thought we were accepted into a rehab program but they discovered he has pseudomonas and is now on 2 antibiotics to treat that, one by IV. We are praying this will kill the bug and allow him the time in rehab so we can get him on a list for transplant. I would LOVE to see us be able to advocate support groups in Canada, I can't seem to find any in our area and not sure about other areas. People so often forget about the caregivers and we need as much support as the patients. I love this site, as well as the Efforts site in all the info they offer so I can understand more about this disease and the things available. ;D Thanks again for the sites and I hope to make a lot of new friends here. Hugs, Mary
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Post by morningstar on Mar 27, 2007 15:09:10 GMT -5
Hi Mary,
I am Rosemarie and I have COPD but was also a caregiver for many years to my mom. And you are so right about support groups they are needed here in the U. S. A. too. Comparing the two things looking back I think being the caregiver is the hardest. One reason being you feel so helpless to help those you love. And until you have walked a mile in their shoes you really don't have any idea how wiped out this disease can make you. And the mental strain it puts on the caregiver let alone the patient. So it is nice to meet you. And if there is anything I can do just give me a yell. Good luck my new friend,
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