Hello, I'm Mumsie!

[mumsie]

Hi all
'mumsie' here. I have frequently viewed both this and your sister site since my diagnosis 3 years ago and have learnt a great deal along the way. Finally got round to joining I live near the coast of Cornwall in south west England. I have severe COPD and am on the usual triple therapy (Symbicort, Spiriva) along with my beloved 'Helios' 02 for daytime activity. I am widowed, with one teen daughter still at home, until September when she will be off to university. I also have Alpha1 anti trypsin deficiency. Certain folk have become my 'copd heroes' over time - most prominently the wonderful late Tom Petty MD, along with Mark Mangus, RoxlynneCole and many others. They have each been a mine of information spurring me on in there own way and turning what initially was devastating news into a personal challenge - one that I enjoy fighting! I look forward to 'chatting' with you all, Sincerely yours 'mumsie'.

[Blossom/Jackie W.]

Welcome Mumsie; It's lovely to have you with us!

You've mentioned some very good names in the COPD world, heck I feel like I know you already!
And; I'm pleased to hear you've been visiting our main website.

Feel free to jump right in anywhere and on any subject. Don't worry about posting in the wrong area or anything; just feel free to do it! Another challenge right up your alley.

So; pop in and say , have a coffee, share your knowledge and info as we go along.... That's a big part how we all learn here.... from each other.

My name's Jackie Whitaker (aka Blossom) and I look forward to reading your posts and input!

[aero63]

Welcome Mumsie glad you joined us.

[susanny]

A big welcome to you, Mumsie! How wonderful to hear from someone across the big Pond. It will be great to get to know you and hear how COPD is taken care of in your part of the world. I'm curious as to why you have O2 during daytime activities and not during sleep. Here in the US, it is usually initially prescribed for nighttime use first, since that's when our SATS drop the lowest. Also, how old were you when you were diagnosed with Alpha?

I'd love to get to know you more, so drop by the'Fence' and join us for a cup of coffee or whatever it is you like to drink and join in the conversation. We're a nice group, if I do say so myself, and love to have new members in our little talks.

My name is Sue, we're a year apart in age. I am married with 2 grownup children, a girl who's married and a boy who's single. I am retired from working in the middle school system, grades 5 through 8.

Hope to hear from you soon, Sue

[valerie]

Welcome Mumsie and I hope you continue enjoying this great site. I'm English but now I live in rural Spain. I am 66 years old, married but with no children unfortunately. I have very severe copd and like you try to get around with my liquid oxygen portable. COPD Canada has helped me so much. Nice to have you join us.

[annabob]

I would also like to welcome you to our forum Mumsie.

[Suzanne (Suz)]

Welcome to COPD Canada Mumsie, nice to meet you. And nice to meet all new members and all that I have not met yet. I am 50 yrs old - and although I was diagnosed moderate to severe CopD in 2008, today I am considered mild. Not sure if it's the bad nicotine that took so long to get out of my body or I just got lucky with my Lungs specialist and my accupuncturist.

I have 2 teenage daughters that sometimes make me want to do bad things to them and other times I could hug them to pieces. I have a mom 74 yrs old now that survived Small Cell Lung Cancer with a 2% chance of survival, I guess she made it become 3%.... She is having severe side effects from the Brain Irradiation she took 2 yrs ago in January, but she is alive today. She too has COPD she was at 37% before the lung cancer, I am not sure what she is at now.

COPD is not visible when you are my age and don't need oxygen and some people are unaware of this disease altogether, silly people. But I still manage to curl and today I played fun hockey with some boys from work, only fun hockey - did not skate heavy at all.

Talk to you all very soon!!
Cheers
Suzanne

[mumsie]

Thanks all for your lovely warm welcome!

Sue - you asked how old I was when diagnosed Alpha1. I was 54 and had just had my COPD diagnosis - originally at fev1 29%. Going straight from full health to very severe COPD following a sinus infection immediately aroused their suspicions and so they tested for it. My fev1 is greatly improved since then, hovering around 43% ! I am a great believer in the Symbicort / Spiriva combo, it certainly does the trick for me.

As for being on 02 in the day - that is for general activity. My sats are fine when seated at around 92 - 94%, but for some reason the moment I get up and walk around they plummet to mid 80's, and activities such as climbing a few steps or walking up a slight incline had me down in the mid 70's. I suspect that my night time sats have since deteriorated too, or that I have sleep apnoea as I am waking every couple of hours with my head feeling like it's about to explode - however I have delayed telling my Doc about this until after my daughter goes to Uni, as I feel she would find my having to wear the night time paraphernalia quite upsetting.

Suzanne - Your point about COPD not being visible when you don't use 02 is spot on! I was interested to read how much you have improved since your initial diagnosis - from moderate/ severe to mild! I subscribe to the theory that nothing is written in stone and exercise daily and do 'all the right things' in the hope that there may be some improvement - every little bit helps! I do object to my Doc classifying me as 'very severe' when my post med fev1 is now in the 40's, but he says it is because of my 02 problems. I think of myself as 'just a few points off moderate' I was sorry to read of your mum's health problems Suzanne - but what a fighter! My heart goes out to her.

I must check out the time difference between the UK and Canada - I may well be chatting while you are all still in bed! In the meantime, I will say 'bye for now, have a lovely weekend, mumsie.

[John]

[bobbioh]

jump in anywhere bobbi

[mary57]

Hi Mummsie, welcome to the group, glad you finally joined. I'm looking forward to chatting with you.