Life is changing for us, and it is not for a positive reason

[EweSheep]

Thoughts and prayers for you and Ken! It really suck a** sometimes when the love ones are down and they just don't have that much time left.

There are times I want to raise my fist at the Supreme Being but other than that, ranctional reasonings niggled in my brain saying "That's life! I know it sucks! Be strong!" I would be in a boat of upheavel emotions and turmoil and frightened to lose my love ones. I lost my maternal grandparents to that horrible disease and they didn't stop smoking until they ended up in the hospital. They lived about two years after being diagnosed with it.

Pray you will have the strength of your family and your friends and we will stick by your side all the way!

We love you!

 

[KalikoFarms]

You and your husband will be in my prayers. I to am dealing with this with Jim, at last doctor visit he was only at Stage 3, but I cant get him to quit smoking. Its really a frustrating thing. But all I can do is pray. He also has sleep apnea, which at times keeps us both up alot. We are both in school full time and he too has a hard time walking and not getting out of breath. The doctors have talked about oxygen but he says not yet. Wont do his nebulizer at night and most of the time he wont use his inhalers. My heart is with you and I pray that God gives you the strength to be as strong as you are now.

 

[debilorrah]

You and your husband will be in my prayers. I to am dealing with this with Jim, at last doctor visit he was only at Stage 3, but I cant get him to quit smoking. Its really a frustrating thing. But all I can do is pray. He also has sleep apnea, which at times keeps us both up alot. We are both in school full time and he too has a hard time walking and not getting out of breath. The doctors have talked about oxygen but he says not yet. Wont do his nebulizer at night and most of the time he wont use his inhalers. My heart is with you and I pray that God gives you the strength to be as strong as you are now.

I really hope you can get him to stop smoking. Even at stage IV, Ken could still be with us for a couple of years yet, and if it was caught at Stage III and he stopped he could have had 10 years.

 

[Glenmar]

 

[BHep]

I can't even imagine how scared you both are. Please know you are in my thoughts and prayers.

 

[Avalon1984]

Oh Deb, I haven’t been around here for a while and today I come back and see this! I am so sorry for you and Ken. Hubbys dad had emphysema and it was so hard on him and the family. Please stay strong!

 

[zzGypsy]

so sorry to hear about your hubby. HUGE hug first, and then some information that may help.

My FIL had COPD (similar) and did pretty well for a couple of years once he got proper treatment. I spent quite a number of years working in respiratory medical device design, so I've been around respiratory issues quite a bit.

you will want to make sure you talk with a Respiratory Therapist who specializes in Rehab. there are lots of things your hubby may be able to do to improve how he feels and functions, in addition to medications and things the doctors prescribe. often the RTs know quite a bit more about improving function and quality of life than the Dr.s do... especially those trained and experienced in rehab. they specialize in recovering lost ground, and some good improvements can be made, sometimes extending the time, sometimes making it better quality time.

also ask the RT and your Doc for things to watch out for that indicate a need for change in therapy/drugs. some things, like personality changes, are quite common as a result of oxygen deprivation - my FIL was angry, short tempered, paranoid - all of which cleared up when he got on oxygen and the proper drugs. often things like short-temper or anxiety can come from pain but they can also come from low oxygen in the blood, and some of those things can benefit from behaivor changes as well as medication changes.

one of the things a rehab RT can do is teach him how to evaluate his limits more correctly - his body has changed and he needs to know what he can push, and what he shouldn't. often with respiratory issues, people will let their "out of breath" sensation stop them from proceeding... in fact, they *may* be able to proceed even though they feel out of breath. this is where the rehab RT's experience is really important - they can help your hubby understand what he actually can do - even though his past experience might tell him differently.

one of the things I heard from rehab RTs over and over is that people loose far more function than they need to, and lose it far faster than they should, mostly because the doctors, while skilled in diagnosis and medication, aren't skilled in rehab or extending a person's quality of life.

there's a good possibility your Dr. won't be eager to put your hubby in the care of a Rehab Respiratory Therapist. be a bulldog, insist and don't take no for an answer.

one more of these:

 

[chickencrazymamahen]

still praying....*hugs*

 

[chickencrazymamahen]

still praying....*hugs*

 

[debilorrah]

so sorry to hear about your hubby. HUGE hug first, and then some information that may help.

My FIL had COPD (similar) and did pretty well for a couple of years once he got proper treatment. I spent quite a number of years working in respiratory medical device design, so I've been around respiratory issues quite a bit.

you will want to make sure you talk with a Respiratory Therapist who specializes in Rehab. there are lots of things your hubby may be able to do to improve how he feels and functions, in addition to medications and things the doctors prescribe. often the RTs know quite a bit more about improving function and quality of life than the Dr.s do... especially those trained and experienced in rehab. they specialize in recovering lost ground, and some good improvements can be made, sometimes extending the time, sometimes making it better quality time.

also ask the RT and your Doc for things to watch out for that indicate a need for change in therapy/drugs. some things, like personality changes, are quite common as a result of oxygen deprivation - my FIL was angry, short tempered, paranoid - all of which cleared up when he got on oxygen and the proper drugs. often things like short-temper or anxiety can come from pain but they can also come from low oxygen in the blood, and some of those things can benefit from behaivor changes as well as medication changes.

one of the things a rehab RT can do is teach him how to evaluate his limits more correctly - his body has changed and he needs to know what he can push, and what he shouldn't. often with respiratory issues, people will let their "out of breath" sensation stop them from proceeding... in fact, they *may* be able to proceed even though they feel out of breath. this is where the rehab RT's experience is really important - they can help your hubby understand what he actually can do - even though his past experience might tell him differently.

one of the things I heard from rehab RTs over and over is that people loose far more function than they need to, and lose it far faster than they should, mostly because the doctors, while skilled in diagnosis and medication, aren't skilled in rehab or extending a person's quality of life.

there's a good possibility your Dr. won't be eager to put your hubby in the care of a Rehab Respiratory Therapist. be a bulldog, insist and don't take no for an answer.

one more of these:

This is a lot of really good information. Ken is very short tempered, but he has oxygen. The good news is that he is improving every day that he doesn't smoke. We are going to the memorial park this weekend to work out a payment plan for a service. Even if he does live a long time, at least that will be out of the way.

I have complete faith in his Pulmonologist. He is a very caring doctor that takes his time with each patient and he has a great sense of humor. He is also not afraid to refer his patients to others if that is what the patient needs.

Our nicotine patches are giving us hell too - weird dreams, dry mouth, jittery nerves. It's still better than smoking, I suppose.