Contributed by Bob Rawlins, oxygen user and consultant to CAIRE Inc.
~ So, how many times have you heard this phrase or how often do you still hear it today?
(Grumble, Grumble)
Yeah, me too, but, it does make sense if you think about it.
Interstitial (in-tur-STISH-ul) Lung Disease (ILD) describes a large group of disorders, most of which cause progressive scarring of lung tissue. The scarring associated with interstitial lung disease eventually affects your ability to breathe and get enough oxygen into your bloodstream. Once lung scarring occurs, it’s generally irreversible.
So, what do we do? We ACCEPT what we know, but we don’t stop living. Can I say that again, WE DON’T STOP LIVING! I don’t think at what age this crazy disease hits you, really matters. It’s how you accept it and live with it. Easy, NO WAY! But doable!
Therefore, we now have the sprint vs. marathon theory. We all want to be better right away. Our society has taught us we can fix everything if we put our minds to it. I agree, but what is considered a victory? How long will victory take?
Economic victory and changes take years, as do many things. Success in business can also take years. Raising your family takes years and hopefully your victory is to see them grow up and start their own families with their own traditions.
I know, I know, Bob stop babbling and get to the point! It’s not always that easy is it?
With any Lung Disease, you need to Learn and Share many new things.
- Breathing techniques
- Energy conservation
- Weight control
- Pacing yourself
- Diet changes
- Staying Positive
Total New Life Management: This in itself is not a sprint. This is the marathon. You need to adapt almost every day to things you took for granted before. The most important one, how many people do you think take for granted just breathing. Yeah, just breathing, catching a breath.
Another, bending over to do something, straighten-up and you feel dizzy, maybe out of breath? Most people do, but we get nuts, maybe even scared, right? Try this, keep breathing all through the process. You automatically stop breathing or hold your breath while bending over, try it! Breathe easy all the time.
What can we do to measure our success or victory?
Baby steps, (another overused quote, right?), But yes, set daily, or at least weekly goals.
- Exercise routine, it has helped me tremendously. It won’t fix lung scarring but has helped me to breathe better and feel in more control.
- Of course you have to ask your doctor, but some form of exercise has to help in my opinion.
- Medication, yes, we can’t decide when to change our meds, so don’t do it!
- Oxygen is a drug, use it to your benefit, it won’t hurt you, but you will need to read through the safety precautions so you understand what to avoid while utilizing this therapy option. We all need oxygen to live.
I can’t tell you how many times I hear in my pulmonary rehab sessions, “I’m not wearing oxygen,” or “I’m not sure this is helping me.”
Clearly the individuals are not doing things as their doctor has prescribed to them.
Why would you not take prescribed medicine, like oxygen therapy? It makes no sense!
You have to commit to the plan and work the plan! Even if it is a so-called marathon. Who cares, live right, breathe easy.
Find the right oxygen therapy solutions that work for you. We can discuss that soon.
I will share many stories about that, but my portable I have from CAIRE Medical is a caddy, and has helped me achieve many of my life goals already.
More to come!
Laugh Every Day!
#breatheeasy
#staystrong
– Coach Bob
Bob Rawlins, 59, of Medina, Ohio, is husband to Terese and father to their 13-year-old triplets, a soccer coach, a hospital volunteer, and marketing guru. He has been on oxygen therapy for more than a year. He enjoys skiing and golfing with his SeQual eQuinox portable oxygen concentrator.
When using any oxygen therapy device please consult the applicable product instructions for use for product indications, contraindications, warnings, precautions, and detailed safety information.
To learn more about the CAIRE oxygen therapy solutions speak to an oxygen advisor at 1-877-704-0878 or visit www.cairemedical.com.