Just a reminder. I post these heart disease posts as a journal of what life it like. Not for sympathy.
Tonights
installment isn't about my heart. It is about my lungs. When one goes
bad, generally the other one does and mine are no exception.
I
saw my lung doctor Friday. I was making good progress after my surgery
but it seems to have stopped. It stopped because of my breathing
problems. I am unable to go without my oxygen for even a few minutes
anymore. I don't get tired because I am exerting myself. I get tired
because I can't breathe.
If you want to know what it is like just
do everything you do while you are holding your breath. Or breathe
little half breaths. You feel like you are constantly starved for air
and you start at some point coughing and wheezing and gasping for air -
like a fish out of water basically.
I could have thought about a better title I guess
Also when your oxygen is low your mind wanders...hmmm....
Actually
I didn't see my doctor Friday. I saw him the Friday before that. I had
my breathing tests on Monday that came close to putting me in the
hospital. I see my doctor next Friday for the results. The technician
isn't allowed to give me results but he did give me many helpful hints
to strengthen my lungs.
Basically you got to use them or lose
them. The same thing I have always said about the rest of my body. I
thought I was stretching my lungs but apparently I haven't. For the
past 3 days I have been trying to go all day without getting back on my
bi-pap machine. Boy is it NOT easy! Maybe I'm addicted to it worse
than any drug. It is all I can think about as I go about my day - or
not go about it as the case may be because I'm spending a lot of time in
the old recliner.
I also have been using the inhaler - which I
hate. Only once a day but I know if he had not given it to me during
that test I would never have completed them. So there is definite
improvement. I just finished giving myself a breathing treatment. I
should be doing more of those too. I HATE THOSE AS WELL.
But I do
feel better. I didn't take a nap today. I slept until 10:30 in the
morning. I usually get up at 4 and take my meds and mess around a few
hours and go back to bed. I did not get up today. I was worn out. I
also didn't finish mopping the floor that I started yesterday. But I
did cook some spaghetti and stuffed peppers and I went downstairs for an
hour or so again.
Yesterday I did a load of laundry in the early
am. Slept. Messed around all day and took a nap in the afternoon and
then I started to mop. I was floored from it this morning.
I'll
finish mopping tomorrow. Oh yeah, I made a little pot of half runners
and potatoes too. I won't need to cook for a couple of days except to
boil a little spaghetti.
I'm trying to make it that last 2 hours
before I get on my bi-pap. I don't know if I will. I keep giving
myself half hour deadlines. Who knows, it may be the wrong thing for me
to do, but I'm not going anywhere or doing anything so I'm not hurting
myself I don't think.
I did the breathing treatment because I was
wheezing and my lungs hurt. It helped. I had chest pain last night
(heart - not lung). Also I was cramping in both my lower arms and hands
- a sign of low O2 for me. That was the second time since the lung
test that I had had chest pain. The first time was the night of the
test and the pain was so bad I considered calling an ambulance but then I
remembered that it was time for my meds anyway. They give me the same
stuff at the hospital so I took them and went to bed and when I woke up I
was fine.
That has been my week and my day. Hope it made sense.
Tonights
installment isn't about my heart. It is about my lungs. When one goes
bad, generally the other one does and mine are no exception.
I
saw my lung doctor Friday. I was making good progress after my surgery
but it seems to have stopped. It stopped because of my breathing
problems. I am unable to go without my oxygen for even a few minutes
anymore. I don't get tired because I am exerting myself. I get tired
because I can't breathe.
If you want to know what it is like just
do everything you do while you are holding your breath. Or breathe
little half breaths. You feel like you are constantly starved for air
and you start at some point coughing and wheezing and gasping for air -
like a fish out of water basically.
I could have thought about a better title I guess
Also when your oxygen is low your mind wanders...hmmm....
Actually
I didn't see my doctor Friday. I saw him the Friday before that. I had
my breathing tests on Monday that came close to putting me in the
hospital. I see my doctor next Friday for the results. The technician
isn't allowed to give me results but he did give me many helpful hints
to strengthen my lungs.
Basically you got to use them or lose
them. The same thing I have always said about the rest of my body. I
thought I was stretching my lungs but apparently I haven't. For the
past 3 days I have been trying to go all day without getting back on my
bi-pap machine. Boy is it NOT easy! Maybe I'm addicted to it worse
than any drug. It is all I can think about as I go about my day - or
not go about it as the case may be because I'm spending a lot of time in
the old recliner.
I also have been using the inhaler - which I
hate. Only once a day but I know if he had not given it to me during
that test I would never have completed them. So there is definite
improvement. I just finished giving myself a breathing treatment. I
should be doing more of those too. I HATE THOSE AS WELL.
But I do
feel better. I didn't take a nap today. I slept until 10:30 in the
morning. I usually get up at 4 and take my meds and mess around a few
hours and go back to bed. I did not get up today. I was worn out. I
also didn't finish mopping the floor that I started yesterday. But I
did cook some spaghetti and stuffed peppers and I went downstairs for an
hour or so again.
Yesterday I did a load of laundry in the early
am. Slept. Messed around all day and took a nap in the afternoon and
then I started to mop. I was floored from it this morning.
I'll
finish mopping tomorrow. Oh yeah, I made a little pot of half runners
and potatoes too. I won't need to cook for a couple of days except to
boil a little spaghetti.
I'm trying to make it that last 2 hours
before I get on my bi-pap. I don't know if I will. I keep giving
myself half hour deadlines. Who knows, it may be the wrong thing for me
to do, but I'm not going anywhere or doing anything so I'm not hurting
myself I don't think.
I did the breathing treatment because I was
wheezing and my lungs hurt. It helped. I had chest pain last night
(heart - not lung). Also I was cramping in both my lower arms and hands
- a sign of low O2 for me. That was the second time since the lung
test that I had had chest pain. The first time was the night of the
test and the pain was so bad I considered calling an ambulance but then I
remembered that it was time for my meds anyway. They give me the same
stuff at the hospital so I took them and went to bed and when I woke up I
was fine.
That has been my week and my day. Hope it made sense.
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