COPD- Be Attentive to Those Signals

A Care Takers’ Corner

COPD- Be attentive to those signals

COPD, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, is a progressive disease that makes it hard to breathe. "Progressive" means the disease gets worse over time. Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of COPD. Most people who have COPD smoke or used to smoke. Long-term exposure to other lung irritants, such as air pollution, chemical fumes, or dust, also may contribute to COPD

Three years ago my mother was diagnosed with this debilitating disease. It changed the entire way we lived. Currently you see the commercial for Advair on television. It seems that the disease is just as simply managed by taking a small puff on a little purple disk. That’s far from the truth.

You see the commercial in constant rotation makes it seem simple. My mother was diagnosed completely by accident. It was early one evening about 4 years ago she seemed to have an asthmatic episode. Usually when such an incident would occur we would take her to the hospital, she would be treated ands sent home. This time the doctor reached over to the area above her foot and pinched a tiny swath of skin. It did not retract. Of course, your first instinct would be to think that age was a factor. When he called for a nurse and she did this test too, an alarm bell went off in my head. I knew they were concerned as they hurried away. A Respiratory Therapist was sent over to supply my mother with the usual treatment of inhaled steroids to ease her breathing. It helped but by no way did it completely supply relief. The doctors then informed me that they would be doing a complete exam and over night observation.

Upon my return the next day my mother was diagnosed with emphysema, and bronchitis as well as COPD. I sat down with a doctor and he explained this disease. COPD is a disease in which the following happens:
The airways and air sacs lose their elastic quality.
The walls between many of the air sacs are destroyed.
The walls of the airways become thick and inflamed (swollen).
The airways make more mucus than usual, which tends to clog the airways.
COPD is a major cause of disability, and it's the fourth leading cause of death in the United States. More than 12 million people are currently diagnosed with COPD. An additional 12 million likely have the disease and don't even know it. COPD develops slowly. Symptoms often worsen over time and can limit your ability to do routine activities. Severe COPD may prevent you from doing even basic activities like walking, cooking, or taking care of yourself. Most of the time, COPD is diagnosed in middle-aged or older people. The disease isn't passed from person to person—you can't catch it from someone else.
COPD has no cure yet, and doctors don't know how to reverse the damage to the airways and lungs. However, treatments and lifestyle changes can help you feel better, stay more active, and slow the progress of the disease,
With the onset of this disease I became responsible for the care taking of my mother. Towards the end of her life she was on oxygen twenty four hours a day and was limited to very little movement around the house. As the anniversary of her death approaches I would like to share with you the small tips that made her days better and simplified my caretaking around the house the house.

Twilight affects

The Plane is Starting to Prepare for takeoff. Society is onboard

The Twilight Saga is starting to affect the way we see and what people who are movers and shakers are doing.

This week’s MTV Awards was a testimony to the slow roll out of New Moon. The approach seems to be going with a marketable difference with the actors as well as the company. The marketing machine is starting to kick its full wheels in. They are truly letting the fans tell the story word of mouth and its working. With the number of page views that were applied to just the first trailer which really was more a sneak peak. It’s fair to assume that if they showed the “big get” which for most Twilight fans was the wolf there must be so much more in store. What we have seen in the photo stills of the new movie is just fantastic in its art form. The Awards show itself had the highest ratings it’s had in years.

The “Access Hollywood” interview after The MTV Awards was 100% on the money. They were warm engaging and affable. When Kristin Stewart called Peter Facinelli “Dad” during the interview you could have stood and cheered. If I were on their marketing team I would have been doing the jig all around my desk screaming “Score!! Score!! Score!!! “These actors have helped seal a brand and are very aware that’s exactly what has happened. It happened when they won their second award of the evening and was sealed when Denzel Washington gave them Movie of the Year Award. It has become a brand. Newspapers all over the country had pictures of the “Hottest Almost Kiss” on its covers.

The most affective point to what society is starting to think is that a masculine support of the Saga is starting to unfurl. Actors in Hollywood with credence and respect are now starting to step forward. Being handed your award by an Oscar Winner is credence that there is something happening right before our eyes. The fact that every actor and actress was so aware of the cast they kept referring to them even on the red carpet.

The fact that the cast and the crew have made themselves so accessible to press is absolutely amazing. Usually directors and screenwriters are not known by name to fans. Melissa, Chris and Catherine must feel like we look over their shoulder.

Heads of studios are starting to look at the cast and make comments on them. Rob is being reviewed for parts now that a year ago no one would have offered. The cast is getting to pick and choose how the can influence things professionally, but are also being chosen to help in charities, such as Autism, Alzheimer’s, and terminally ill children.

Seriousness has crept in with the fact that there are now tours, hat are strictly based on shooting locations and its surroundings. There is a Vampire baseball that you can attend. Now, we are being offered a cruise. This is all serious enterprise money, not to be taken lightly. I am hoping that I am not one of the few that is happily embracing the fact that this could rival Trekkies out there. Comic Con which has always been knows for its appeal to see an increase in women in attendance and completely can point to the Twilight Saga. According to Google Trends the top search was for The Cruise on Tuesday. How Top search was it? It was Top 100. It occupied two spots actually. On Monday Kristin Stewart and the New Moon Trailer were both in the Top 100 of searches for the entire day. I would be remiss if I didn’t think or hope in my heart of heart that we might actually be growing bigger than any recent culture blip.