| My mother died at home by herself in August of | | | | smoke, dust or pollen, stimulating the production of |
| 2009. Because we didn't find her until the next day, | | | | extra mucus. This is what makes those suffering with |
| the Medical Examiner came out to the house, as | | | | chronic bronchitis continually cough, trying to clear |
| opposed to the EMS people taking her into the | | | | those passageways. Another problem it causes is the |
| hospital. Even though my son told him she had | | | | extra mucus providing a great breeding ground for |
| chronic asthma and that was no doubt the cause of | | | | bacteria and viruses, thereby causing a higher risk of |
| death, the ME put down COPD. Of course, her own | | | | pneumonia and other lung infections. |
| doctor said no, she didn't have Chronic Obstructive | | | | This is not something that should be overlooked, |
| Pulmonary Disease. Eventually they got it | | | | thinking it isn't serious. Because the earlier you get it |
| straightened out and we finally got a death | | | | treated the more chances you have for preventing |
| certificate. | | | | serious damage to your lungs. |
| In the meantime, I became interested in the | | | | Emphysema |
| difference between my mom's problem, which she | | | | Alveoli, the tiny air sacs at the ends of airways, are |
| had battled for 43 years, and COPD. And this is what | | | | affected by emphysema. These air sacs are the |
| I found out. | | | | mechanisms that exchange oxygen from the air you |
| Most patients who are diagnosed with COPD have | | | | breathe with the carbon dioxide and other waste |
| both chronic bronchitis and emphysema, at least here | | | | material in the blood. But, with emphysema the thin |
| in the U.S., even though one or the other could be | | | | and fragile walls of the air sacs become stretched, |
| more advanced. If you define each of the | | | | distended and eventually destroyed. At this point it |
| components of COPD here's what you get: | | | | leaves permanent holes in the lungs, causing the |
| - Chronic, of course is the opposite of acute, which is | | | | shortness of breath because the gas exchange |
| a short term condition. It means that it is continuous | | | | becomes more difficult. |
| or recurring. | | | | The elasticity of the lungs is also damaged, thereby |
| - Obstructive, that's easy, something is being blocked. | | | | causing some of the smaller airways to collapse, |
| - Pulmonary refers to anything that has to do with | | | | trapping that air in the lower lungs. |
| the lungs. | | | | Because of some similar symptoms to other lung |
| - Disease, well, that's pretty self explanatory. | | | | ailments, such as asthma, COPD can be misdiagnosed |
| If we put them altogether, we have a malady that | | | | and treated. But it isn't something to overlook, even |
| causes trouble getting air out of the lungs because of | | | | a mild case. |
| continuous blockage of the airways. Because that air | | | | "If you can't breathe, nothing else matters" was a |
| is trapped in the lungs, you can't inhale enough fresh | | | | favorite saying of mine when Mom would take less |
| air to supply the body with the oxygen it needs, so | | | | than the optimal dose of prednisone when she was |
| your body tells you to breathe faster. That's when | | | | having difficulties breathing and nothing else worked |
| you feel like you can't catch your breath. | | | | for her asthma. The same thing goes for COPD. If |
| Chronic Bronchitis | | | | you can't breathe, truly, nothing else matters. |
| A permanent, partial blockage of the airways is the | | | | Not taking COPD seriously can be a deadly mistake. |
| result of scarring in chronic bronchitis. Bronchitis is a | | | | My advice, not being a doctor or medical person, is |
| condition which causes inflammation in the lungs, | | | | to get it checked if you have the symptoms. |
| normally responding to some irritant such as cigarette | | | | |