For My Friends - Back Finally

[packerz4]

welcome back my friend! i wuz worried 'bout you. glad to hear you are ok. keep on keepn' on!

tam

[Classic Finn]

Heikki,
I don't post a lot here, but I read everything. You and your cadre of friends have given me a lot of humorous hours of reading. So, I feel like we are old friends (at least in spirit). We were so sorry to hear about your health issues. There are parallels in our own family and we understand how crushing that kind of news can be.

We are thrilled to have you back and look forward to seeing more of you on these sites. You are in our prayers. Happy camping!
Dave & Karin

Hi there tddriver Dave & Karin

I just love the friends I do have here.. brings the sunshine when its cloudy. Yes you are my friends.. for certain. I was taken by a so called surprise as to what the doctor said.. thought it was the every spring or summer allergies but was I mistaken..and it does touch my pride a bit.

But I hope to make the best of things since thats about all I can do.

Thanks again for your kind words and all our best to you folks there Stateside.. and take a lot of camping photos for us.

Best regards from the Midnight Sun - Finland

Classic Finn

[Classic Finn]

welcome back my friend! i wuz worried 'bout you. glad to hear you are ok. keep on keepn' on!

tam

tam thank you sweetie.. I feel better in my own home and in my own bed. Home is where the heart is... well... there is an exception to that rule.. its you folks and the forum here.

I really like the saying you used Im keepn on keepn.

Very Nice

Best regards
Classic Finn

[Mark Freedom]

Classic Finn,
I lost my mom to COPD last October, she was 77.
There are some things that you can do to help yourself along.

First of all, since you quit smoking, don't forget to breath.
When you were smoking you would inhale a lung full, but it seems when people quit they start taking short little breaths and don't really work their lungs.
You want to really give your lungs a workout, breath in deep and exhale past where you would normally stop.

The little exercise tool with the ping pong ball is good.

You should get out and walk and raise your heart rate and work your lungs.

Your lungs are going to continue to deteriorate.
The drugs and medications will help you breath better but they aren't helping your lungs get any stronger, working them is vital to your longevity.

I believe, and this is MY opinion, that going on oxygen is in a way a bad thing.
With my mother it caused her to not work at trying to strengthen her lungs, which I believe knocked a couple years off her life.

I'm sorry you're going through this.

[Classic Finn]

Classic Finn,
I lost my mom to COPD last October, she was 77.
There are some things that you can do to help yourself along.

First of all, since you quit smoking, don't forget to breath.
When you were smoking you would inhale a lung full, but it seems when people quit they start taking short little breaths and don't really work their lungs.
You want to really give your lungs a workout, breath in deep and exhale past where you would normally stop.

The little exercise tool with the ping pong ball is good.

You should get out and walk and raise your heart rate and work your lungs.

Your lungs are going to continue to deteriorate.
The drugs and medications will help you breath better but they aren't helping your lungs get any stronger, working them is vital to your longevity.

I believe, and this is MY opinion, that going on oxygen is in a way a bad thing.
With my mother it caused her to not work at trying to strengthen her lungs, which I believe knocked a couple years off her life.

I'm sorry you're going through this.

Hi Mark

Thank You for sharing your advice. The more I read about this I must say the more scared I tend to become.. So sorry to hear about your mother.
I guess Im not coping with this too well yet if ever. Excercise with the ping pong ball? Can you explain ? I dont think you mean the game of ping pong do you?

I like to ride bicycle a lot but a runner Im not.. I tend to run out of breath just by walking my lil boy in his stroller.. which I never used to do. Or shovel snow or rake the yard.. Its sure is aggravating..

Im on medication that contains cortisone, which yes opens up the lungs but at the same time the cortisone makes the bones brittle or starts to eat away at it after long use.. either way I sort of feel Im a sitting duck.

Not feeling sorry for myself but just not knowing in reality as to what it is I should do... My wife also told me to start riding the bike more or just walking and so on.. also as what you are stating as well.

Mark thank you indeed for your advice and reply to my post.

All my best to you from Finland

Classic Finn

[Gage]

Classic Finn,
I lost my mom to COPD last October, she was 77.
There are some things that you can do to help yourself along.
First of all, since you quit smoking, don't forget to breath.
When you were smoking you would inhale a lung full, but it seems when people quit they start taking short little breaths and don't really work their lungs.
You want to really give your lungs a workout, breath in deep and exhale past where you would normally stop.
The little exercise tool with the ping pong ball is good.
You should get out and walk and raise your heart rate and work your lungs.
Your lungs are going to continue to deteriorate.
The drugs and medications will help you breath better but they aren't helping your lungs get any stronger, working them is vital to your longevity.
I believe, and this is MY opinion, that going on oxygen is in a way a bad thing.
With my mother it caused her to not work at trying to strengthen her lungs, which I believe knocked a couple years off her life.
I'm sorry you're going through this.

Mark, you are so right and that's kind of what I said to Heikki but not in as many words. 2 years ago I had less than 20%. Today I have a little less than that. But if I hadn't done as my doctor recommended and did a little hard walking every day, who knows if I would have enough lungs to raze hell on the board (just adding a little hummer to potential bad situation).

[Classic Finn]

Classic Finn,
I lost my mom to COPD last October, she was 77.
There are some things that you can do to help yourself along.
First of all, since you quit smoking, don't forget to breath.
When you were smoking you would inhale a lung full, but it seems when people quit they start taking short little breaths and don't really work their lungs.
You want to really give your lungs a workout, breath in deep and exhale past where you would normally stop.
The little exercise tool with the ping pong ball is good.
You should get out and walk and raise your heart rate and work your lungs.
Your lungs are going to continue to deteriorate.
The drugs and medications will help you breath better but they aren't helping your lungs get any stronger, working them is vital to your longevity.
I believe, and this is MY opinion, that going on oxygen is in a way a bad thing.
With my mother it caused her to not work at trying to strengthen her lungs, which I believe knocked a couple years off her life.
I'm sorry you're going through this.

Mark, you are so right and that's kind of what I said to Heikki but not in as many words. 2 years ago I had less than 20%. Today I have a little less than that. But if I hadn't done as my doctor recommended and did a little hard walking every day, who knows if I would have enough lungs to raze hell on the board (just adding a little hummer to potential bad situation).

Gee Gage The doctors gave me what they call a spirometer, hope thats a correct translation of the gadget.. It has a meter on it and you inhale till the lungs are full and then let the air out and the needle on the meter is supposed to get to a certain mark.. I have to do the so called recording or test in the morning.. then wait and then do the same with the use of the medication, then repeat the entire procedure in the evening.

Gage is this the so called excercise in reality or only testing to see if the meds help and how much of a difference there is with the medication?

The wife says we have to get a dog so then in her opinion we have to take the early morn and late evening walk abouts.. Could be right.
But yes Ive begun to do some serious walking and not just in the house from the living room to the kitchen fridge..

Gage and All.. have to admit straight out, Im nervous and scared... but yes I do have some humor left in me.. all at the same time.

Best regards and thank you for the support and advice.

Classic Finn

[Mark Freedom]

Classic Finn,
The little ping pong ball tube is a tool designed to work your lungs.
The doctor would probably know the proper name for it.
It's a clear plastic tube with a ping pong ball in it and a gauge on the side to measure your progress and a mouth piece on top.
When you breath in it raises the ping pong ball in the tube.
It makes breathing in somewhat difficult and really works the lungs.
In working the lungs in naturally opens up the lung passages.

With COPD your lungs are actually hardening and losing their flexibility or elasticity.
exersizing them helps stop that and gets them working better.
It's hard work and can be a little painful, but you get the results.

With my mom, she stopped doing all of that and as a result went down pretty fast, she was down to 5% lung capacity when she died.
I believe in my heart she could have added some years to her life if she had stuck with it.
I think by being on oxygen it made her feel fine and therefore she just got lazy.

[Classic Finn]

Classic Finn,
The little ping pong ball tube is a tool designed to work your lungs.
The doctor would probably know the proper name for it.
It's a clear plastic tube with a ping pong ball in it and a gauge on the side to measure your progress and a mouth piece on top.
When you breath in it raises the ping pong ball in the tube.
It makes breathing in somewhat difficult and really works the lungs.
In working the lungs in naturally opens up the lung passages.

With COPD your lungs are actually hardening and losing their flexibility or elasticity.
exersizing them helps stop that and gets them working better.
It's hard work and can be a little painful, but you get the results.

With my mom, she stopped doing all of that and as a result went down pretty fast, she was down to 5% lung capacity when she died.
I believe in my heart she could have added some years to her life if she had stuck with it.
I think by being on oxygen it made her feel fine and therefore she just got lazy.

Thank You Mark

I,ll ask the doctors about that in the morning.. Other than walking or biking or swimming I havent been "taught" much yet but I,ll definitely check up on it.. Im sure they should have it here in our country.

Classic Finn

[Mark Freedom]

Well I hope I didn't scare you with my observations, your situation and moms may be very different, for one I have no idea what age you are, and mom had some other problems as well, hers all started out with phenomena with did some damage as well.

[Classic Finn]

Well I hope I didn't scare you with my observations, your situation and moms may be very different, for one I have no idea what age you are, and mom had some other problems as well, hers all started out with phenomena with did some damage as well.

Mark

Im not old enough to retire yet but I am starting on the idea of not having any more birthdays.. just a tad over 50. I cant even join the Ol Farts Club Yet..

And as far as being scared... well reality is starting to settle in.. and a start of a new chapter in life.. long and winding road comes to mind more times than a few.

Classic Finn

[martha24]

Heikki,
I'm so glad to see you back! I haven't had much time to spend here on the forum, but try to check in at least every few days. I had noticed that I hadn't seen you in a long while, so I've been worried about you since I figured something had to be wrong since it just wasn't like you. So sorry to hear about COPD. I'll keep you in my prayers.

So on top of everything else I need to get done, in Sept. I started a quilting class so I could make a quilt for my teardrop. That has taken a lot of time and I still haven't started on my quilt for the teardrop. Also my oldest daughter is now engaged to be married and that is taking plenty of time too, especially as I'm going to be making her dress.
Keep following doctor's orders & getting exercise because your family & friends need you.

[Mark Freedom]

Well I hope I didn't scare you with my observations, your situation and moms may be very different, for one I have no idea what age you are, and mom had some other problems as well, hers all started out with phenomena with did some damage as well.

Mark

Im not old enough to retire yet but I am starting on the idea of not having any more birthdays.. just a tad over 50. I cant even join the Ol Farts Club Yet..

And as far as being scared... well reality is starting to settle in.. and a start of a new chapter in life.. long and winding road comes to mind more times than a few.

Classic Finn

Oh, I'd say if you take care of yourself you got a lot a birthdays left and plenty of time to find something else to kill you.
I'm in my mid 50's and been smoking for about 40 years, add to that about 22 years of building industrial machines and sucking in welding fumes and chemicals, and my lungs are shot out too.
A buddy of mines dad had COPD for about the last 20 years of his life.
It's all in how you deal with it I think.
Stress is still the number 1 killer and government is still the number 1 cause of stress.

[Rob]

Heikki--

I am sorry to hear about the COPD, but it's good to "hear" from you. Hang in there for Suvi and the kids.

[Jiminsav]

Dude..I thought yerps were smarter then us mericans..damn cigarettes will kill you.
I smoked for 30 some odd years, and when I got up to 4 packs a day, it was time to quit....
sorry to hear your lungs are gone, but on the bright side, you get to live longer with a wheeze..

and there is no emoticon for it, but here's a great big bear *hug* for you.