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Beginning the Battle to Breathe

© Floyd Tilton

Floyd Most of us have dates that stick in our mind, our anniversary, our birthday, or Christmas. For me, January 25, 2000 became one of those dates, because on that date, I found out I had emphysema. In this series of articles, I will attempt to chronicle my battle to control this disease, and my wife, Adelle will share her viewpoint as the spouse of someone with lung disease. We both hope you find them informative and inspirational. This is not to say that this is going to be an autobiography or a journal of my experiences. While personal experiences will be the basis of some of the things discussed, we plan to bring you plenty of factual information, from leading authorities, to help you understand COPD and how it affects families.

I had gone to my doctor for a blood pressure check, since it had been high. While visiting with him, he suggested that we do a chest x-ray and an EKG, since I had a slightly irregular heartbeat and because I was a smoker. I had not experienced any heart or respiratory symptoms, but since I am 53 years old, I decided to go ahead with the tests for my own peace of mind and that of my wife.

When I finished the tests, we waited in one of the examination rooms, until the doctor had looked over the results. I was worried because the x-ray technician had retaken one view of my chest, and all kinds of thoughts ran through my mind. Most of them were worst case scenarios. Adelle, who had been a medical assistant for many years, tried to reassure me and counteract my fears. When he came in, he told me that the EKG was normal, but that the x-rays showed that I had moderate emphysema. He explained to me that emphysema could not be cured, but that with some lifestyle changes, it could be controlled.

In a way, I was relieved that my fears had not come true, but then the reality of his words set in. He told me that I needed to stop smoking and prescribed a medication to help me quit. He also asked me to schedule an appointment for 30 days from then to have pulmonary function tests done.

I will write more next week about the smoking cessation and the effects of the medication to help stop, but suffice it to say, it is one of the most difficult tasks I've ever undertaken. When the experts say that smoking is more addictive than heroin, they are right. .

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