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Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 5,040
Registered: ‎09-12-2010

My sweet hubby has COPD - diagnosed in 2007. He's had a difficult time the last couple of years, so I'm wondering if anyone else is going through this with their spouse or partner. DH is on oxygen 24/7. Everything is difficult for him. Most everything that needs to be done are things that I now take care of. Just wondering if there are others out there dealing with this, and how you're doing.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 13,913
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Spouses with COPD

[ Edited ]

 

@jannabelle1 

 

Sorry to hear about your husband. I went to 12 Pulmonary Rehab Classes after my 1st heart attack, which included Aspiration pneumonia. Was on an Oxygen Concentrator when I slept because my Oxygen Saturation Levels dropped to dangerous levels when I  slept. Used that for over 18 months.

 

Never diagnosed with COPD, but everyone but me in Pulmonary Rehab, had to be on oxygen 24/7. All however did participate in the exercise parts of these classes. Most of the patients were younger than myself, and that was in 2003, when I was 64.

 

Lung capacity for most was well under 40%, not good. The majority of the ones I met had emphysema. Best wishes to your husband, and to you also.

 

 

 

hckynut(john)

hckynut(john)
Honored Contributor
Posts: 16,195
Registered: ‎03-13-2010

@jannabelle1 wrote:

My sweet hubby has COPD - diagnosed in 2007. He's had a difficult time the last couple of years, so I'm wondering if anyone else is going through this with their spouse or partner. DH is on oxygen 24/7. Everything is difficult for him. Most everything that needs to be done are things that I now take care of. Just wondering if there are others out there dealing with this, and how you're doing.


@jannabelle1 

I know how you feel.  Going through this with my DH, also.  It is horrible for both of us.  He pushes himself to keep going and I am in awe of his efforts.  I get so depressed but I try my hardest to be upbeat and cheerful for him and not let him see how much this affects and worries me because it does him no good.  My heart goes out to you.  This is a terrible disease and no one knows until they go through it or a loved one goes through it.  Our roles have reversed in a lot of ways.  He can still do many things inside the house, cooking and light chores, and I do many of the outside chores and lifting (which is hard for me) which he used to do.  I find with his instruction, I try and do many of the things he used to do.  I am in poor health myself, so we just help each other and do the best we can.  One day at a time!  We are grateful for each day and we pray --- a lot!  It's hard I know to be positive but that is truly the best thing that you can try and do both for you and for him.  Blessings to you both!  

"A day without sunshine is like, you know, night." - Steve Martin
Respected Contributor
Posts: 2,165
Registered: ‎04-02-2015

@jannabelle1 wrote:

My sweet hubby has COPD - diagnosed in 2007. He's had a difficult time the last couple of years, so I'm wondering if anyone else is going through this with their spouse or partner. DH is on oxygen 24/7. Everything is difficult for him. Most everything that needs to be done are things that I now take care of. Just wondering if there are others out there dealing with this, and how you're doing.


Yes, I dealt with this with my husband, and now I have it. I'm on O2 24/7, it's not an easy thing to deal with but we both smoked and that's your by product. I'm retired from respiratory therapy, so I know and knew what I was getting into, saw it all. I refused to let it get the best of me. I lost my husband 19 years ago, we both have had open heart surgery, I get winded walking , but drive, and do things I want to do. I refuse to let it own me.There is a limit to what you can do, but also do what you can. I'm sorry for your plight, but still do what you can and enjoy life.

Occasional Contributor
Posts: 5
Registered: ‎08-23-2019

My husband has has COPD for 10yrs. This wonderful man has pushed me. Around in a wheelchair since June 12, I fell ans broke my ankle in 3 places. We are in our 70's so my healing is slow. He has done laundry, housework, shopping, cooking and still taking wonderful care of me. How did I get so lucky for God to give me such a wonderful man.

 

 

 

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Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,047
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

I don't have a spouse with COPD, but my mother had it and so I do know how it feels to have a loved one with this condition, and have to care for them and see the affect it has upon them.

 

My mother was on oxygen at night.  We were thinking it might come to oxygen 24/7 but she passed away before that happened.

 

My mother was a lifelong smoker, as was my dad, as was my brother and they all suffered from complications of smoking.

 

Somehow smoking was never something I did or was tempted to do (although I have other things that plagued me), but sometimes I wonder if I will end up with something due to second-hand smoke.  I'm now 72, and so far I haven't experienced anything like that.

 

Smoking is such a hard, hard thing to stop once you become addicted to it, although many people are able to stop.

 

I think especially of my mother, who was so extremely disciplined in every other aspect of her life, but she could never stop smoking.  She tried many times.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 23,835
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

I quit smoking over thirty years ago cold turkey.  I hope I never get this. I am 64 now with good lung thus far. I hope I quit soon enough. I smoked for 10 years prior to quiting.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 15,519
Registered: ‎09-01-2010

My husband was officially diagnosed with COPD just 2 weeks after I retired.  Not a surprise for someone who has smoked since he was 14.   Oxygen is not in the picture, yet; 02 sat is still running around 94%.   

 

He uses his nebulizer 4x a day, and also uses a c-pap at night, which help tremendously with his breathing.   We also saw improvement in his breathing once all the carpet and rugs were removed from the house.   I stopped line drying our clothes, and we use our heating/cooling system all year round to keep the air quality inside the house at a consistent level.   I don’t use a lot of chemical cleaners in the house, or laundry, that would set off an asthma flare.   I can detect a wheeze in him before he even realizes he’s wheezing, and have taken him for treatment when even his provider can’t detect the wheeze without a stethoscope.   45 years with this man, I know when his breath sounds are different.   

 

My husband is 68, and is still recovering from an amputation of a toe.   He feeds our outside dogs, gets the mail, and pushes the trash can to the road on trash day.  He is still able to help carry groceries in, but rarely goes to the grocery store with me these days.   Our house is pretty maintenance free, but we are paying others to do things like clean our gutters, etc.   

 

We know the key with this disease is for him to keep pushing himself until he just can’t push anymore.   Once he gives up and sits down, he knows what will happen, as he saw that with my dad, and with his mother.  

 

I accept this situation as another chapter in my husbands book of life.   We make the best of it, and keep moving forward.    

Honored Contributor
Posts: 13,913
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Spouses with COPD

[ Edited ]

 


@SeaMaiden wrote:

I quit smoking over thirty years ago cold turkey.  I hope I never get this. I am 64 now with good lung thus far. I hope I quit soon enough. I smoked for 10 years prior to quiting.


 

 

@SeaMaiden 

 

There are some things one can do to help maintain their lung capacity. When I was working with my Pulmonologist and Respiratory Therapist after my 1st heart attack, with Aspiration Pneumonia. It took me over 18 months of treatments(mostly at home) to clear all the fluid from my damaged lungs.

 

Might want to look into this with your GP if you are serious about maintaining most of your present lung capacity. I will never regain 100% of what I lost from that episode and 2 others with regular pneumonia. Age related Pulmonary and Respiratory tests show me at over 92%, which is better than many that have never suffered from any Pulmonary issues.

 

Like my other regular exercises, I never neglect working on the ones I do for my lungs. Not all that easy for some, but to me they are invaluable when it comes to maintaining my present fitness level.

 

I too smoked for about 18 years and quit back in 1969, cold turkey, and that coupled with my lung issues, to me all is well. I turned 80 last June.

 

 

 

hckynut

hckynut(john)
Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,939
Registered: ‎03-13-2010

Re: Spouses with COPD

[ Edited ]

My husband has Stage 3 COPD. He was diagnosed around 2011. He has oxygen, but does not use it daily. His was due to being in the middle east during the oil fires back in Desert Storm. He has never smoked and just turned 56. I have found that I have to do a lot of the outside work now.

Originally joined board 12-14-2004