Hello Friends,
How are you doing today? Today’s Wednesday check-in comes from me, Jane Martin. I’ll be filling in for Stephanie for a couple weeks and maybe stopping in after that, too.
Are you having a good breathing day – a “good air” day, or a “bad air” day (not to be confused with a bad “hair” day)? Maybe you have summer allergies – you know, all those beautiful things growing outside, even grass (I happen to be allergic to freshly mowed grass), may make us sneeze and itch, and get short of breath.
I’m sure you know all too well, though, that sometimes, bad air days seem to come along for no reason at all. This is yet another one of those things that comes along with having COPD. One day you feel pretty good, you can breathe pretty well and do what you want to do. But the next day is a different story. Breathing is harder and you feel tired and blah. This can be frustrating because it’s a bad day for no obvious reason. And it can be confusing for your caregivers, spouses, and family members, as well.
So, what causes those bad days? Is it a change in barometric pressure? Is it pollen in the air? Is the humidity too high? Or have you been around someone with a cold or flu, and could this be a sign of an oncoming exacerbation? I know, that last one can be very scary! Of course, it’s important to be on the watch for early warning signs of exacerbation, but even so, you certainly don’t want to spend the day worrying about it if you don’t have to!
So, the question remains – what causes those bad days? Here’s a true story. One group of folks with COPD wanted to know, so, with the help of their favorite respiratory therapist, they did a little research study. For a three-week period, they watched the local weather reports every day and tracked the humidity, the barometric pressure, and the dew point. They also wrote down how they were breathing on that day.
The results showed that some of them were more affected by the humidity, while others were more affected by the dew point. The higher the dew point, the harder it was to breathe even if the other weather indicators were within normal limits. This helped them understand that weather had something to do with their breathing. With this information they could plan their day accordingly and not get upset if they were having a bad breathing day. And they knew it would pass.
How do you handle your “bad air” days? Do you know what causes them or is it a mystery every time? Do you take it easy, letting yourself get some extra rest, or do you just push through in spite of it? I’m sure you’ve got some wisdom to share! Let’s hear from you!