COPD360social welcomes new member Kittrav who joins 66,069 current members of our community. Weโ€™re glad you're here!

Coach Brandon - Community Manager

Coach Brandon - Community Manager๐Ÿƒ Happy According to Hoyle Day! โ™ โ™ฅโ™ฃโ™ฆ

For anyone who has played cards, you may have heard somebody say, โ€œAccording to Hoyleโ€ฆโ€ when thereโ€™s a little disagreement about the rules. ๐Ÿ˜‚ Hoyle has been the go-to guide for card games for generationsโ€”and I know we have quite a few card players around 360social!

But it got me thinkingโ€ฆ

Wouldnโ€™t it be nice if COPD came with its own โ€œAccording to Hoyleโ€ rule book?

Okay, I have COPD. Turn to page 42 and tell me exactly what Iโ€™m supposed to do next. ๐Ÿ˜‚

Unfortunately, COPD doesnโ€™t always play by the rules, and patients and caregivers learn pretty quickly that there can be a LOT to figure out.

But we do have something pretty close to our own guidebook!

The COPD Foundationโ€™s Downloads Library is filled with educational materials covering the basics of COPD, managing your health, treatments, oxygen, staying active, tracking how youโ€™re doing, and much more. Our Guides for Better Living are a great place to start!

There may not be one perfect rule book for living with COPD, but having good information in your hand can sure help you play the cards youโ€™ve been dealt a little better. โค

And since it IS According to Hoyle Dayโ€”who are our card players? ๐Ÿƒ Whatโ€™s your game?


Happy According to Hoyle Day, everyone! ๐Ÿ˜Š
๐Ÿ“š Visit our Downloads Library here:
https://www.copdfoundation.org/Learn-More/Educational-Materials-Resources/Downloads.aspx

COPD Foundation Educational Materials

The COPD Foundation educational library has a variety of useful booklets, flyers, and tools that you can download to help you learn more about living and thriving with COPD โ€“ everything from the basics of lung conditions to specific topics such as exercise and exacerbations (flare-ups).

2 hours ago

  • Coach Brandon - Community ManagerIโ€™ll add this tooโ€”I love being able to share our different guides and educational materials, and there really is some great information tucked into them.

    You may not need it today, and you certainly donโ€™t have to download everything. The important part is simply knowing itโ€™s there when you do need it.

    If a question comes up about oxygen, medications, staying active, managing COPD, or something you just want to understand a little better, you know where you can go back and look.

    And donโ€™t forget about our COPD Pocket Consultant Guide app! Itโ€™s available for Apple and Android and gives you another way to keep helpful COPD information and resources right there with you. ๐Ÿ“ฑ

    Sometimes just knowing where to find a good answer is half the battle. ๐Ÿ’™

    https://www.copdfoundation.org/Learn-More/The-COPD-Pocket-Consultant-Guide/Patient-Caregiver-Track.aspx


    The COPD Pocket Consultant Guide | Patient and Caregiver Track

    The COPD Pocket Consultant Guide (PCG) app for patients and caregivers, available for both iOS and Android is designed to improve disease management and communication with a patientโ€™s healthcare team.

    2 hours ago
Misty Green COPDF Research

Misty Green COPDF ResearchYou can help revolutionize COPD research! Join the COPD Patient-Powered Research Network!


The COPD Patient-Powered Research Network (PPRN) is a research registry of individuals with COPD who have agreed to share their health information and the impact the disease has on their lives. The information is kept in a secure database to be used for research โ€“ ultimately leading to a deeper understanding of the disease.


Get access to the latest research studies at the COPD Foundation by joining the PPRN today!


https://login.redcapcloud.com/survey.jsp?code=k07kBNuauBXNfWRp

1 day ago

DebbieB.-Connecticut State Captain

DebbieB.-Connecticut State CaptainHappy Saturday to the 360Social gang! I'm here to spread sunshine and happiness! I wish all of you a day filled with joy and smiles! 
๐ŸŒž๐Ÿ˜€๐ŸŒž๐Ÿ˜€

9 hours ago

Kim H

Kim Hasked the question: Iโ€™m in a terrible financial position now.

Dear Friends, When I was 40 years old I was driving to work. I was in the left turn lane and it was safe for me to proceed. A car the way behind the car that was heading in my direction obviously had an inpatient driver behind him. So he proceeded to …

11 hours ago

Kim H

Kim Hasked the question: How to keep my very long oxygen cord from getting tangled and kinked

Iโ€™m so tired of my oxygen cord I walk through my apartment with from getting tangled and kinked. Iโ€™m on an extremely tight budget, But Iโ€™m so tired of getting my head and body jerked back while walking. Any budget friendly ideas. I have asthma induced …

11 hours ago

Kaseykat

Kaseykat

Hello all , my name is Julie and I have COPD Gold stage 4 class B. Iโ€™m pretty much on oxygen all the time now. In October I have a chance to travel to Maine (which is somewhere Iโ€™ve always wanted to go). I would have to fly to get there and Iโ€™m a little nervous about having COPD and flying. I know I can arrange to have help getting to my gate and stuff. Thatโ€™s not what has me concerned. Iโ€™m afraid Iโ€™ll get on the plane and not be able to breathe and freak out. Has anyone on here that has severe COPD traveling by plane and how was your experience ? 

19 hours ago

Kaseykat

KaseykatThis is my little Oden aka Odie Bug 

19 hours ago

Caroline West Virginia State Captain

Caroline West Virginia State Captain

It seems that I'm speeding through my usual side effects of Prednisone.  Today seems to be "eat everything in sight and some of what is not in sight.  I am looking forward to a sleep-back-on-schedule day.

22 hours ago

Karen Deitemeyer - Florida State Captain

Karen Deitemeyer - Florida State Captainanswered the question Has anyone been involved in stem cell treatments? I understand there is no hard evidence.

Sean P. Smith, I'm going to ditto what Val and others have said. I had a very dear friend, desperate to find anything that would help her. She spent thousands of dollars for stem cell treatments at a clinic and all it did was to drain her bank account. …
JeanO53Patrick MooseCaroline West Virginia State Captainand 1 other also answered the question JeanO53and 3 others also answered the question

1 day ago

Coach Brandon - Community Manager

Coach Brandon - Community Manager๐ŸŒˆ๐Ÿพ Fluffy Friday โ€” Rainbow Bridge Remembrance Day ๐Ÿพ๐ŸŒˆ

Fluffy Friday is usually about showing off the furry, feathered, four-legged, or maybe even slightly scaly little buddies who make our lives better.

Today, we're making room for some very special ones, too. โค

It's Rainbow Bridge Remembrance Day, a day to remember the pets who aren't physically beside us anymore but somehow never really leave us.

Losing them hurts. There's no getting around that. When something has loved you that completely โ€” and you've loved them right back โ€” there's going to be an empty spot when they're gone.

But today, I hope we can spend a little more time remembering the sweet instead of the sad.

The goofy things they did. The favorite toy. The tail that started going the second you walked into the room. The purrs, chirps, snuggles, wet noses and yes... those BIG smiles. And nobody will ever convince me dogs don't smile. ๐Ÿ˜Š

For so many of us living with COPD, and for caregivers and family members too, our little companions become part of how we get through the days. They don't need to understand oxygen, treatments, appointments, bad breathing days or why we're worried.

They just know you.

They know when to sit a little closer. When you need a distraction. When it's time to play. And somehow, they seem to know when you simply need a friend.

That's a pretty incredible kind of love. โค

So for this Fluffy Friday, let's celebrate all of them.

๐Ÿพ Share the little buddy curled up beside you today.

๐ŸŒˆ Or share a picture of one waiting for you at the Rainbow Bridge โ€” and tell us something that still makes you smile when you think about them.

Maybe today doesn't have to be about goodbye. Maybe it's simply about saying, "You were loved. You made my life better. And you are still remembered." โค

1 day ago

DebbieB.-Connecticut State Captain

DebbieB.-Connecticut State Captaincommented onEating Well: From Debbie Bโ€™s Kitchen to Yours

๐ŸคกCHEERIOS FUN MIX๐Ÿคก3 cups original Cheerios cereal1/3 cup dried cranberries 1/3 cup golden raisins 1/2 cup cashews1/4 cup pepitas1/4 cup walnut halves1/4 cup nut butter of your choice1/4 cup honey1/4 cup unsalted butter In a large bowl,...

1 day ago

DebbieB.-Connecticut State Captain

DebbieB.-Connecticut State CaptainHappy Fluffy Friday from my sister's cat Jerry, who is my cat Punkie's brother. We wish all of our friends here a wonderful day! ๐Ÿ˜€

1 day ago

Jamie Jarrard (COPDF Sr. Communications Specialist)

Jamie Jarrard (COPDF Sr. Communications Specialist) created the event OxyTalk Social Hour - Wednesday, September 9, 4pm Eastern

OxyTalk Social Hour - Wednesday, September 9, 4pm Eastern. A group for those on oxygen therapy. Send any questions ahead of time to oxygen360@copdfoundation.org. Register here: https://copdf.co/oxy-talk

1 day ago

Jamie Jarrard (COPDF Sr. Communications Specialist)

Jamie Jarrard (COPDF Sr. Communications Specialist) created the event BronchandNTM360social Coffee Break - Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2:30pm Eastern

BronchandNTM360social Coffee Break - Wednesday, September 9, 2:30pm Eastern. A group for those in the bronchiectasis and NTM lung disease communities. Register here: https://copdf.co/Bronch-NTM-support

1 day ago

Jamie Jarrard (COPDF Sr. Communications Specialist)

Jamie Jarrard (COPDF Sr. Communications Specialist) created the event COPD360Social Hour & Harmonica Play-Along- Wednesday, Sept. 2, 4pm Eastern.

COPD360Social Hour & Harmonica Play-Along- Wednesday, September 2, 4pm Eastern. A group for everyone in our COPD community to make friends, catch up, and answer your most pressing questions. Bring your harmonica for a Harmonicas for Health play-along …

1 day ago

Sean P. Smith

Sean P. Smithanswered the question โ€‹Check In: Being Your Own Lung Health Champion

Really good points - I am going to make a copy so I can give it to the patients I talk with! What amazes me is people tend to be meek with their caregivers. Ladies and gentlemen ask the damn questions! Fortunately for me all my doctors and therapists are …
HIcopd - Hawaii State CaptainCaroline West Virginia State CaptainKaren Deitemeyer - Florida State Captainand 2 others also answered the question HIcopd - Hawaii State Captainand 4 others also answered the question

1 day ago

Wildebeest

Wildebeestcommented onCan COPD Be Genetic? What You Need to Know About Alpha-1

If you have North or West European family history you should especially consider testing if any of the other reasons to test as outlined in this article are satisfied. My pulmonologist was very keen to test due to my Scandinavian origins until I told...

1 day ago

Coach Brandon - Community Manager

Coach Brandon - Community Manager

๐ŸŽ‰ Happy National Just Because Day! ๐ŸŽ‰

Apparently today we have official permission to do something for absolutely no other reason thanโ€ฆ

JUST BECAUSE. ๐Ÿ˜‚

And you know what? I kind of love that.

Living with COPDโ€”or caring for someone who doesโ€”can mean a whole lot of our days are filled with things we do because we have to. Medications, appointments, oxygen, exercise, planning ahead, pacing ourselvesโ€ฆthe list can get pretty darn long.

So today, how about we make a little room for something we do simply because we want to?

Decorate that POC. Heck, bedazzle the thing if thatโ€™s your style. โœจ๐Ÿ˜‚

Buy somebodyโ€™s coffee or quietly pick up the tab for the table next to youโ€ฆjust because.

Send someone flowers when there isnโ€™t a birthday, anniversary, or anything else on the calendar. ๐ŸŒท

Turn up your favorite song and sing along like youโ€™re headlining a sold-out concertโ€”even if your only audience is the person in the car next to you wondering what on earth is happening. ๐ŸŽถ๐Ÿ˜‚

Call somebody youโ€™ve been thinking about.

Eat dessert first.

Wear the ridiculous shirt.

Take the nap.

Tell someone you appreciate them.

Just because.

And sometimes โ€œjust becauseโ€ can mean doing something that makes living with COPD a little easier. Take the shortcut. Sit down when everyone else is standing. Bring the oxygen. Use the scooter. Pace yourself. You donโ€™t owe anyone an explanation for doing what helps you enjoy your day.

Caregivers, that includes YOU, too. Do one little thing today that's completely yours.

And yesโ€ฆsometimes we still have to do something โ€œjust because Mom said so.โ€

Apparently there are limits to this holiday. ๐Ÿ˜‚ So tell usโ€”whatโ€™s something fun, kind, helpful, or completely unnecessary that you can do today JUST BECAUSE? 

2 days ago

Community Announcements

Community Announcementsadded a new article Earlier menopause linked to higher risk of bronchiectasis

New study suggests a link between the timing of menopause and bronchiectasis risk

Miami (August 27, 2026) - Women with a shorter reproductive lifespan are at greater risk of developing bronchiectasis, according to a new study in the July 2026 issue of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases: Journal of the COPD Foundation, a peer-reviewed, open access journal.

Bronchiectasis is a chronic lung disease characterized by enlarged airways that are thickened and/or scarred. These permanently widened airways lead to a buildup of mucus and impaired clearance of bacteria from the lungs. It is estimated that more than 1 million people are diagnosed with bronchiectasis worldwide, and of those, 340,000 to 522,000 are adults in the U.S.

Bronchiectasis is nearly twice as common in women as in men. Postmenopausal women are at higher risk of developing bronchiectasis; however, research does not clearly show how a woman's reproductive lifespanโ€”from beginning of menstruation to beginning of menopauseโ€”affects that risk.

2 days ago

Coach Brandon - Community Manager

Coach Brandon - Community Manager๐ŸŽ‰โค Happy Birthday, Debbie! โค๐ŸŽ‰

If you've spent any time here on 360social, chances are you've crossed paths with Debbieโ€”and chances are, she made your day a little better.

She celebrates with us, worries with us, laughs with us, and is always there with an encouraging word or simply a โ€œHey, I'm here.โ€ She's a true friend to so many of us... which, let's face it, is pretty much everybody. ๐Ÿ˜‚โค

Debbie, you have helped make this community what it is simply by being you. We are awfully lucky to have you, and even luckier to call you our friend.

Here's hoping today brings you lots of love, plenty of laughs, some Hazel Madeline snuggles, beautiful birds, and of course... a really good iced coffee. โ˜•๐Ÿถ๐Ÿฆœ

Happy Birthday, Debbie! We love you! โค๐ŸŽ‚

2 days ago

Wildebeest

Wildebeestanswered the question Help me understand my spirometry 25M

I'm no medic but it looks essentially normal to me. According to my web search, Bronchiolitis is a respiratory infection and since you are now coming down with symptoms that would figure. As you are of course aware, smoking is doing you no favours. I'm …
Reizersdas23 also answered the question Reizersand 1 other also answered the question

2 days ago

DebbieB.-Connecticut State Captain

DebbieB.-Connecticut State Captaincommented onEating Well: From Debbie Bโ€™s Kitchen to Yours

LEMON THYME SHORTBREAD COOKIES Lemon Sugar:1/2 cup sugar1 tsp. lemon zestShortbread Cookies:1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature 1/4 cup sugar 1/4 cup powdered sugar 1/8 tsp. salt3 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice 1 1/4 cups all-purpose...

2 days ago

DebbieB.-Connecticut State Captain

DebbieB.-Connecticut State CaptainHappy Thursday, friends! Wishing everyone a wonderful day! Lots of nice people here, and plenty of reasons to smile! ๐Ÿ˜€

2 days ago

Sue in NE

Sue in NEanswered the question Has anyone heard of the POC - O2 Concepts Oxlife Liberty?

I ordered a Liberty 2 last week and am returning it today. I wanted the continuous flow for nighttime but the noise of this machine is too much! On continuous or pulse it is very loud, almost as loud as my home stationary one
HIcopd - Hawaii State CaptainDee SreeMike Hess, RRT (COPDF Senior Director of Advocacy & Regulatory Affairs)and 4 others also answered the question HIcopd - Hawaii State Captainand 6 others also answered the question

2 days ago

JohnU

JohnUcommented onBiologics for COPD: What You Need to Know

I began taking Dupixent a couple of years ago. Immediate help but as time went on, not so much. Although, my exacerbations are quite infrequent now, so I can say it's done that. I do qualify for their PAP, which is the only way I can get this. It's...

2 days ago

Medical Advice

It is not our intention to serve as a substitute for medical advice and any content posted should not be used for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. We make every effort to support our members, our medical professionals cannot and will not provide a diagnosis or suggest a specific medication; those decisions should be left to your personal medical team. While we encourage individuals to share their personal experiences with COPD, please consult a physician before making changes to your own COPD management plan.