please help?

Question

im a 44yr old female and found out today that i have a lung dease (emphzemia) cant think straight im frightened cause my father died of the same thing when i was 16. i have 3 lovely daughters that i have raised myself i cant bear the thought of them watching there mother detereate and there is nothing i can do to stop it anyone got any answers cause im lost.

Answer 1

The answer to this is so long and complicated. But I think that there are two things that are most relevant. You said that your father died of this very same thing. I think that you should sit down and do a painful thing. Try to remember what brought you the most comfort when you were there yourself. What were the hardest parts for you to deal with? Then sit down and talk to your daughters about what you went through. It will help them feel that you not only love them but that you understand them and their feelings too. The second thing I think may be vital is that there is a lot of talking. I personally feel that we are too close to the picture to see things clearly. A professional is probably the smartest thing to do. There are so many counseling groups out there for cancer victims and their families. There are websites and communities; get you girls to some of these so maybe they won’t feel so lost while they are watch their mother die.

One other most important thing is that if you did smoke and that’s how you got the cancer talk to you daughters about smoking. Maybe they can find strength after you die by helping the anti-smoking campaigns. I am sure that you love your daughters so much and the last thing you would ever want is for them to die this tortuous death. You will live on in there hearts and minds for the rest of their lives, what you do with the time you have left is worth all the effort.

Answer 2

since you were diagnosed with emphysema at a later age, im guessing that you got this from smoking. the only other way of getting emphysema is through a condition known as "alpha-1 anti-trypsin deficiency" -- it's a birth defect and can be pointed out as early as possible.

don't worry about deteriorating as quick as your father's. if you change your lifestyle, you can work around the condition and improve the quality of living. number 1 thing you have to do is to quit smoking. im guessing that your father didn't quit smoking immediately, that's why the progression of emphysema worsened quicker than you thought. and when he finally decided to quit smoking, it was already in his late stages. (a common case among emphysema patients who did not survive). however, if you are diagnosed in your early stages, quitting smoking does not cure it, but it does not worsens the condition. number 2, speak to a pulmonologist to see what therapy will better suit you. if you're having a really tough time breathing or the condition affects your activities, he might send you to a pulmonary rehab... every week (i think 2 or 3 times a week) you go there and you do mild exercises, like 30 minutes on the treadmill at a very slow speed. (as advised by doctor) then once you tolerate that speed and time, they increase it over the weeks -- and this increases your tolerance to exercises or your daily activities.

but first, seek a lung expert's advice. you will know if the doctor is a good one if he does tests on you and talks to you about what you can do, and make sure you understood it.

Answer 3

All of the previous answers were very good, the only thing I can think to add, is that a few years have passed since your father died. There are many new ways to treat this, and you would be best served by seeking the counsel of a "lung Dr.".If you have'nt already. Prayin' for you!

Answer 4

In order to really help you with this I need more information. For example, did you get this illness from smoking? From working in a factory or living in an area with extremely dirty air? Or are you one of those unfortunate few with the genetic disorder of an alpha-trypsin enzyme deficiency, etc.? In order to treat your illness your physician(s) will need every scrap of information that you can give them. The good news is that we are living in an age of medical miracles so there is definitely hope for you if you take an attitude of "I'm not going to let this beat me" and REALLY fight for it!!! You may need to go to a specialist for treatment. You should also learn as much as you possibly can about this illness. You did one very smart thing to start off with - you asked a question here, so now nice people everywhere are going to try to help you. I hope I can be one of them. I don't know why, but I am guessing that hyperbaric oxygen therapy might be beneficial for you. Contact me for further assistance and remember - there are people out there that you don't even know that are fighting for you. FIGHT! You have "3 lovely daughters" (and yourself) to do it for. Paul H. P.S. I don't want to be your spell checker here, but when you are looking up your illness you will need to spell it correctly, so use the spelling "emphysema". Now relax a little - you have only begun to "rally your troops".

Answer 5

if you are a smoker . stop!!!! and don't go back to it ... you will be in better health ...you will breathe easier and just because your dad died of emphysema that doesn't mean you will .

Answer 6

MAKE IT A HAPPY TIME.

Answer 7

no