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Post by pennypa on Apr 19, 2008 12:30:23 GMT -5
My trip to LVRS was completed on 3/31/08 at about 3:00 p.m. It's been long; it's been hard; it's been painful at times...but it was also successful and I'm glad I made the journey. Thank you all for your support and prayers. My Trip to LVRS |
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Post by kenaz on Apr 19, 2008 14:39:29 GMT -5
Bless you Penny, you have been a great help with your knowledge and a great comfort with your heart brimming with compassion. hen I was so depressed several yrs ago, you were one of the COPD family that helped bring me through it. My prayer would be that I can repay you by my support both to you and others that may need an ear.
Blessings thru Christ, Ken
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Post by blondie on Apr 20, 2008 15:09:12 GMT -5
Penny, 4 hours of rehab is alot of time. I was going for 1 hour 2 x a week. My big problem is I get BORED. Kudos to you for sticking with it. Question..Did you lose weight during all this rehab? I would think you would.
I think you have been one lucky lady. I hope you continue to improve. Pat
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Post by pennypa on Apr 20, 2008 17:03:19 GMT -5
Pat, I hope I at least stay at this level, for sure!! Improvement would be absolutely great but just being able to do stuff without getting sob is REALLY great!
Nope, didn't lose a pound during rehab. Of course, I wasn't overweight to start with and the stuff we did wasn't meant for weight loss. I don't think any of us could breathe well enough to do the weight loss exercises, LOL!
We didn't have a chance to get bored. The only thing I got bored with was the 20 and 30-minute walks and the 20 minutes on the recumbent bike but I got so sob, I was more concerned with that. The rest of the stuff...weights and floor exercises...were done as a group so was really sort of fun.
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Post by blondie on Apr 20, 2008 17:17:38 GMT -5
Penny, I guess I was thinking you would lose weight. I need to, but it is sooo slow going for me.
I read a little on the LVRS procedure (american lung assoc) and they said a LVRS can help the diaghram return to normal. That would be a huge plus.
My best wish for you is that you improve some more. However, you are doing great where you're currently at.
The TM and NuStep are the things that were boring to me. Maybe floor exercises would be more interesting. Seems that way with you.
Pat
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Post by merryfl on Apr 26, 2008 18:55:04 GMT -5
Penny - thanks for the links, etc. You put a lot of work into all of this, and we appreciate it. You done good, girl! Here's hoping everything continues to go well for you ,and you can always blow bubbles!!  |
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Post by Susan-OH on Jun 15, 2008 22:47:24 GMT -5
Hi, Penny. Good to hear from you. I am casting aound for congenial company, as well. I am scheduled to see Dr. Diaz, the head of pulmonology at OSU on Tuesday to find out what if anything is in store for me now that LVRS has been ruled out. I wish I was feeling better. I have been kind of miserable for a week or so. I have begun to believe I have turned into a human barometer, able to predict storms by the way I feel. Thanks for keeping us informed. I really believe the only people who understand how we feel are the people on the boards. People make me crazy with their "just don't doubt yourself and you'll keep up." Stay well, S.
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Post by pennypa on Jun 17, 2008 9:40:30 GMT -5
Susan, why do you say LVRS has been ruled out? You're at the perfect stage for it from what I've read. You're the one that said you didn't want it so it wouldn't ruin your summer.
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Post by Toby on Jun 17, 2008 10:49:53 GMT -5
Pennypa, thank you so much for posting your blog. It was very informative. I was wondering how you find out if you are a good candidate for this or not. If you have emphysema everywhere how do they know which part of the lung should come out for you to feel the way you do. It has got to be wonderful for you! Hope you keep feeling the way you do.
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Post by pennypa on Jun 17, 2008 11:09:10 GMT -5
Toby, the docs can get a rough idea just how the E is distributed via a ctscan. They get an exact showing via the vq testing. My VQ testing showed that only about 5% of the upper side of one of my lungs and only a little more of the other upper side were working. No wonder I got sob at the drop of a hat! I've not had a PFT since the surgery so I'm looking forward to seeing if my numbers changed at all.
And for those that don't qualify because their E is pretty much distributed evenly throughout the lungs, Bronchus is having the EASE trials right now where they insert stents between the good sections of the lungs making for easier blood (and O2) flow.
LVRS is not for people with a primary bronchitis or asthma component to their COPD.
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Post by Toby on Jun 17, 2008 15:44:12 GMT -5
Thanks Penny.
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