I was working in Manchester today. A difficult assignment for one reason and another that I won't bore you with.
Anyway, I arrived at Piccadilly and had 2 maps to show where I needed to be. They reckon I need 10 minutes to walk there, but being on the ball about these things I ignored that.
As some of you know, I do the gym and can do a fair pace on the treadmill. 10 minutes my ar*se. It took 20 at a brisk pace.
I find the building, but am so puffed I have to wait outside near the smokers (yuk these days) until I get my breath back and have some water to rehydrate.
Eventually I seem human and go in (having checked in my mirror for smeared mascara, hair, lippie etc). I say who I am there to meet and they come to collect me and expect me to go up 3 flights of stairs with a briefcase!
So I drag out the old 'I have asthma' routine as copd has such a different connotation. Eventually I get there and what do they say? We didn't expect you so early! I could have walked a lot slower.
The best is, I have to do it all over again tomorrow!
Lynne xx
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Lynne1955
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Poor you. And to think that you could have been sat at home with your feet up drinking nice cups of tea. Never mind, let's hope you have a better day tomorrow. I will keep my fingers crossed for you Bob xx
you could have just jumped on a train in Piccadilly and 10 minutes later you could have had a nice cuppa with me instead of climbing those stairs
Stairs are one of my bugbears too I went to Boots opticians last week and could not have the full test because of stairs I have not yet found a way of coping with doing it slowly I am fine coming down does anyone have any hints?
One stair at a time, breath in as you step up, breath out when you are on the stair, then repete until you reach the top, even if you need to wait a min or two on each step xxx Karen
Yes i use two ways of going up stairs one on my back side and one the other on all fours but most of the time on my back side.if not take if you got one the blue pump at the bottom and take two or three steps and rest until you get to top and rest and try and sit down or hang on to something that is how i do it in the house
At least you now know you have time to window shop on your stroll there Lynne & to hell wether they understand your condition, educate them, you just might save their lives!!!!!!!!
I don't mind who knows I have it, but its a bit different when working. I'm self employed and don't want to not be given work because people think I might be too ill to do it. I haven't missed a days work through illness for years, so don't want this affecting my work prospects.
Yes, Lnne, I feel exactly the same. I have IPF and for the same reasons as you, I just say 'I have a bit of a breathing problem' as I fear for my job. Yes, of course we should educate the world about our conditions and I do feel sad that I am dismissing my genuine condition but I can do my job perfectly once I am static and recovered from walking etc, but when people see you huffing and coughing, it's difficult to start trying to expian that you will be OK in a few minutes! I had to have a 'fit for work' interview with Occupational Health last week and of course the clinic was uphill, the room downstairs etc but I had left myself plenty of time to recover before i went in. I loved the question at the end of the interview, 'So, apart from the IPF are you fit and well?' If only.
No! You weren't telling me off, just being helpful. Nothing to be forgiven.
Anyway, back home now and at least I have got in 80 mins exercise in 2 days with the walk! Writing up my report tomorrow, so a bit of a lie in until 7.15 (I was getting up at 5.15) and at home all day. Lovely husband getting shopping.
Oh Lynne, at least you can maybe slow down a bit today. I do understand you not wanting to tell everyone about copd because of your work. Good luck to you and hope all goes well. xx
This does bring up an important point, when people do ask what COPD means, the mere fact that "Disease" is in there, and the only word most people recognise instantly, often creates the reaction from folk of "two paces backwards".
The times I've had to hastily add "it's not transmittable" has made me very wary of using the description except in knowledgeable company.
To say Emphysema instead is pretty useless, as most people only have a fuzzy idea of what it is.
Outwardly many of us will appear quite normal until we have to do anything slightly energetic, so it's very difficult to get over the dreadfulness of this thing we all suffer.
Severe Asthma seems to be the best bet, as a quick description to strangers.
Bloody amazing you were able to do that! Fantastic well done! Hope you don't have to walk as fast today! Take good care TAD xx
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& to hell wether they understand your condition, educate them, you just might save their lives!!!!!!!! 
that wasn't what I meant, 
Son will now have 2 Birthdays fingers crossed?
Middle of the night terrors
Progress is going well!
Good sats - so why so breathless?
Does it get worse??
