Any ideas on a suitable job for someone having emphysema and coronary heart disease?

[Anniekd]

Hello. I am new to here. I have been looking on the Internet for a few weeks and have pretty much gone round in circles. I'm 47. Recently had a CT scan only to be informed I have emphysema. I read a bit of info on the GPs computer screen, it said severe centrilobular emphysema. She moved the screen before I could continue reading!! I have an appointment back at the hospital June 18th back with the chest clinic whom had arranged the CT.

I have worked in healthcare for pretty much all my working life and last year I went to France for 6 months to work on a camp site, it was damp and cold at the start and at the end of season. A lot of mould to clean off the inside of the vans. Anyway, cutting the story short, I got stung or bit by an insect, I reacted, the French GP gave me prednisone. I then caught a cold and ended up with what seemed a chest infection, I can not recall having one in the past, but on return to the uk I was referred to X-ray then given anti biotics and a follow up X-ray, which showed something still there, they did another, something still there, this spanned 5 months. Hence the CT. I have to say I was not happy about emphysema being confirmed as I thought my inability to go up hills and stairs without feeling my chest was crushed, was to do with the ischeamic heart disease, but it appears, not !!!!

I was born to a smoking household, smoked myself, gave up 5 years ago. Had the heart attack a year after giving up, but as it turns out, it's to do with a family trait. I've got one stent in one artery, the other is at last angio 60% blocked. I only had 6 months off work, as they wouldn't let me go back til they said. Recently, I had a flare up of ulcerative colitis, only my second in two years, but this stopped me from going to work. While this was going on I received the news about emphysema. I signed on and get contribution based jsa. I saw a disability advisor who said I should come out of the care profession, avoid that type of work, do a small course and go for a job as a receptionist.

Here's the question, I have read to not be sedatory and to exercise and try to keep in good form as an out of form muscle will use up oxygen or something like that. Anyway, since I can walk my two dogs for sometime without too much bother, and can deal with being out of breath after doing the stairs, and can put up with the headache that I sometimes get, I'm wondering what would be a suitable job? I really do not want to sit on my backside.