THE WIMPY KID POST

[basilflora]

No, really. I am a right wimp. I smoked for donkeys years and got all sorts of complications with COPD. I managed OK until a few weeks ago when I fell and broke my hip. I always thought I was in control of my situation but in the hospital they put me on oxygen. Now, to me, that's one step from death. I have never been on oxygen before (apart from a short spell in an ambulance) and I can't gain any confidence. Am I going to manage? Will I be able to get about? I stopped smoking just a few weeks before this accident (sods law) but I don't want to be tied to it. Will I be? Will I be able to do without it in a few weeks? I will leave this for now, give people time to respond and come back to it later.

[sassy59]

Hello basilflora, your accident has really knocked you for six but you can recover from it. Oxygen isn’t one step from death and many people have to use it everyday.

Take time to recover and I hope you do well. Xxxxx

[stone-UK]

Hi

Giving oxygen in hospital is to reduce the impact of shock after a major trauma.

Have you spoke to the doctors?

For oxygen associated with COPD, for long term oxygen therapy,they would do a ABG Aterial Blood gas test.

[Geronimo]

Hi Basilflora.

I am on long term oxygen therapy and am certainly not " one step from death"

I was put on 24hr oxygen therapy as a condition of leaving hospital 2 years ago. This was to protect my vital organs-heart brain etc from being starved of oxygen and shutting down . Yes, it was difficult getting used to being connected to a machine all the time but I realised that I now needed this in my life to enable me to continue to live. I now look on my oxygen equipment as a sort of friend who is there not only in good times but also when the road gets a bit rough and steep.

Yesterday I had my annual o2 levels check by my COPD nurse and I was very pleased to hear that my levels were exactly the same as last year!

I am dedicated to eating a healthy diet and exercising as much as possible. I still do much of what I did before being diagnosed but it's at a slower pace . I get there in the end. Positive thinking plays a big part in my outlook on life and my glass is always half full and never empty. I hope that hearing from somebody who is on long -term oxygen therapy has changed your opinion on this topic and you realise now that it is more a friend than a curse. I wish you well for the future. Take care. Geronimo.

[Hacienda in reply to Geronimo]

Geronimo, I could have written this myself word for word. Keep up the Exercise, as I do, Stay Positive, as I am and enjoy your Future with your Oxy mate as I do. Love n Hugs XXXX

[peter06 in reply to Hacienda]

Half full and not half empty is the answer !

[Hacienda in reply to peter06]

Always Peter. Salud. xxx