If a picture is worth a thousand words, how many for a video?

· by

First off, congratulations are due to Mr. Bill Hamilton of Dealing with COPD fame. Bill has hit the big leagues, ladies and gentlemen. Bill’s blog, Dealing with COPD, has been selected as one of The Best COPD Blogs of the Year. Typically, he buried the news and honor in one of his weekly reports of June 28, 2014. Bill, I am so PROUD of you, I could burst buttons!

Because of Bill’s award, I went to the website: www.healthline.com and spent hours reading and viewing interactive slides and videos that truly helped to bring the lungs and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) into focus. I found this one to be illuminating and often, interactive:

http://www.healthline.com/copd/anatomy-animations#1/how-copd-affects-your-lungs

For me, I had seen pictures of the various parts of the lungs. I could speak knowledgeably about COPD and scare the hell out of my friends with my various test results. But…. it may just be me, but when I watched the various videos and interactive slides, I gained an appreciation of my body and how miraculous an instrument it is. I found myself thanking my lungs for doing such an amazing job. I understand better that damn problem of mucus that builds up so that I constantly cough and every so often, I can actually cough it up to the surface and spit the crap out. Alternatively, I cough so bad, I throw up. But NOW, I could actually visualize, by seeing it moving and changing, what my bronchi and bronchioles were producing and how the little alveoli were fighting hard to get that crap up and out.

That was a remarkable gift.

38 thoughts on “If a picture is worth a thousand words, how many for a video?”

    • Hey, MB – it was so fantastic to see those little alveoli hard at work – I finally understood what they’ve all been talking about. I got it on an intellectual level, but I couldn’t see ’em. Now I can!

      Like

      Reply

  3. You go huntie, go! It’s so true that our bodies are miracle machines, working to maintain balance. I love how you wrote seeing what you did was a gift. So glad to read this.

    And a big hooray for our wonderful courageous inspirational friend, Bill. Love you both. ❤

    Like

    Reply

  5. I must get over to Bill’s blog and catch up on life over there. First I have to go look at the videos you talked about. Tom has similar coughing to yours but I’ve always associated it with his sinuses. He stopped smoking cold turkey the night we met. I knew he smoked but I had no idea of how much or for how long until I was filling out a medical form for his new cardiologist a couple weeks ago. (1 to 1&1/2 packs for 20 years).

    Like

    Reply

  6. A coworker of mine said that when he quit smoking, he still “coughed up oysters” for a year and a half afterwards.
    Swell. :-/
    I quit a few weeks ago using an e-cig/vaping machine, and it’s amazing. I bought more sauce for it today with the lowest level of nicotine. I’m weaning myself off, and the next level is zero.
    I find myself utilizing the e-cig much less often and for far shorter durations than an actual cigarette. That in itself is a huge benefit.

    Like

    Reply

    • Maggie, thanks for putting in a good word for the e-cigs. I agree, they can be marvelous as an aid to stopping. And, good for you, on the progress you are achieving!

      Like

      Reply

  7. This is all stark information to me. I have read a little here and there about COPD but didn’t get a handle on it. Now, I’m getting it–I think. 😉
    Please take care of yourself, Huntie. How’s the ice cream? What’s your favorite flavor?

    Like

    Reply

    • Hi Tess, good to see you! Yes, the new info can be startling. I think the experts are rating this the No. 3 killer – it jumped higher when they reclassified some the respiratory diseases.

      Um, the ice-cream is splendid. Though my peach version sucked. I have fallen madly in love with my coffee ice-cream!

      Like

      Reply

      • I have the ice cream maker in my cart but haven’t clicked the buy button yet. Coffee, you say. THAT sounds interesting. The trouble is I haven’t had ice cream in Y>E>A>R>S. and am not drawn to it same as cakes and cookies. Anyway, my hips swell just thinking about having the darn machine in my house. 😦

        Like

        Reply

        • Ah, but Tess, you are in control of the ingredients, see? I agree, I wasn’t all that keen – I like ice-cream, but a gallon lasts months. Now though, I choose my own favorites on demand. I adapted the coffee recipe – just brewed a really strong pot of coffee for the amount recommended (it called for instant espresso) and at the last 2 minutes, added in a bit of Kahlua. Truly, kick-ass coffee ice-cream! Takes @ 15 minutes, Tess!

          Like

          Reply

    • Col, there are so many more painful ways to go than this. Scary, yes. I have no pain and from my conversations with others, pain doesn’t really enter into it. And, as they say, no one is getting out of here alive! And, yes, you’re absolutely right about that wish. 🙂

      Like

      Reply

  9. Huntie, Sot smile, thank you for the shout out. I really appreciate it and the award. But truth be told, if a member of the DS support group I am a part of hadn’t pointed it out I would not have known. It is wonderful to be recognized, I’m just glad you don’t write more about COPD LOL LOL. Like you I spent a lot of time reviewing the other sites that were awarded and there is a ton of very useful information on those sites, and it’s thru blog’s like your’s that draws attention to them that the word will get out there even further. “Smokers Cough” generally clears up within a month or so of stopping smoking, But you were also right on about the nasal drip could be another reason for a continuing cough. Sinus infections are sometimes damn near impossible to cure, and they have a tendency to return. I use one of those nasus flushes about once a month.

    Again thank you for the shout out. Please take care, Bill xo

    Like

    Reply

  10. Huntie and Bill: I was clueless about COPD until I started reading your blogs along with a couple others. One of Tom’s doctors actually had COPD listed as one of his diagnosis at one time but I didn’t think anything about it. The diagnosis was down the list a bit and the doctor never said anything about it.
    I don’t think he has COPD because he spent over a month in isolation on a respiratory unit at a major medical center. The cause of his cough was never diagnosed at that time and he was released to home.
    I still need to ask more questions of the docs just to make sure this issue is closed in Tom’s medical care. After the incident with the emergency heart surgery, I don’t need additional surprises! The doctor who diagnosed the COPD is one of the doctors I recently fired!

    Like

    Reply

    • Sheri, keep in mind, they changed the classifications of what comes under COPD re respiratory diseases. If the diagnosis re COPD was a while back, you should query the doctors you do trust. One note: Back in 1990, my mother was diagnosed with Emphysema and died in 1994. The doctors never prescribed anything to help with her breathing. I don’t think it occurred to them.

      Like

      Reply

      • Tom’s mother had emphysema and that’s also on her death certificate. She was in her mid 80’s. I’m not sure when she quit smoking but both of Tom’s parents smoked throughout all his years at home. The diagnosis for Tom was made within the past 18 months so next time we see his internist I’ll raise the question. He has an appointment with his ENT before long and I’m going to raise the question there just to have it in the medical notes and to see if the doc wants to start any type of examination there. His internist (one of the docs I replaced) took the diagnosis off his list of diagnoses the last time Tom saw him with no explanation.

        Like

        Reply

        • Sheri, As you know COPD is an umbrella that covers a range of respiratory issues. I would raise the issue with a doctor you trust, if for no other reason to get it off the table. I am always leery of diagnoses that appear and disappear. I would also be curious as to why the diagnosis was removed. Should it be that Tom does have a respiratory issue, now is the time to define it and start treatment plan. Take care, Bill.

          Like

          Reply

Come talk with me...