So I have COPD, what happens now ?

[GreenDog]

I'll be interested to see the responses to this as my dad who is is 78 was taken into hospital yesterday with a chest infection and the consultant has since said he's also suffering from COPD. Coincidentally he also stopped smoking just 4 weeks ago, after 64 years on the evil weed !

[Nigel Worc's]

Hello, I've had to delete my post because I'm a thicko..... I will explain.

My wife is a nursing sister, and my daughters have recently qualified, one a first class in biology, the other a first class in chemistry.

When I told them what I had posted here, they were very sad, very tearful, and gently explained to me that meant I was stage four, the terminal stage, you can guess how they felt.

My wife however was suspicious, as I'm far too well to have 28% lung function........ apparently.

It turns out they had told me that I have 28% reversibility .... this is very different from 28% lung function , apparently !

I'm 59% lung function, untreated, and they hadn't mentioned that 59% at all to me and now sort of wish they hadn't mentioned any figures at all, as by missunderstanding it I greatly distressed my children for a night.

The 28% is how much they expect me to get better after treatment.

I'm better sticking to solder sniffing I think.

I hope your father gets on ok and wish him well.