‘Lenny’ is my constant companion the doctors call COPD/Asthma.  Naming my constant health companion seems to make life easier for me in relating to my disease as it gives it a bit of a personality.  Besides treating ‘Lenny’ as a companion, come good days or bad, is much better than always dealing with it as an enemy.

This ‘Lenny and Me for Today’ is an occasional write about the adventures and handling of life together of ‘Lenny’ and me.

Let’s see where ‘Lenny’ and Me have been most recently – Stamina Test number one, check.

As mentioned in a recent post of ‘Lenny’ and Me for Today – I was going to test my stamina over the next couple of weeks and yep, I made it through the first weekend of the busy schedule.

On Friday I made it to the big ‘All Schools Day Parade Celebration’, remembering to get a solid run on my nebulizer and a shot from the Breo Ellipta before even thinking about going out the front door, while also putting my nitro (for a heart condition) and my oxygen checker in the wife’s purse just in case.

So, we park at my daughter’s house and walk the five blocks to where said daughter and grandkids were sitting to watch the parade.  Yes, I gave myself extra time to walk the five blocks as many times walking will cause ‘Lenny’ to get just a bit irritated.  The walk went well, though I have a bad habit of trying to walk too fast so I did have to make probably three, maybe four short two-minute stops to keep ‘Lenny’ calmed down.

Sitting watching the parade went well, lots of fun seeing two grandkids in the parade while watching several others just enjoying the festivities.

Walking back to the car, well because we weren’t in any hurry it went well, though I still had to make a couple of short two-minute stops to, as always, keep ‘Lenny’ calmed down.

After a short stop at the house for a quick sandwich, I headed to what they call the ‘madathon’ in which I had two grandkids and a daughter participating in.  The ‘madathon’ is like a goofy Olympics with egg tosses, water balloons and silly things of that sense.  Three hours later I headed home for a few hours before one more trip out for the day.

My wife, our autistic grandson and I headed for a street dance with a local band that has been together for over 50-years, which included the prepping of several competitors of the Saturday scheduled BBQ competition.  Anybody ever have slow cooked beaver, well neither have I even though it was offered to me.

Unfortunately, our grandson did not feel good and did not like the loud music so we left early, and while I was intending to return to the street dance to listen to the tunes – it was not going to be the same and I just drove around town for a short bit and then returned home.

At this point, Friday was done and it appeared that except for being tired in the legs and back, ‘Lenny’ was behaving and for the most part I was doing good.

On Saturday, we made a two-hour drive to what I was hoping was a hot air balloon fest – only problem was the 15 at the fest all fired up and flew off by about the time I got out of bed and we did not find even one sticking around tethered to the ground for $40 rides.

While there were several balloon styles, two handed and regular fancy kites flying around it was a major disappointment that I did not apparently read the fest schedule properly.  Sure, there was a helicopter ride, but not interested.

Consolation prize, well almost, was the little town was also having a sizable car show going on – well almost because the grandkid and the wife were not interested, and with all the business of Friday added to the wind coming up and blowing things around I knew that maybe next time and we headed the two-hour trip back to the homestead.

So, with all the worry that I did have going into the weekend, I did find that I was on top of my game as far as preparing ahead with meds, backup meds, oxygen checker and watching the weather, especially the wind.  When I felt ‘Lenny’ getting the least bit irritated, I stopped and concentrated on the breathing and moved on.

All this is good as I have something on the schedule for six of the next seven days and on a couple of those it is multiple items to attend, the testing of my stamina and preparations keep rolling on.

And that my friends, is where ‘Lenny’ (my COPD/Asthma) and me are at 4 today.

As always – if you or anyone you know have any symptoms involving lung and breathing functionality, and they linger over and over while disrupting a lifestyle – then please ask questions and get it checked out.

Remember – ‘a person without good breathing, is a person without a good life’, so let’s do what we can, to learn what we can, to improve what we can.

I bid to all – smiles, prayers, blessings and steady breathing – Mr. William.

(Copyright@2017, CrossDove Writer through wheezingaway.com – no part of this write may be used or copied without written permission.)

Follow all the adventures of “‘Lenny’ and Me 4 Today” at wheezingaway.com or on Facebook at “COPD Travels”.

NOTES: Sometimes we share what may seem like medical information, but we are only giving descriptions and highlights of various aspects of having COPD and/or Asthma and no way do we ever want our information to be considered medical treatment type of information, always consult your physician for more, clearer and more medical founded information.