Over the past several years I have found, that with my COPD and severe Asthma I have to really pace myself during the heat of the days in summer and up until this year thought I was doing a fairly good job of it.

But since ‘Lenny’ tossed flare up at me some ten days ago, I have found myself running life as if I was running a constant marathon going uphill at a 45-degree angle.  In other words, I seem to be constantly fighting fatigue and even falling asleep without realizing it while writing at the laptop or watching a bit of television.

Now some of this I am pretty sure I can trace back to the weather as here in my neighborhood (very central, near dead center of the United States) we have been having un-normally hot weather where the temps have hovered around 100-105 degrees off and on now for almost two weeks.  In fact, I believe I heard a city just north of where I live hit the 100-plus mark 12 days in a row.

When you combine that with humidity that stays above 30-40% for large chunks of the day, then most who have lung issues will know, that yes – the weather could be a contributing factor.

Good example would be last weekend when I, for a write I was working on for a local newspaper, went to an event to get some quotes and pics.  But due to the high humidity and heat, as I walked from my vehicle to where the folks were that I was needing to meet – ‘Lenny’ gave me a major commotion in response to having to breath in that thick, humid air.

After having to stop more than twice while attempting to walk barely a block, my lungs, my body and my mind were all telling me that this just is not going to happen.  With that I returned to my vehicle and returned home, and when I walked in the door and grabbed my oximeter – oh my goodness, no wonder I was feeling like c#%p as my oxygen level was wavering between 87-88 and mostly likely had been like that for at least 15 minutes.

As we (those who fight COPD and severe Asthma) know, when you get hit with even a short stretch of SoB it can kick you like you just ran an ultra-marathon and you will feel so tired and worn out for much of the remainder of your day – and that is exactly what happened, I felt like I had to rest the rest of the day because the short period of fighting for oxygen just kicked my tale.

So here I am ten-days down the road from my last post and yet thanks to the heat and humidity called weather, plus a large family get together on Saturday – I am feeling exhausted and it seems like my shoulders, elbows, neck and chest are just plain worn out, stiff with exhaustion.

Where do I go from here?  I try to get a better run of sleep at night, take a short nap here and there if necessary, make some adjustments to my diet and keep rolling forward as my life does not stop and I must get things done.  But I move forward with not only my mind on a swivel looking for triggers, but with my mind taking notes on how the body is feeling and functioning with preset preparations on things to do before that exhaustion and tiredness kills my whole day ahead.

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

Want to know who ‘Lenny’ is?  ‘Lenny’ is the name I gave my constant companion called COPD/Asthma.  I have found that referring and dealing with my chronic illness as a companion I am less apt to get angry with it, but instead more likely to work with it like you would in a strong relationship.  Besides treating anything with TLC is much better than hammering away at it as if it was an enemy.

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.)

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 medical founded information.