Recently, while working on another writing project I came across a program being jump started at an area medical facility titled – ‘Learning Tools for Better Health – Living with Chronic Conditions’.

The whole idea for the program will be to supply ‘Living with Chronic Conditions’ workshops for interactive learning opportunities that can and will teach techniques to help manage common symptoms.

They will emphasis not only coping skills, but management skills for not only those with the chronic illness/condition, but for those family members, friends and/or caregivers as well.

In my discussion with these folks for a story I am doing, I stopped to think about what I do to cope with my various issues, including my COPD/Asthma.  After our discussion I shared with the ladies some of what I do in dealing with my conditions and mentioned my writing, including commenting that I have this blog I call “‘Lenny’ and Me for Today”.

One of the ladies smiled and told me how awesome she thought it was that I have found a coping mechanism that helps in dealing with my lung issues, by giving my condition a name and personalizing it.

Sometimes I forget that when I gave my COPD/Asthma/Lungs the name of ‘Lenny’, that I did it on purpose.

Purpose one was to give my condition a name, so that when I deal/work/suffer with it – I will treat it more like a good friend/companion than just a problem!  That move alone removed much of the anger and depression that I would have with my chronic situation that upended my everyday life routines.

Purpose two was the name itself, which was the nickname of my late mother-in-law who suffered from emphysema and was on oxygen in her later days.

Purpose three was it gave me a catchy way to think about my chronic lung conditions, and like I state – by giving it a name I deal with it more like I am talking to a constant friend or companion, and we all know that like a constant friend or companion, it will not always be friendly and can be very annoying. Plus, the catchy name of ‘Lenny’ seemed to make it easier for me to write about, as if I was writing about a sibling/friend/companion.

So, when I began writing my ‘Lenny’ and Me postings, without totally realizing it, I was putting myself into a strong coping mode – coping with my COPD/Asthma.

While I know it is not the only coping mechanism that I may use, it is one that is much more prominent due to my website wheezingaway.com and the blog it has become.

A question for you that are reading this post – what, if any, coping mechanisms are you using on a constant basis to help work with your chronic illness/disease/situation?

And that my friends, is where ‘Lenny’ and me are 4 today.

In case you don’t know or remember, ‘Lenny’ is the name I gave my constant companion called COPD/Asthma as I have found that making my chronic illness like a companion, then I will be less apt to get angry with it and realize I must continue to work at it to make it stay as healthy as possible.

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.

ALWAYS REMEMBER > A person without good breathing, is a person with a life of constant caution’, so let’s do what we can, to learn what we can, to improve what we can.

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

(Copyright@2018, 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.