The Top10 Things You Should Do If You Test Positive For Alpha1

  • Have A List Of Questions When You See a Doctor About Your Alpha1(If you try to remember the questions you want to ask you may forget half of them)
  • Learn To Breathe Effectively
  • Limit Or Eliminate Your Alcohol Consumption
  • Don't Be Afraid To Be Proactive About Your Alpha1
  • Get Plenty Of Rest(You will likely have a higher oxygenation level)
  • Avoid Sick People(You have a lower immune system than most people)
  • Drink Plenty Of Water
  • Eat Healthy/Avoid Processed Food(Carbonated beverages)
  • Start A Careful Exercise Program/Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program(Your muscles will become more efficient so they won't use as much oxygen and if you have surgery you will likely recover quicker as well)
  • Stop Smoking

Tuesday, July 10, 2007

You know...there's more to you than your lungs.

Not so long ago a doctor said that to me. So often times we alphas focus on the lungs when it can be something else that does us in or tries to do us in. I had scheduled a routine mammogram in April and missed the appontment. So, when I scheduled an appointment with my pulmonologist I asked his appointment secretary if I could have a mammogram scheduled at the same time. She said it was customary to do that unless you were refered by another physician. She would ask my pulmonologist. They got me and appointment and my life got turned upside down.

July 3rd I found out I have breast cancer. At first I thought "Well, double the mind to body combat." then people were asking me how I was doing, Did I feel ok, I'm soo sorry. Then I got to thinking well, maybe I'm not going to make it???

A long time friend of the family called me to get together while he was home from Arizona. I called him back and spoke to his wife thinking as usual it would just be David and I visiting. Roxanne was quick to tell me that "NO, we both want to see you!" I had become overwelmed and ambivalient. When we got together I said when or if I go into remission. Roxanne(who has a psychology background) said "It's not if! It's WHEN you go into remission!!"

I truly feel it was a blessing the mammogram occured at Mayo. I don't think they would have done as thorough a job locally and the cancer would have gone undetected.

I met my sister Mary at Pine Island July 6th and she drove us the rest of the way to Mayo in Rochester. Mary is my Primary medical POA. We met with a doctor there. We were told I have a DCIS that is high grade and that I am ER+ and PR+. Due to the later I will likely be put on Tamoxifen for 5 years proceeding surgery. There is talk of radiation but due to alpha1 and my FEV1 it is completely out of the question. They took chest xrays and another ultra sound. They also did an EKG. I will be going back this following Friday to meet with the surgeon and another doctor. My bike treks are not going to come to pass this year as I will need to recover from surgery.

There's more to tell but, I'm tuckered! Another day!
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