Weather changes again

I guess the weather has changed again, because the chest infections have started all over again.

It all started three weeks ago and up till earlier this week I was on my second course of antibiotics, but it did not clear.

I had sent to sputum test in, and had an X-ray to see if there was a deep seated problem as this keeps getting worse every year.

Even the asthma test was well down, compared to where it should be, but that's been dropping every year.

Today I returned to see our new family doctor after the last chest X-ray, and was told that it was COPD, Chronic Obstructive Pulmanary Disease.

I knew that after years of working in industry my lungs were not working as they should have been, but you never really think of things like this when you are young, and regulations have changed quite a lot over the last 20 years. 

But after struggling with chest problems since being a child, it now explains most of my problems.

I have had quite a few chest X-rays over the last few years, but now I have been told that most of my chest pain is from a cracked  rib that must have gone undiagnosed over the years. 

I  am confused as to when this happened, but none of the previous X-rays have shown this up before, and I know that I have not had a serious fall for years. 

It's amazing as this new doctor is only part time, because he also works in a hospital, but he obviously knew more about this condition than we had realised. 

Thinking back to our last holiday, I remembered that I had to use my inhalers on the flight out to Turkey and back, but never put two and two together until we spoke about it at home today.

So this may mean changes to future holidays, but I am not worried about that, I will take things as they come. 

My medication has now changed to support the COPD, and I have another set of antibiotics and steroids to get me through the next 12 days. Then I have a review with my family doctor again, so he can see if the chest infection has cleared.

I then return to see the chest consultant at Sunderland general hospital in ten days. My wife had a telephone call from the speech therapist at the same department to the specialist, and she confirmed that they thought I either had or was heading for COPD, when I saw them earlier in June. 

So perhaps I will get told how to change my life stile when I see him.

I am feeling a lot better today, but I know that  it's going to take time and things will have to change. But I am positive