Trying to fight Bronchiectasis

Ever since I was diagnosed as having COPD and Bronchiectasis, it's been a daily struggle at times

I was told some time ago, to take each day as it comes, but sometimes that is easier  said than done

This is  my second chest infection since the end of August, I feel totally drained and worn out.

My problem is  that I have tried to carry on doing DIY jobs at home, only to end up soaking wet with sweat, and totally drained after only a few minutes, and that is very hard to accept.

After working as an engineer, on call 24 hours a days, this is difficult to understand let alone move on from

Going up stairs is becoming harder by the day, but it's a way of exercising, so I keep pushing myself  to do it.

After being out for a walk on a morning, I find I drop off to sleep after lunch, where I stay for 2 hours or more. For some reason I find I sleep better upright in an armchair, that I do propped  up in bed. 

The other day I slept through a door bell and telephone ringing  and never heard anything at all. My wife said that these days I  will sleep through a bomb attack

I never realised just how fast this illness Bronchiectasis, can take hold and take over your life.

I have noticed that I have become agitated and short tempered, which I guess is down to the frustration of not being able to carry on being as active as I was, and could also be linked to tiredness and the constant coughing during the day and night

I understand that you can get depressed with these illnesses, and I am starting to understand this now, but again I think it's down to being held back by your illness and feeling totally useless at times

I use a nebuliser every morning,  to try to empty my lungs of this rubbish, but it starts all over again, while I am walking around and this is embarrassing as is the constant coughing

But the nebuliser also gets my ventolin into my lungs faster than using a basic inhaler, so that is good.

I have noticed at times that I feel as if I am trying to breathe through a drinking straw, and this gets harder trying to walk up a slight Hill.

This is all made worse by the fact that I cannot get rid of the Heamopholis Influenza bug in my lungs.

I understand that children can get vaccinated against this in the USA, but there is nothing as I understand it for adults and elderly in the UK

Even the flu vaccination makes things much worse these days, but this something we are not warned about

As with other illnesses you are left to find your own way after a diagnosis, as there is  little or no good quality  information given at the time

I know that there are charities dealing with this illness, but  are all different with different problems and symptoms, so I guess that there is  no simple answer

I guess that it's hard for others to understand these chest problems, but there is a total lack of understanding and stigma, thinking that it's all caused by smoking,  so it's your own fault

However as we all know smoking is not always the cause, it could well be down to working in  industrial industries and pollution etc.