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Tomorrow I visit my pulmonologist.

Her nurse will conduct the standard breathing tests.  I’ll blow into tubes.  Walk up and down the hall with an oximeter on my finger.  

Doc will come in and put the cold stethoscope on my front and back to listen for wheezing.

As usual, she won’t hear anything abnormal.

She’ll look at my test results.  Let me know where I stand and ask if I have any questions.

A standard checkup for me.  

Oh yea, I have Cardiac Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).  I’m an odd case as I’ve never smoked.  I’m not overweight and I’m not old (relative to typical COPD patients).

My brother is diagnosed with COPD.  My other brother and sister both sleep with CPAPs.  None of them smoke.  My Dad died of emphysema and so did his brother.  And my brother’s son died of COPD at 32.  Married with 2 young children.  He was a competitive cross-country runner and a Physical Therapist.  This lung problem is a ...