Curmudgeonly & Skeptical presents Boned Jello: COPD BLOWS

Thursday, May 10, 2018

COPD BLOWS

People are always asking. "Say, Rodge ..

I first heard of this harmonica trick 40+ years ago on the Mike Douglas Show. At the time I was was a 2-3 pack a day smoker.When I quit (for good) in 1997 I was 4 packs. Fast forward to diagnosed COPD. Three years ago, remembering that Mike Douglas Show advice, I bought a harmonica and set about using a You Tube "Play Mr. Tambourine Man" primer to get started. Using that, and a Fitbit to monitor my steps (and calories) I was soon enough 30 years old again. Seriously. Alas, for various and sundry reasons I lapsed to the point where I was sent to a pulmonary rehab 3 days/week. Worked like magic and after 3 months I was back in the pink (and my insurance was used). However, by that time my knees had suffered the slings and arrows of time, and .... you know. GAH!

Things got so bad that, what the hell, lets do the harmonica again. After just a week here is todays blood/oxygen level after doing *I wish all the girls were like ... for 10 minutes. Yesterday I logged a 100 Blood Oxy. Holy Fn Sht!. This morning a 97. (The highest I got during pulmonary rehab was 97. FWIW.)

You're welcome.

*Learned from Doug Clark, ca 1965

Rodger the Real King of France 5/10/2018 10:08:00 AM 6 Comments

"If the number of Islamic terror attacks continues at the current rate, candlelight vigils will soon be the number-one cause of global warming. "
Argus Hamilton

6 comments:

Linda Fox said...: That's pretty much why I took up the recorder. I've been mostly inactive with it for the last 5-6 years, but am thinking about starting up again.

Musical instruments involving exhalation of air can be a wonderful aid to improved breathing capacity for lung/respiratory-impaired patients.

http://www.in-isrc.org/2011FallSeminar/Harmonicas%20for%20Health.pdf

So, win-win. Improved function, and fun, as well.; 5/10/18, 10:19 AM
Rodger the Real King of France said...: Yeah, it's amazing how that helps. Which makes me the fool for not keeping up. Thanks Linda.; 5/10/18, 10:43 AM
Anonymous said...: Thanks you for that story. Had to move to KS to get off O2 24/7. Bought a trumpet due to friend with COPD that playing the trupmet every day helped him immensley. Target to get back on the trupmpet, cause apparently IT WORKS!; 5/10/18, 2:31 PM
Kevin said...: How often did you play per day?
I have a digeredoo that did help COPD, but it is a bit large at 41" and sets the dogs off. A harmonica sounds fun, and I can go outside to play.; 5/10/18, 3:50 PM
Rodger the Real King of France said...: Kevin ... maybe 20 minutes or so. Actually, it was based on when the cries for me to stop became unbearable.; 5/11/18, 8:29 AM
drew458 said...: I've got to try some of this exhalation therapy instrument stuff.

But I wanted to mention that my BIPAP has an oxygen concentrator hooked up to it, and that thing helps a whole lot. My blood O2 is 98 to 100 every morning when I get up, and if I need a mid-afternoon rest an hour with that gets me right back up to 98+.

They come in several sizes - 3L/min, 5L/min, 10L/min, and the smaller volume ones are pretty quiet. You get used to the sound anyway. They do eat some electricity, but keep the bedroom warm as a side effect.

Most health insurance will cover the rent, but you may be able to work out rent to own, which is cheaper after less than 2 years.; 5/11/18, 11:39 PM

Thursday, May 10, 2018

COPD BLOWS

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