COPD And Stress - More On A Less Stress Holiday Season

This week's issue of the COPD International Newsletter brings Featured Articles - Energy-Saving Holiday Tips

TIPS FOR ENJOYING HOLIDAYS WITHOUT GETTING BREATHLESS
The holidays are a special time of the year, however they can very stressful. There's so much to do - shop for gifts, put up decorations, put up and decorate a Christmas tree, attend Christmas parties and other events, wrap presents and visit family. The holidays are tough for even the healthiest people.

When you have a lung disease, the holidays can wear your down, damper your holiday spirit and aggravate your lung disease. Here are a few tips to help you enjoy the holidays. See Tips:
http://lungdiseases.about.com/od/generalinformation1/qt/holiday_tips.htm

TAKE A DEEP BREATH AND RELAX
Stress can be hiding around every corner this season. Learn tips to relax so you can gracefully deal with life's curveballs. See Tips:
http://www.aarp.org/health/staying_healthy/stress/a2003-03-11-taking
time.html

THE HOLIDAYS: 12 TIPS FOR COPING
Stress and depression can ruin your holidays and hurt your health. Being realistic, planning ahead and seeking support can help ward off stress and depression. See Tips:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/stress/MH00030

COPING WITH THE HOLIDAY BLUES
Besides keeping busy and accepting loss, there are other things a person can do to keep away from the holiday blues. Hanging out with friends or family members which don't have sad or negative emotions attached to them may be helpful. If not in the real world, then you may also consider spending more time online in a support group or chat area, which is to your liking. Here are more tips on how to chase away the holiday blues. See Tips:
http://psychcentral.com/archives/holiday_coping.htm

TIPS TO EASE THE SHOPPING FRENZY
Here are a few suggestions on how to handle Christmas shopping without having to catch your breath or get stressed to the max.

-- Mail-order catalogues
-- Home shopping networks
-- Online stores
-- E-mail greeting cards
-- Shopping and delivery services
-- Gift certificates

GETTING OUT AND ABOUT
For many of us, there is no reason for us to stay housebound. The holidays provide the perfect reason to get out and about. Visiting friends, shopping, spending time with relatives will do wonders at helping us enjoy a better quality of life. For guidance on portable oxygen equipment, most of which can be provided by your local oxygen provider, go to: http://www.portableoxygen.org

And in the About.com Health Newsletter Elizabeth Scott, About.com's Guide to Stress, has put together a series of articles to help you simplify the holiday season. So, follow her advice, and in a few weeks, when it's all over, you won't feel the sudden urge to take a long, deep nap.

In the Spotlight

Holiday Shopping Made Easier
Well, my answer to this is two words: online shopping. I love it. But it's not for everyone, so Elizabeth has a few other handy tips as well.
- Stress Guide Elizabeth Scott

Holiday Cooking Made Easier
A good nugget of advice: Be willing to try something new. For example, it's perfectly OK to order your entire holiday dinner from a local restaurant. My family typically does this, with a little local South Texas flavor: We pre-order dozens of tamales.

Holiday Cards Made Easier
Written by two very funny people, my husband's parents' annual holiday newsletter is one of the best reads of the year. And every year they threaten that it's the "last one they'll ever write." Eventually, when they make good on that threat, I'll have to get over it, and keep in mind how stressful it is for them.
- Stress Guide Elizabeth Scott

The Rocky Mountains, With COPD, Using Oxygen And A Small Scooter by Mike Mann

Lassen Volcanic (8,500') and Yellowstone (7,500') National Parks and Five Great Museums in Cody (5,000'), Wyoming

This is the inspiring story of a trip taken by Mike Mann - not a man to take "no" for an answer!

"This adventure actually began in the spring of 2006. Fran's sister who had been living in Concord, CA had purchased land in Alturas CA and built a new log home on it. It had been a couple of years since Fran had seen her sister Jo Anne, and we discussed a driving trip out since I had hated flying before and would probably find it near impossible with my COPD requirements. I had lived in New Mexico and west Texas for about eighteen years and hoped to also use the trip to take Fran to some new spots that we we not able to make on a western trip several years ago. If you have any interest in that trip the write up and photos are at http://millians.home.mindspring.com/latest_stuff.htm
I was already not to satisfied with my pulmonologist and when I queried him about the trip his response was, "Absolutely not! If you try going to 5,000 feet or more you might as well go home, get in bed and die. The trip would be too difficult for you and "I" would not be there when you got in trouble." This response did not improve my poor opinion of his abilities as a doctor for me. I want someone who will explain the risk and problems to me then leave the decision to me. If I decide I want to do something then I want a doctor to supply help and support not one that tells me to "Go home, get in bed and die!"

Reading on in Mikes Story, you will find that he eventually connects with a doctor with a completely different philosophy : "Life is too short to start, 'not doing' the things that you want to do.".

Mike' trip was successful, his story is an inspiration, the photographs are spectacular. You can see all of it on Mike's webpage Here.

Once you've read about Mike's adventure, why not think a little more about traveling with COPD? Here are a couple of articles to help you on your way.

Travel and COPD - an article from the Canadian Lung Association

Another article from the American Lung Association

and
Traveling Tips for People with COPD