Deb’s Story
How non-invasive ventilation and a unique COPD program improved the quality of life for a medically fragile patient
Deb is a wife, mother of five, and grandmother of six. She grew up like many others in her generation not fully understanding the damaging effects of smoking. She started smoking at 13 and continued for 45 years, smoking up to two packs daily.
Deb was originally diagnosed with COPD in 2016 and was prescribed the standard treatments of oxygen and inhalers. She was terrified of what her future would be. She lacked educational resources and the ability to independently research her diagnosis from her remote rural home, distant from internet access and a library.
As time passed, Deb’s condition continued to deteriorate, and her ability to perform essential daily tasks diminished. Although her symptoms continually advanced, she did not readily accept her COPD diagnosis. She attributed her decline to being out of shape, diet, stress, or fatigue. In 2017, Deb suffered a severe COPD exacerbation—a highly traumatic experience that resulted in her hospitalization.
As Deb anticipated discharge, her medical team recognized the importance of initiating additional therapies to lessen her symptoms and prevent future hospitalizations. Her care team decided that non-invasive ventilation (NIV) would be the best solution. NIV therapy combined with PromptCare’s COPD Education Program was the starting point. The usage of NIV equipment is necessary to assist in managing the symptoms of severe COPD. A comprehensive COPD program is vital to ensuring a patient’s symptoms are under control and they stay out of the hospital.
PromptCare’s program and expert respiratory therapist was game-changing. Within a few weeks and after several in-home visits, Deb’s anxiousness disappeared, and she was pleasantly surprised with the therapy’s effectiveness.
PromptCare’s comprehensive COPD program provides Deb with physical assessments, educational materials, tips, CO2 trending, and a personal relationship with her respiratory therapist. Deb’s therapist became the eyes and ears of her physician and helped Deb maintain her baseline of health, avoiding readmission.
Deb describes COPD as an isolating disease. She said, “Socialization is difficult, forcing any patient to think ahead. Do I have enough oxygen? Will I be able to take my medications on time? What happens if I get too tired?”
Over time, Deb has lost touch with many friends, so she has found comfort in PromptCare’s visits, which help her feel less alone. They also provide a strong foundation for understanding her disease process and best practices for symptom management, improving her quality of life.
Deb’s family means the world to her, and she enjoys the simple things in life—family meals, holidays, birthdays, and any chance to get together and laugh, eat, or visit. While her life is different than she imagined it would be at her age, she is making the best of living with COPD. Deb wants to bring awareness to others through her COPD story. If any patient, family member, or healthcare provider can resonate with her story, she finds happiness.
Hurdles Never Stop Us.
There’s a lot to take on when it comes to respiratory cases—in-home evaluations and training, managing insurance claims, and verifying documentation. It can take a toll, but it doesn’t have to. We work directly with healthcare teams in and out of the home, to make sense of it all.
Connect with our compassionate team at 800-776-6782 to learn how we can help you or your loved one.
