My General Bio is: Born in Pittsburgh, Pa.; one of 4 children, having 2 younger sisters and one brother. Married my Husband Joe at New York City Hall in 1967.

Work Bio: I went to work in film distribution in 1959 and spent the next 35 years working for United Artists, Paramount and mostly as a Film Booker for 20th Century-Fox in New York... Even after returning to Pittsburgh, did free-lance work for a friend who had a good size Theatre Chain until I got hit with double lung pneumonia in 1994...

Health Bio: I had been diagnosed with early stage Emphysema in 1982. I cried a bit and then immediately quit my "Pall Malls" of 25 years.) .... Jump ahead 12 years, I had just came home from a Cruise.... 8 days later ended up in the hospital with "Double Lung Pneumonia. The Doctors told me they did not expect me to survive and if I had not quit smoking back (12 yrs prior), I would never have come through this bout of pneumonia ... I had temps of 106 and was pretty delirious for a week... But God was with me and combined with the Oxygen, anti-biotics, prednisone and a month in the hospital, I came home to be tethered to my O2 tubing... and had acerbated to 2nd stage. As with all of us, it took a bit of getting used to and It has become both my biggest nightmare and my best friend.... It is our lifeline, and I know that....

Jumping now to present time: It's been over 11 years now and there has been some progression to final stage, but I manage with the meds, O2, etc. The effects of too many bouts of prednisone and osteo has made it impossible for me to walk any distance... I use a walker or cane at home but if going shopping or walking for any distance I then use a wheel chair...

I think like many of us, the best info I get is from the COPD Support Group and from the group in Lively Lungers .... And I thank all for that....

Following is a picture of my Husband, Joe and myself.