Hiking With COPD - A Comeback Story

Todays blog post is a guest post by my best friend and my ride or die hiking buddy, Hiker Stu. Despite having COPD and dying a few times she trucks right along and will always be there whenever anyone wants to hike. It amazes me how far she has come along. Ive witnessed this whole story with my own 2 eyes firsthand and this story shes about to tell is like Im reading it for the time in amazement.

I hope this post inspires anyone who thinks they can not hike due to COPD to get out and hit a trail, even if its only a 1 mile trail to start. Anyways, here is Hiker Stu's story....Oh Yeah, Im Rocco Root lol

MAKING MY WAY BACK

Hiker Stu here to tell you a story I hope will either inspire or just to enjoy a short story. Where does one begin, it starts with COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) going bad. Which as it sounds makes it very difficult to breathe during any activity so hiking would of landed me right in the hospital. Of course whenever I would catch a cold it turned immediately into bronchitis along with an occasional pneumonia treatment being a round z pack and a tapering of prednisone steroids, nebulizer treatments and off I’d go. I was able to manage the disease and continue to work. So I thought, well first went into respiratory arrest and on a respirator and didn't even know it till I woke up 4 days later, thank God. Second time back in Respiratory ICU on what is called a BI-PAP machine (I caught it before I went into respiratory arrest) which forces air into your lungs and you breathe with it or at least try to. And basically the mask apparatus is like a jet pilot from the Blue Angels. After these lovely episodes I developed Eosinophilic Asthma, of course, which I receive a monthly injection to control inflammation. Through all this and having to work I keep relapsing with bronchitis and pneumonia and having more and more rounds of z packs and a tapering of prednisone steroids, nebulizer treatments and its getting harder and harder to perform the easiest of tasks or to even walk a hallway in my own home never mind at work or any thoughts of having fun. Which brings me to the finale, at home with one of my usual episodes again, so I thought. In middle of the night I spike a fever and off I go in the rescue. Third times a charm right lol! Back on BI-PAP machine RN takes a swab of my nostrils along with many vials of blood. I hit the Trifecta: my body was septic, pneumonia and why not throw in the H1n1 from 2009 and its 2019. Antibiotic for each infection and they're battling each other and I’m getting worse. And it doesn’t help that the Dr’s keep saying how concerned they are I’m not turning the corner. Well needless to say I had an all inclusive month stay at RI Hospital with precautions so no outside visitors only phone contact with the outside world. I should mention here with being on steroids for years I went from 174-212lbs but I digress.

Finally I get to come home and I’m weak as a kitten and have a long road of recovery before me. After being discharged from visiting nurses which was basically a lecture of there is no cure for what you have and it progresses. And as I age be even more difficult to do simple things like dressing. This scared the hell out of me. P.T. strongly suggested joining senior center and Bristol rec ctr. I laughed I’m only 61 and she said and weak as a kitten. I listened and joined chair yoga, zumba gold and gentle fitness exercise classes. And each class knocked the hell out of me that it took months before I could even finish a class without resting and it goes without saying short of breath in between or napping when I got home.

As time went on the stronger I got I even started walking on days I didn't exercise. Friends and family were really seeing the difference in me and weren’t afraid to be alone with me LOL when you sound like Darth Vadar on a regular basis tends to scare people.

Six months later later Rocco Root says to me I want to start hiking again but I’m scared to death to go alone with you and I said I’m scared to lmao.

Anyone with lung issues knows walking even on a sidewalk outside is a lot more difficult then performing any activity inside. So hiking as you know has varying terrains and presents a whole new set of challenges. Again I digress.

She said I’m willing to try a short hike real close by in case anything happens lol. Rocco Root maps out trail through ALL TRAILS. I’m equipped with a small lightweight cooler bag that fits two waters unable to carry anything with weight just yet causes shortness of breath much quicker. So off we go into the brave unknown to Village Park in Swansea MA. Now I say brave unknown because anyone who knows us knows we are famous for getting lost right out of the gate regardless of technology we have available to us but it is always an adventure lmao. Here we go into the trail head and we’re going at a slow even pace with Rocco Root checking every few minutes you ok, lol. I need to stop after every slight incline to return to normal breathing rhythm or just to rest in general and take in some water. Good thing is Rocco Root not being in the best of shape is quite patient and secretly happy I’m stopping. As we get deeper into the trail it is so poorly marked or not at all. We’re getting lost (no surprise there), mosquitoes are everywhere, the more we got lost the more mosquitoes we found. I’m running out of water, mosquitoes were blinding, Rocco Root is hating this trail no longer asking how I’m doing just chanting I’m never ever coming here again lmao and there is no scenery to really speak of except a piece of the reservoir. It was all quite hysterical. Finally make our way out and never so happy to see my car. And what was supposed to be a short hike turned into a day trip lol, just kidding but it did seem that way. We obviously covered more distance than intended but most of all I DID IT!

That being my first experience back into hiking but it didn’t deter me, like I said always an adventure. Now you have to remember we are only able to hike on weekends. So each hike after that added more distance with ratings of easy to moderate and Rocco Root is also sneaking in higher elevation gain with each hike. Within the first month I’’m able to carry a lightweight backpack, 2nd month which happened to be my birthday month I got a set of hiking poles from Rocco Root best present ever!!!! I started with one pole to get used to maneuvering and it made a difference in my breathing two poles made a noticeable difference in overall endurance. We have now completed 5 months of hiking and I never thought I would ever be back doing something I loved like hiking and exploring again in my lifetime nor did anyone else. From someone who rolled the dice three times toward death or as my sister would say I was near God and couldn’t walk a 6 foot hallway without stopping because I couldn’t breathe, went from 1.5 miles to hiking 5-6 miles and dropped 40 lbs.! Now don’t get me wrong I’m still having to stop after inclines, rest stops and taking in water in general but I’m also stronger, with increased endurance and slighter inclines that I would have to stop after I am able to push through and my pace is picking up. Able to punch out a good ¼ – ½ mile without stopping providing on the conditions of course lol.

Well that’s my story up to this point hope you enjoyed it. For my next challenge which we will be training for this spring is section hiking North South Trail and the NET and also hiking the huts in New Hampshire. This ought to be good lmao! I’ll let you know how it turns out. I would like to thank Rocco Root for having me as a guest blogger and come join us in the New England 6 Challenge! In the words of Rocco Root Happy Trails!

I hope you everyone found this amazing comeback story inspiring and gets out and hikes, who cares if its around the block to start, just get your feet on the ground and go!!

HAPPY TRAILS