Better Breathing with Pulmonary Rehabilitation
Bill B. remembers his first encounter with Morris Hospital’s Pulmonary Rehabilitation program: he was not happy to be there. He admits he was even a little mad at the nurses and respiratory therapists for making him exercise, and he gave them a hard time.
It didn’t take long for Bill to realize that what they were asking him to do was actually helping. Today, the 81-year-old Morris man is one of Pulmonary Rehab’s biggest cheerleaders.
“I tell everyone who comes in, ‘Just do what they tell you and you’ll look and feel better,’” he says.
Bill first started his journey in 2022 when he noticed he was having trouble breathing due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. He recalls barely being able to finish a six-minute physical test on his first visit to Pulmonary Rehab.
“The more we tried to increase Bill’s exercises, his oxygen levels would drop,” says Patti Holmberg, RN, Pulmonary Rehabilitation Charge Nurse.
The Pulmonary Rehab team recommended oxygen, a move that initially angered Bill. But they encouraged him to “trust the process.” Placing Bill on oxygen would allow him to continue with rehab, which was needed to help build back his physical and lung strength.
When Bill first started Pulmonary Rehab, he was using 4 liters of oxygen every time he exercised and throughout the day. As he slowly rebuilt his strength, his dependence on oxygen decreased. Today, he rarely uses oxygen during the day and can even go on a one-mile walk or play a round of golf without using any oxygen at all.
“I do ride in a golf cart, but I couldn’t even play before without oxygen,” he said.
Although he still uses oxygen at night, Bill has been able to lower his dose significantly. He has also lost 60 pounds since starting Pulmonary Rehab, and he was able to decrease the dosage of his diabetes medication.
“I think it’s great,” Bill’s wife, Carol said. “My gosh, to go from being on oxygen 24 hours a day and not being able to do much to the way he is now …. It’s terrific.”
The key to Bill’s success?
“He kept coming to rehab,” Holmberg says. “He kept exercising.”
After graduating from Phase 2 pulmonary rehabilitation, Bill opted to continue with Morris Hospital’s Phase 3 pulmonary rehabilitation, which offers an open gym style, supervised exercise program on twice weekly so graduates of Phase 2 can continue to strengthen and improve their lung strength.
Today as Bill walks the indoor track in the rehab gym, he stops to encourage new patients by sharing his story, letting them know that the small steps they take today will make a difference. He tells them that when he first started rehab, he could only walk about four laps around the rehab track. Today he does 55.
He also lets new patient know that the rehab team is here to help.
“They saved my life,” he adds. “If it wasn’t for them, I don’t know where I’d be.”
If you have been diagnosed with a medical condition that affects your breathing, talk to your healthcare provider about enrolling in Morris Hospital’s Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program.
To learn more go to morrishospital.org/pulmonaryrehab or call 815-705-7837.
