Paralyzed Diaphragm

I commend you for your successes. I would like to ask you to watch Dr Amit Sood's TED X Talk. It has been my personal experience where I 'retrained my brain' and 'retrained my breathing'. It takes practice, but I have a feeling that you can learn how to breath with you diaphragm while you continue to go the distance with paced breathing. Dr Amit Sood has also written several books, one of my favorite is "Happiness". There is a mind body connection that you can apply to breathing. I never ran before lung cancer surgery...but now I run about 2 10k races a month...because Paced Breathing has become my guide. Keep us posted on connect, ok

@windwalker @merpreb @hopeful33250 @alamogal635 @jenniferhunter @burrkay

Today is less hectic so I figured I would get this out. Thanks to all for your gracious posts and apologize if I missed anyone. Sending cyber hugs and prayers to all.

@teresa, the Steelers logo I did was for a Navy Vet who is a fan of them and purely a coincidence with me being from Pennsylvania. I am a Marine and an Eagles fan (smile). Did you catch your dinner yet? Good luck fishing. Being on jury duty can be emotionally draining and sad at times. I retired as an Attorney, so I am very familiar with the assorted pressures.

Not being a transplant candidate is very disappointing indeed and all I can say is "Oh Well." I do have a TV and watch movies and assorted programs as we have the major networks and movie channels available in ICU (HBO, Max, Stars, etc.)

@jenniferhunter Inspiration? I am inspired by those that 1: don the Military uniform, and 2: wear a prosthesis. My heroes are the ones who paid the ultimate price. That being said, I guess you could say that I am inspired by Sacrifice, as that is what it takes in all three categories.

I am using my voice recognition software and I started this about 9 AM and it is now 1:30 PM, so will close for now. Hope you all have a good rest of the weekend and a great week ahead. Prayers and cyber hugs to everyone. Until next time. . .Ciao!

@windwalker @merpreb @hopeful33250 @alamogal635 @jenniferhunter @burrkay

Today is less hectic so I figured I would get this out. Thanks to all for your gracious posts and apologize if I missed anyone. Sending cyber hugs and prayers to all.

@teresa, the Steelers logo I did was for a Navy Vet who is a fan of them and purely a coincidence with me being from Pennsylvania. I am a Marine and an Eagles fan (smile). Did you catch your dinner yet? Good luck fishing. Being on jury duty can be emotionally draining and sad at times. I retired as an Attorney, so I am very familiar with the assorted pressures.

Not being a transplant candidate is very disappointing indeed and all I can say is "Oh Well." I do have a TV and watch movies and assorted programs as we have the major networks and movie channels available in ICU (HBO, Max, Stars, etc.)

@jenniferhunter Inspiration? I am inspired by those that 1: don the Military uniform, and 2: wear a prosthesis. My heroes are the ones who paid the ultimate price. That being said, I guess you could say that I am inspired by Sacrifice, as that is what it takes in all three categories.

I am using my voice recognition software and I started this about 9 AM and it is now 1:30 PM, so will close for now. Hope you all have a good rest of the weekend and a great week ahead. Prayers and cyber hugs to everyone. Until next time. . .Ciao!

@windwalker @merpreb @hopeful33250 @alamogal635 @jenniferhunter @burrkay

Today is less hectic so I figured I would get this out. Thanks to all for your gracious posts and apologize if I missed anyone. Sending cyber hugs and prayers to all.

@teresa, the Steelers logo I did was for a Navy Vet who is a fan of them and purely a coincidence with me being from Pennsylvania. I am a Marine and an Eagles fan (smile). Did you catch your dinner yet? Good luck fishing. Being on jury duty can be emotionally draining and sad at times. I retired as an Attorney, so I am very familiar with the assorted pressures.

Not being a transplant candidate is very disappointing indeed and all I can say is "Oh Well." I do have a TV and watch movies and assorted programs as we have the major networks and movie channels available in ICU (HBO, Max, Stars, etc.)

@jenniferhunter Inspiration? I am inspired by those that 1: don the Military uniform, and 2: wear a prosthesis. My heroes are the ones who paid the ultimate price. That being said, I guess you could say that I am inspired by Sacrifice, as that is what it takes in all three categories.

I am using my voice recognition software and I started this about 9 AM and it is now 1:30 PM, so will close for now. Hope you all have a good rest of the weekend and a great week ahead. Prayers and cyber hugs to everyone. Until next time. . .Ciao!

@giller198 -- Hello John, I too have had a paralyzed right diaphragm, so I will share my story with you. Mine was caused by an anesthesiologist. Last June I was about to have surgery on the right wrist to repair 2 broken bones following a fall, and the anesthesiologist attempted to give me a "nerve block". Unfortunately, he ended up in the Phrenic nerve. Within a matter of seconds I realized I couldn't breath or talk. INCREDIBLY frightening! The situation has resolved by itself in the months following the incident, but it was quite a journey! My pulmonologist told me there was nothing to do but wait it out, as it would resolve over time. She also told me that the most important thing I needed to do is to keep my lungs healthy by doing breathing exercises very often. I used a Spirometer in the hospital and at home. Hated the exercises and the cough, but it was necessary! Having only one lung working is not ideal, and I did feel out of breath often, but I tried to concentrate on positive thoughts and after a long while, things got better and finally got back to normal. I have to see my pulmonologist at the end of the month for a chest x-ray and a breathing test. What did your pulmonologists tell you to do for this? I guess you had chest X-rays and all is still the same? Wishing you the very best!
--Dee

Hi Dee, Finally getting around to answering you. I originally thought my diaphragm problem started because of my heart valve surgery. It started just a year after the surgery and my heart surgeon and two pulmonologists all agree that if any damage to the phrenic done during surgery would have shown up right away. I have been thinking about maybe scar tissue that might have grown up around the nerve. I had three drain tubes in my chest that were pulled out several days after the surgery. I really get short of breath when I'm swimming. Which I use to do a lot of and still try. I recently inquired at the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale AZ about an electromyography test on the phrenic nerve. I was turned down because of Medicare Advantage Plan that I am on. I'm guessing if I want it done it will be out of pocket. I still use a spirometer a couple times a week just to make sure I'm not losing any lung volume. Other than the swimming I'm doing pretty good. When I remember I also do breathing exercises. Take care, John

@usmccam

Thanks for your message! Voice recognition software is really amazing, isn't it?

I worked for attorneys for a number of years, so I do respect your profession as well. Were you a JAG attorney or did you work in the private sector?

I had never thought of sacrifice as being inspirational, but you are right. Becoming aware of the sacrifice of others moves us all out of our comfort zone and helps us to see the world as a place to serve and help no matter the cost. You have given me some new thoughts for today. Thank you for that.

Blessings to you!

@usmccam I thought you might want to read this account from World War II. My uncle, Eugene Mulholland, was a pilot and was shot down over Paris and evaded capture. He was hidden by farmers and an underground that helped him escape and return to America after the war was over. He had a watch that was inscribed with his name and information that he had to sell for money. It was about a year and a half after the war that he found his way back home. At one of the farms, the Gestapo came looking for him, and the farmer told them he was a deaf mute farm hand. He was so hungry and was eating in the barn when they opened the door that he didn't react or turn around, and that spared his life. His family thought he had been killed until he came home unexpectedly. Some years later, his watch was returned to him because of his military identification on it. He didn't talk about this, and I didn't know any of it as I was growing up.

Here's a link
https://100thbg.com/index.php?option=com_bombgrp&view=personnel&Itemid=334&id=1615
My dad's uncle was on an amphibious vehicle that landed off of Normandy beach, and because he was very tall, he was rescuing the soldiers who couldn't swim and who were not tall enough to stand in the deep water. They had a lot of heavy gear dragging them down and the water was too deep where the men were dropped off and some of them drowned. My great uncle survived that invasion, and later was chosen to go with Patton to help rescue the Lipizzan horses. I am a horse lover (and I have a horse that I ride), and this story about the Lipizzans kind of gets to me because that are so beautiful. The Temple Lipizzans are stabled on a farm not far from where I live and I have seen their performances. I like to drive past the farm and see them in the fields. My horse is a Tennessee Walker and I ride him out in the farm country where he is boarded.
https://www.tempelfarms.com/
Hugs to you and blessings....

@usmccam Gosh, it is great to hear from you! Cyber hugs and prayers right back to and for you. You are an inspiration to us. I would not be handling the inability to have a lung cancer with your strength--with the "oh, well" attitude you have, however, thinking about it, what else could you do, or think? It takes guts to be like you. It takes guts to have worn that wonderful uniform of the U.S. Marine Corps and have served proudly as you did and at such great cost. Then to go on and have a great career as an attorney speaks to a marvelous life. my father was a WWII veternan on the European Front--from North Africa up through Siicily, to Rome and finally home.He, too like most of you spoke little about his experiences, except for the funny parts--liberating a Champagne cell in Italy and drinking up all the champagne :-). Other than that he spoke little of his time spent overseas. My daughter's dad--both are now deceased served to tours of duty in Vietnam and I'm proud of him for that. Anyway, I think you have done great things and still re contributing which is what is important to me in this life. I"m glad you have voice recognition. It MUST be better than Siri, or Alexa since those two think I'm speaking Polish, or something :-). Anyway, it is great to hear form you and God bless you. Cyber hugs again to you.