Stephanie H., WI

This story is about my mother who was diagnosed with COPD. She was not aware of having this chronic disease until the year of 2011.

The doctors stated that before she was diagnosed that she had this disease for seven years before being diagnosed with this chronic disease. I was 20 years old when I saw my mother's life change before my eyes. I was going to school in Oshkosh, WI at Fox Valley Technical College when my mother contacted me about the news her doctor shared with her earlier that day.

I did not quite understand what COPD was and how this would effect not only my mother but our family as well. I moved back home with my mother and my stepfather in the year of 2011. I wanted to be there for her and help them in anyway that I could. I say them because my stepfather was battling cancer at the time also. During the years I started to notice my mother deteriorating quickly in drastic ways I could never imagine myself enduring. My mother lost her insurance during the time that she was fist diagnosed so without the proper medicine her COPD conditions sped up a lot faster where the medicine would have delayed it for a while longer.

By the time she received insurance coverage again she was now in the end stages of COPD. She was so afraid and she started to notice the severe changes. The loss of breathe just walking from her bedroom to the kitchen or to the bathroom. To having to wear her oxygen 24 hours a day. My mother became very depressed due to her being used to baking, cooking holiday meals, having her grandchildren spend the night with her for days at a time. She also would not go outside unless she had a doctors appointment or if I convinced her to go out with me to lunch or afternoon tea at the Pfister Hotel.

She fought very hard throughout her time on this earth she looked death in the face many times but she always found her way to push through it to stay a live and to be with us her family. She was finally done fighting and was greeted by her mother, father, sister, and nephew on April 15, 2017.

She went in peace in her bed at home where she always wanted to be and not inside of a hospital. She is missed so much everyday I can't not think about her or her laugh and how much my son and her bond could never be broken along with her six other grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

She had three beautiful girls and a husband that she was married to for five years but together with him for 23 years.