Speaker: Patricia
Tell us a little bit about yourself
Patricia: Hi, my name is Pat Flaro. I'm age 61. My occupation is nothing. I'm disability.
Patricia: I've got two children, ages 40 and 43.
Tell us about your diagnosis
Patricia: When I knew something was wrong is when I couldn't breathe. And I was diagnosed at my educator's office and she changed or recommended to change my breathers, which worked, they really helped me a lot. Then a couple months later I end up in the hospital and I was there for five days with COPD and, I quit smoking.
How has your life changed since your diagnosis?
Patricia: I couldn't breathe. I could only go 10, 15 steps without using my rescue inhaler. I was really dependent on the rescue inhaler. I again, like I end up in the hospital because it was so bad and then everything changed because of this.
How has Best Care impacted your life?
Patricia: I quit smoking. I started, I joined the gym, I started walking. I've been going to the gym for a while now and, I don't depend on my, rescue inhaler at all. I just take the two new inhalers that the educator recommended. And, I see a lung specialist and I'm, I'm doing real good now.
Do you have a message for others about the Best Care program?
Patricia: The message that I have is if you smoke and got COPD, quit smoking, I was smoking three packs a day. Now, it's been a year. I haven't touched a cigarette, not thought about it. This program really works.
