Shortness of Breath: aka ‘dyspnea’
Annually, I attempt the half marathon and get asked why by non-runners. First, and most importantly, I run the half marathon because I can’t run a full marathon. When I end the half marathon I’m exhausted. What’s clinically known as ‘dyspnea’ is otherwise called shortness of breath, winded, gasping for breath or breathless.
Side Note: Short of breath is known by its acronym, SOB, in medical lingo. Your physician may describe you as a SOB patient. This does NOT mean your clinician is calling you a son of a biscuit. Its just shorthand to state that you are experiencing shortness of breath. This acronym causes some ruffled feathers especially in lung clinics until the acronym is defined.
Running the half marathon, I experience the feeling of being SOB for 2 plus hours. Its not pleasant. I’ve been told no one enjoys running marathon distances. Its one of those things that you ‘check the box’ that you did it but don’t really enjoy running 13.1 or 26.2 miles. But partly I do it to feel what its like to be SOB for an extended period of time. Now I can stop and catch my breath. But I know that many people suffering from lung cancer and associated lung conditions, don’t have that luxury.
I recently lost a dear patient of mine from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). He spent the past several years suffering from shortness of breath. Thankfully he did not get lung cancer but he wanted the world to know that it sucks to be short of breath. He was on every medicine we had. He used oxygen at high levels 24/7. He was up for any experimental treatment that could improve his symptoms. He was under the care of palliative care using medicines to relieve his shortness of breath but there were always times when it would rear its ugly head. And this broke my heart to see and hear about.
So I ran the half marathon this year for him. To remember the man who came to clinic monthly mostly to educate the pulmonary fellows on what end stage COPD looked like and how to maximize therapy to do everything we could to treat him. Rest in peace, my friend. I will never forget you and will always remember we must never give up.