Background
London, that’s where I was born some 54 years ago and I was a really active kid doing loads of athletics and riding horses. After University I moved to Scotland for a job at Edinburgh University and have never wanted to return south! I now live on a farm with loads of animals and two sons, 13 and 15 and my husband.
When did I notice something was wrong?
When the kids were young I noticed I kept coughing and eventually did something about it. We had just acquired a black cat and I really thought I was allergic to it and had already got a new home lined up if this was the causing my cough.
How was I first diagnosed with Bronchiectasis?
However, after further investigation it was discovered that the cat was not to blame: I was diagnosed with mild Bronchiectasis, detected by a CT scan. So, the cat escaped re-homing and we still have her today!
How do I feel about the treatment?
I don’t really have any treatment – just some antibiotics if a cold is prolonged and won’t go away. It’s really a form of self help that I follow. I walk our dogs every day for at least an hour and also try to ride a couple of times a week. I also do Pilates and this I really find helps. All the exercises the Physiotherapists give you are Pilates based and it’s fun to go to these classes where you encounter a wide range of ages and abilities of people.
What is the effect on my day to day life?
I am really lucky – I am self employed working on the farm so I can find time to walk and exercise which I think is very important. I just cough a lot but it never hurts and I just chuckle when people tell me ‘You shouldn’t have smoked so much!’. I have only smoked 3 cigarettes in my life! I have Bronchiectasis. I know it’s not going to go away so the only thing I can do is to manage it as best I can and try my best to ensure it doesn’t get worse.
Last Reviewed -13th January 2015