Martha’s Story
“Thanks to my amazing support system I learned if you have something to live for, you can’t give up.”
Procedure Details:
Age at Treatment: 66
Date of Procedure: August 2020
Hospital: Texoma Medical Center – Denison, TX
Hometown: Denison, TX
Martha’s Story
“Thanks to my amazing support system I learned if you have something to live for, you can’t give up.”
Procedure Details:
Age at Treatment: 66
Date of Procedure: August 2020
Hospital: Texoma Medical Center – Denison, TX
Hometown: Denison, TX
Life Before Zephyr® Valves:
I grew up in Central Valley, California. It was a rural landscape with fields and farms all around. As children we would play tag running through rows of cotton and crops until it was time to come home for dinner. I remember watching big farm equipment spraying what I thought was water, but now I know it was pesticides and other chemicals. At times the air was visibly thick, and the smog made it difficult for anyone to breathe. I also grew up around second-hand smoke and later smoked for a short while myself. Little did I know at the time, I would receive the same diagnosis years later.
I eventually moved to Texas and began working at a food processing plant. I loved working there. My coworkers first became friends, then family. We all worked very closely together making the job fun and the time go by quickly. Because we made Mexican dishes that would then be frozen, there was always a heavy amount of flour dust in the air. As time went on, I noticed I was having a harder time breathing. I had many episodes inside the plant, triggered by the flour dust in the air, that would take my breath away — finally forcing me to retire.
For years, I was seeing a general physician for my breathing issues, but it wasn’t until 12 years ago when I was referred to Dr. Sanober Kable at Texoma Medical Center that I was properly diagnosed with COPD. Over the last couple of years, it became more of a struggle to breathe. When I took my pulmonary function tests in the beginning of 2020, Dr. Kable said I would be a good candidate for the Zephyr Valve procedure. When you’re fighting for every breath, it gets hard to hold on. But when I learned more about the treatment, I felt relief that there was another option for me.
– Martha
Life After Zephyr Valves:
I told myself that regardless, for me, any risk was worth the outcome. But being in the hospital can already be a stressful thought, not to mention during a global pandemic.
However, my son works in the heart and lung department at Texoma, so it was comforting to know he wasn’t far away. I had three valves placed in August of 2020. I had no complications.
Now that I have my Zephyr Valves, I feel like I have been given hope back and a better quality of life. I’ve also learned to appreciate the small things.
After my procedure, I went to the grocery store, and rather than having my oxygen tank as my accessory like I usually do, I was able to carry a beautiful floral purse. I have quite a collection and I didn’t think I would ever be able to use my purses again! I also love to travel and now my husband and I are putting together a list of places we will go visit — Santa Fe, New Mexico is one of our favorites.
I still use some inhalers, but I am not on oxygen 24/7 like I used to be. I know this is not a cure, but thanks to my amazing support system I learned if you have something to live for, you can’t give up.
I hope more doctors learn about the Zephyr Valve and send their patients for evaluation because it could make a huge difference in their lives and the lives of those they love. It sure did for me.
Results from case studies are not necessarily predictive of results in other cases. Results in other cases may vary.
US-EN-1014-v1
What is the Zephyr Valve procedure?
The Zephyr Valve has been shown to help patients breathe easier, do more, and enjoy life.1
Despite taking the best available medications, many patients with severe COPD/emphysema suffer from hyperinflation of their lungs where air becomes trapped in the lungs, preventing fresh air from entering and thereby causing severe shortness of breath.
The Zephyr Valves reduce lung hyperinflation by allowing trapped air to escape and preventing new air from entering that diseased lobe. This allows the healthier parts of the lung to function better and results in patients being able to breathe more easily and experience less shortness of breath.
The valves are placed via bronchoscopy, with no incision or cutting, so these benefits are achieved without the risks of traditional surgical options. The procedure is usually complete in under an hour.
Complications of the Zephyr Endobronchial Valve treatment can include but are not limited to pneumothorax, worsening of COPD symptoms, hemoptysis, pneumonia, dyspnea and, in rare cases, death.
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I grew up in Central Valley, California. It was a rural landscape with fields and farms all around. As children we would play tag running through rows of cotton and crops until it was time to come home for dinner. I remember watching big farm equipment spraying what I thought was water, but now I know it was pesticides and other chemicals. At times the air was visibly thick, and the smog made it difficult for anyone to breathe. I also grew up around second-hand smoke and later smoked for a short while myself. Little did I know at the time, I would receive the same diagnosis years later.
I eventually moved to Texas and began working at a food processing plant. I loved working there. My coworkers first became friends, then family. We all worked very closely together making the job fun and the time go by quickly. Because we made Mexican dishes that would then be frozen, there was always a heavy amount of flour dust in the air. As time went on, I noticed I was having a harder time breathing. I had many episodes inside the plant, triggered by the flour dust in the air, that would take my breath away — finally forcing me to retire.
For years, I was seeing a general physician for my breathing issues, but it wasn’t until 12 years ago when I was referred to Dr. Sanober Kable at Texoma Medical Center that I was properly diagnosed with COPD. Over the last couple of years, it became more of a struggle to breathe. When I took my pulmonary function tests in the beginning of 2020, Dr. Kable said I would be a good candidate for the Zephyr Valve procedure. When you’re fighting for every breath, it gets hard to hold on. But when I learned more about the treatment, I felt relief that there was another option for me.
-
I told myself that regardless, for me, any risk was worth the outcome. But being in the hospital can already be a stressful thought, not to mention during a global pandemic. However, my son works in the heart and lung department at Texoma, so it was comforting to know he wasn’t far away. I had three valves placed in August of 2020. I had no complications.
Now that I have my Zephyr Valves, I feel like I have been given hope back and a better quality of life. I’ve also learned to appreciate the small things. After my procedure, I went to the grocery store, and rather than having my oxygen tank as my accessory like I usually do, I was able to carry a beautiful floral purse. I have quite a collection and I didn’t think I would ever be able to use my purses again! I also love to travel and now my husband and I are putting together a list of places we will go visit — Santa Fe, New Mexico is one of our favorites.
I still use some inhalers, but I am not on oxygen 24/7 like I used to be. I know this is not a cure, but thanks to my amazing support system I learned if you have something to live for, you can’t give up.
I hope more doctors learn about the Zephyr Valve and send their patients for evaluation because it could make a huge difference in their lives and the lives of those they love. It sure did for me.
-
The Zephyr Valve has been shown to help patients breathe easier, do more, and enjoy life.1
Despite taking the best available medications, many patients with severe COPD/emphysema suffer from hyperinflation of their lungs where air becomes trapped in the lungs, preventing fresh air from entering and thereby causing severe shortness of breath.
The Zephyr Valves reduce lung hyperinflation by allowing trapped air to escape and preventing new air from entering that diseased lobe. This allows the healthier parts of the lung to function better and results in patients being able to breathe more easily and experience less shortness of breath.
The valves are placed via bronchoscopy, with no incision or cutting, so these benefits are achieved without the risks of traditional surgical options. The procedure is usually complete in under an hour.
Results from case studies are not necessarily predictive of results in other cases. Results in other cases may vary.
– Martha
