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Flo, 63
Flo’s Story
Texas City, Texas
Grandma of 20 and great-grandma of 8 who enjoys exercising, writing poetry, and spending time with her big family!
Procedure Details:
Age at Treatment: 63
Hospital: University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) at Galveston
Date of Procedure: August 2019
Life Before Zephyr® Valves:
I’d always been a high energy person. For over 25 years I was an Administrative Specialist for the medical science division of a large University. We managed the program for bodies donated to science and research. I was so passionate about my job, and for many years I was president of the University’s Administrative Professionals Association. My life was full. I raised 5 wonderful children on my own. I volunteered at the Women’s Resource Crisis Center and helped to oversee the University’s Earth Day activities. Let’s just say I was one busy lady before emphysema/COPD came along.
In September 2018, I caught a cold and it just spiraled. I ended up being hospitalized and sent home with oxygen. I remember thinking “I don’t need that. I’m not an old lady!” But the following winter, I was hospitalized several more times and on March 8, 2019, I was sent home with oxygen again, but this time I needed it 24/7.
My life went from 60 to 0 very quickly because of this awful disease. I had to retire on disability from a job I loved. I was stuck at home attached to a giant oxygen hose. My friends and coworkers were shocked. They would say “no way, not Florence” because I had always been so involved in life. I felt like I was losing my identity. It was such a difficult time.
I was in the hospital with an exacerbation when I first met Dr. Nishi’s nurse, Gisele, and heard about the Zephyr Valves. Gisele looked just like an aunt of mine and I felt so comfortable with the way she explained the valve procedure to me. Just a few days later my aunt, the same one whom Gisele reminded me of, called out of the blue to tell me she had a dream about my dad who had passed many years ago. She said she was supposed to tell me I’d be okay and there was a new path for me in life. I know everyone doesn’t believe in signs, but I knew this was a sign I was meant to try this.
At first, my insurance denied the procedure, but Dr. Nishi’s office fought for me. I went to pulmonary rehab while they appealed the insurance denial. The rehab taught me how to move slower but do more. It really prepared me to be ready for the procedure when the insurance approval came through.
Life After Zephyr Valves:
Dr. Nishi put five Zephyr Valves in the diseased section of my lung. I noticed a difference right away in the hospital. It felt like I could breathe fully again for the first time in years. I did develop a pneumothorax, which I was told might happen, but the staff were great taking care of me. I had a chest tube to resolve the pneumothorax and stayed an extra couple of days in the hospital. But even though I had that complication, I feel so much better now. I would do it all again in a heartbeat.
It’s been a few months since I had the procedure and I am feeling better each day. I no longer need oxygen during the day and soon will have the test to see if I even need it at night. I feel so free not having to be attached to that hose anymore.
The valves reduce hyperinflation (trapped in the diseased lung) so I no longer have that pressure on my diaphragm and stomach. I am eating better and more. I can wear a bra all day again. These little things make a huge difference and I just feel more normal again.
I feel strongly that part of my new path in life is to help spread the word about the Zephyr Valves so other sufferers can learn about this option and have hope. I will be attending local breathing club meetings and sharing my story online.
Now that I am feeling better, I have so much life to live. I am back participating in my administrative professionals’ group, socializing, and writing poetry. I have a goal to write a poem for all the scriptures in the bible and I am planning to do some exercise videos for people with COPD.
Results from case studies are not necessarily predictive of results in other cases. Results in other cases may vary.
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.
US-EN-357-v1
Nancy, 69
Nancy’s Story
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Great aunt to 21 nieces and nephews, who loves to go to their sporting events and celebrations!
Procedure Details:
Age at Treatment: 69
Hospital: Spectrum Butterworth Hospital
Date of Procedure: March 2019
Life Before Zephyr® Valves:
Before emphysema, I led an active life – bike riding, travelling, quilting, reading, boating! I grew up boating and camping and my family still boats often on Lake Michigan.
There were symptoms of breathing issues over the years, but by the time I saw a pulmonologist at age 54, I was told I had severe COPD/emphysema. Just two years later I was put on disability. It leveled off a bit with medications. That was likely because I wasn’t working and had more control over my day. I could rest if I needed it.
In May of 2014, my husband was diagnosed with lung cancer. He passed away in November 2017. Then we had to move my mom into assisted living and she passed in early 2018. I was the executor of the estate. During those very trying years, my disease worsened. My oxygen use ramped up and it got to the point where I couldn’t do anything without it.
The things I loved doing, like boating and social activities, became so limited. Even if I went to a social event, I didn’t enjoy it as much. Everything was such a big effort and I’d have to have my oxygen on.
The mental and emotional toll was tough on me, but also affected my family who was very worried. My sisters kept an eye on me, especially after my husband passed away. My one sister told me I should get Apple Watch, which I did, because it alerts the medics if I fall.
One day I was watching the news and I saw Dr. Cumbo on TV talking about the procedure. I knew I wanted to try this right away. The next time I saw my pulmonologist she did a CT scan and sent it to Dr. Cumbo. I needed something and this was less invasive than surgery. I’d been waiting for years for something like this to come along.
Life After Zephyr Valves:
I was the second patient in the State of Michigan to receive the treatment! The procedure went very smoothly. About one month out, a CT scan showed that one valve had shifted, so they fixed that and put one more in.
It took a little bit of time to notice the difference but now the improvements are amazing! Simple things you take for granted like taking a shower and drying off without struggling to breathe. I can make the bed without stopping to rest now!
I still go to pulmonary rehab twice a week. I started going in 2002 and it is so important. Since having the valves I’ve decreased my O2 from 3 liters to 2 liters and increased my speed from 1.1 to 1.7 on the treadmill. My rehab nurses say they can really see the difference this has made for me.
I would tell other patients that it is important to pace yourself. In May I said “I feel better” and over-did it. But now I am venturing out a little bit more. I go to the grocery without my O2. I do a little weeding in the garden. I am doing more little things but they are a big deal because they are things I wasn’t able to do just a few months ago.
I have a positive attitude and look at what I can do now, not focus on what I can’t do. I recently went to the West Michigan White Caps baseball games with my 5-year old great nephew. It was a really big thing for me to go and I wouldn’t have gone if I didn’t have the valves.
I’ve set some great goals for myself this year. My great nephew plays football for the Catholic Central Cougars. This year I am hoping that I can walk over and sit on our team’s bleachers (instead of the visiting team side which I had to do before the valves because it was a shorter walk). I would like to get up to 2.5 on the treadmill. I’d also like to do more travelling and go out West.
If I didn’t happen to see that news story, I would not have known about this procedure so I am happy to share my story so others can be aware of this. In fact, two people that I go to rehab with are now looking into it too!
Results from case studies are not necessarily predictive of results in other cases. Results in other cases may vary.
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.
GLO-EN-331-v2
John, 78
John’s Story
Chicago, Illinois
Air Force Veteran, husband and father who enjoys long walks with his wife of 31 years.
Procedure Details:
Age at Treatment: 78
Hospital: University of Chicago Medical Center
Date of Procedure: April 2019
Life Before Zephyr® Valves:
I was a healthy kid. I played football, basketball, baseball, swimming, track, and more. In 1959, I went into the Airforce. I didn’t smoke when I went in, but then once you’re in, it’s “take 10 and light ‘em up.” If you didn’t smoke, you got put on some duty. So needless to say most of us started to light up. Fifty-five years later I quit smoking, but the COPD/emphysema had already taken over in my lungs.
He was in great shape except for this issue. We used to walk three miles a couple times a week, but then just walking upstairs in the house was getting hard for him. We couldn’t ride bikes anymore. It was really having an impact on our quality of life and I was worried about our future.” – Amy, John’s wife of 31 years.
About eight years ago, I caught a cold and it just escalated quickly. It was a steady decline after that. I went from being this active healthy guy to struggling to breathe with simple tasks. I couldn’t ride my bike anymore. Even doing yard work had become difficult. I would try to weed whack and edge the lawn, but I would have to use the rescue inhaler and stop often to rest. When you have to stop and lean over to catch your breath, you start to think “this may be my last breath.” It scared my wife and me.
I was not on oxygen yet but I was getting very discouraged at the decline I was seeing. On a trip last year I ended up in the ER having breathing treatments. My general practitioner, Dr. Cressa Perish, referred me to Dr. Steve White at University of Chicago Medical Center. He told me “it’s only going to get worse.” I told him I was ready to try something, even if it was a newer option.
In 2019, Dr. White introduced me to his colleague Dr. Kyle Hogarth who had studied the newly FDA-approved Zephyr Valves. Once Dr. Hogarth explained how the valves worked I was 100% ready to try them. He had to do some tests to see if I was a candidate, but I was hopeful that this would give me some of my life back.
Life After Zephyr Valves:
I was the 16th patient treated at University of Chicago Medical Center with the Zephyr Valves. The procedure went smoothly. I had a bit of pain and discomfort as expected, but I stayed for three days and was very well cared for.
After just a month, I was taking deeper breaths and no longer struggling with the severe shortness of breath that had become my normal. In just a few months I’ve seen a 20-25% improvement in lung function.
The valves are not a cure but they have blocked off the diseased part of my lung so the healthier sections can work better, and I tell you, I feel the difference!
My wife worries less now. We are back to taking daily bike rides, long walks, and have even done some significant travel already. In the Spring, we drove 14 hours straight home from Connecticut to Chicago. That would have been impossible before the valves. I just wouldn’t have had the stamina.
I haven’t felt this good since my 50s. It’s like getting a new lease on life. I am sharing my story so others who are struggling can know about this option and can have hope too.
Results from case studies are not necessarily predictive of results in other cases. Results in other cases may vary.
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.
US-EN-1551-v1
Cheri, 63
Cheri’s Story
Springfield, Oregon
Registered Nurse and mom of four who loves spending time and having adventures with her 12 grandchildren!
Procedure Details:
Age at Treatment: 63
Hospital: El Camino Hospital, California
Date of Procedure: April 2019
Life Before Zephyr® Valves:
Before emphysema, my life was full and wonderful. I was a registered nurse for over 30 years, raised four great kids, and now have 12 beautiful grandchildren who are truly my world.
I likely had been developing emphysema for over 20 years. For many years, I was treated by my primary care doctor. I quit smoking in 2010 but in 2011, at age 55, my breathing problems increased. That was when I first met with a pulmonologist and that meeting did not go well. My prognosis was very bleak.
This disease impacted every aspect of my life. I tried to continue working but I had to use FMLA leave often and finally had to go out on disability. Soon even the simplest tasks, like vacuuming, would completely wipe me out. If I cooked, I would be too tired to eat the meal.
I remember the first time I had to call the ambulance. I had spent a weekend with the grandkids at a waterpark and when I came home it felt like my breathing was just not working. A few years later the ambulance became a regular thing. Some of the paramedics knew me so well that they would start the protocol right in my living room. By last year I was on oxygen 24/7.
The mental toll of the disease was tough. My independence was slipping away. My daughter wanted to go to the State Fair and I had to rent an electric scooter. At the fair my oxygen ran low and things quickly progressed to panic mode. The ambulance came and my grandkids were so scared. It was just the last place in my life I ever wanted to be. I remember asking an ER doctor “Is this it for me? Is this the best my life will ever be now?”
About a year ago, my doctor said it was time to look at a lung transplant. As a nurse, I’d taken care of post-transplant patients and that is not a life I wanted to live. My respiratory therapist gave me an article on the Zephyr Valves and I brought it to my doctor. This disease was taking my life from me and I was desperate to find something, other than major surgery, to help me get it back.
Life After Zephyr Valves:
The procedure went very smoothly and within days I was feeling a big difference. Shortly after the procedure I was able to do a ‘meet the dolphins’ adventure with my granddaughter. It was a dream of hers and to be able to get in the water with her, without my oxygen, was so amazing.
It has only been a couple of months, but I can already say that having the Zephyr Valves was life changing for me. Before the valves I was thinking in terms of “when will I need a caregiver” and I was sure that I would never work again. Now I am looking forward to getting back to work and very confident that I can take care of myself for years to come.
I still have emphysema and take my medications, but I am getting back to the land of the living. I went to my granddaughter’s basketball game and I climbed up in the bleachers and didn’t have my oxygen. When the game was over, she came over and said, “well look at you!”
I feel like my future is looking brighter. I am excited about where this is taking me in my own life. I see myself going back to socializing, taking trips, and going back to work within a year.
I am sharing my story because as a patient and a nurse I am so excited about this treatment. I want others to know that major surgery or suffering are not the only options anymore!
Results from case studies are not necessarily predictive of results in other cases. Results in other cases may vary.
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.
GLO-EN-311-v2
Carl, 71
Carl’s Story
DuBois, Pennsylvania
Retiree, former fire chief, father of five, and proud grandpa!
Procedure Details:
Age at Treatment: 71
Hospital: Lung Center and Intensive Care Services, Penn Highlands Dubois
Date of Procedure: February 2019
Life Before Zephyr® Valves:
Before my COPD diagnosis, I lived a very full life. We raised five kids. I was a mechanic for a glass company, a community fire chief, and I coached my daughter’s softball teams for many years. We were avid campers, too, and I was camping when I first noticed the symptoms of COPD. I started to get short of breath while setting up the camper. About five years ago, I landed in urgent care with breathing difficulties, and they suggested I should consult with Dr. Bansal at The Lung Center of Penn Highlands Healthcare.
I had quit smoking about seven years earlier, so the diagnosis was a surprise. We tried every medication you could think of to manage it, but my symptoms just kept getting worse. Just trying to sweep the floors would knock me out for the rest of the day. It got to the point where I had to do albuterol nebulizers three to four times a day and I was using the oxygen just to get from the house to the car.
My whole life changed. It became so limited by this disease. I couldn’t go camping anymore because of the campfires. I couldn’t go to a ballgame because of the humidity. That was hard because I loved watching our Penn State team and my grandson play ball. It broke my heart to miss his games.
Two years ago, I was hospitalized with double pneumonia and went septic. I was in the ICU for five days. A month later, I was back in again with pneumonia. It was a very scary time.
My daughter and my son-in-law have been together for 10 years and last September they decided to get married in March 2019. At my next appointment with Dr. Bansal, I told him that my daughter is getting married, and I have to be able to walk her down the aisle and dance with her without oxygen. He knew I was determined, and he suggested that we try the Zephyr Valves.
Life After Zephyr Valves:
I was the first patient treated at Penn Highlands Healthcare with the valves. It’s only been a few months, but I can say for sure that getting the Zephyr® Valves was a very good decision for me. The procedure went as planned and within hours I felt fantastic. I stayed for a few days for observation. I felt good.
Just four weeks after getting the Zephyr Valves, I walked my daughter down the aisle oxygen free! It was one of the best moments of my life. I was even able to have a dance with her without the oxygen. I felt like my prayers had been answered.
The week before the wedding, I caught a pretty bad cold. I took one simple medication and that cold cleared right up. Before the valves, I would have been down for week with a cold. I also no longer have panic breathing, where you can’t catch your breath and end up panting.
I feel like I have a new lease on life. We babysit our four-year-old granddaughter a couple of times a week and I can keep up with her now! My wife pushes me too. She gets me up and moving. I do all the dishes and run the mop through the house. I’m supposed to dust too.
I feel like I’ve been set free. I feel like I can keep up with the grandkids again!
Results from case studies are not necessarily predictive of results in other cases. Results in other cases may vary.
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.
GLO-EN-310-v2
Cindi, 66
Cindi’s Story
Port O’Connor, Texas
Mom and Grandma of five, who loves hiking, fishing, and gardening
Procedure Details:
Age at Treatment: 66
Hospital: Methodist Houston
Date of Procedure: January 2017
Life Before Zephyr® Valves:
I had a very full life before COPD and emphysema. I worked full time, raised two sons, and enjoyed the outdoors. Before I was sick I loved to hike, fish, and garden. My husband and I would go to the Colorado mountains several times a year to hike. It was a good life.
My symptoms started in my 50’s but I was officially diagnosed with COPD (emphysema and chronic bronchitis) at 61. My illness impacted all aspects of my life. I went from living a full and active life to being so limited. Simple things like showering, cleaning my home, or walking across a parking lot became real challenges for me. My cough was very extreme and constant. I became very self-conscious about it. I’d cough so hard I would sound like I was choking. I knew it was uncomfortable for people to be around me. Invitations to social events became very scarce.
I tried to cope with medications but still suffered with major breathing issues. I depended on oxygen at night. I never slept well and often woke up gasping for air. I had to have the rescue inhaler and nebulizer standing by. Even with all that medication, I was still hospitalized several times.
I was diagnosed as very severe and was given a life expectancy of just 2-5 years unless I had a lung transplant. When a doctor tells you what your expiration date is, well, that is very tough to hear. I got very depressed. But after several years of struggling with this physically and mentally, I decided that I was not ready to accept my expiration date.
I knew lung transplants are very expensive and tough to qualify for, so I started doing some research to see if there were other treatment options.
That’s when I found out about the tiny Zephyr Valves. I talked to a woman in an online patient support group and she told me how the valves helped her breathe easy again. She explained how doctors place a few tiny valves in the diseased part of your lung so the healthier parts of your lung can function better. I started to call local doctors right away because I was hoping this could help me too.
Life After Zephyr Valves:
Having the Zephyr Valves was the best decision I made for my health. The procedure was fairly simple. It was done through a bronchoscopy so no incision or cutting into me. It was much easier than having a lung transplant.
I felt immediate relief after the procedure. I could take a deeper breath in right away. Now it’s been almost two years and I can say that having this procedure was a total game changer for me. It has literally given me my life back. I am breathing so much better and back to living my life. I cook, clean, and do the shopping. I do all those little things you take for granted until you’re sick. I even have a small herb garden and flower bed again.
I would get the Zephyr Valves again in a heartbeat! I still take my daily medications, but I haven’t needed steroids in over a year and I only use the albuterol once in a while. I see my pulmonologist just once a year for follow-up.
Now I look forward to social occasions because I am not coughing incessantly anymore. I have even been able to do some travel as well. I went to Chesapeake Bay this summer to visit friends. We did a lot of walking and my breathing was just fine. I am looking forward to traveling more now that I am feeling better. My husband and I would love to go back to the mountains.
I know my husband is happy to have me back cooking and taking care of the house, but I think the best part is that he worries less now. He and the kids see me doing everyday things again and not struggling with every breath.
To think I was given only 2-5 years to live. Well, that was 7 years ago, and I feel better now than I have in a long time!
Now I am breathing easier and living my life on my terms again. I want to share my story because I don’t want anyone else with COPD/emphysema to feel hopeless or depressed about their options. I want others to know that the Zephyr Valves can give you your life back!