JC’s Story
Zephyrhills, Florida
Retired railroad engineer back fishing in the Florida sunshine and spending time with his wife.
Procedure Details:
Age at Treatment: 77
Hospital: AdventHealth Tampa – Florida Medical Clinic (Tampa, FL)
Date of Procedure: August 2020
Life Before Zephyr® Valves:
I was fortunate enough to have a job I loved and looked forward to going to every day. I spent 36 years working as an engineer for CSX Railroad. I spent my days on the train seeing parts of Florida many never get to see. I enjoyed fishing, hunting, and spending time with my family and dogs. But as my breathing became worse, the activities I loved to do started decreasing.
I was diagnosed with severe COPD/emphysema at age 62. Even though I quit smoking 24 years ago, the habit still had a severe impact on my lung health. It felt like I was living on my rescue inhalers. One was always by my side. In the beginning, I used oxygen only at night, but that soon grew to be an all-day thing too. I was really scared to do anything; even simple things like walking out to my truck, because honestly, I was scared that I was going to die.
When you have COPD or emphysema, it feels like you are living in a bubble. You are strapped to your oxygen and the activities you loved so much are taken away. My breathing got down to 25% and that is when Dr. Juan Cevallos referred me to Dr. Nathan Do’s office, and we started the testing to get Zephyr Valves.
Life After Zephyr Valves:
After doing all the necessary testing, I was told I was a candidate for the Zephyr Valves. I received my very own set in August 2020. The procedure was quick and relatively painless for me. My throat was a little sore from the bronchoscope, but it was so minor, I didn’t even need to take a Tylenol®. I was in the hospital for the required three days, and every morning and night I got a chest X-ray to make sure the valves were in the right places, and they were working properly. Like clockwork, at 6:50 a.m., the doctor came into my room and listened to me breathe. The first morning he heard a small buzzing sound which just meant one of the valves hadn’t settled in yet. By the second morning though, I was in the clear. Once Dr. Do gave me the go-ahead, I was walking laps around the hospital floor.
I had follow-up checks at two weeks, four weeks, and six weeks post-procedure. He said everything was working properly. I was so excited to get the green light to get back to what I love to do! I am not able to run a marathon, not that I would want to anyway. What I want is to be back in my boat fishing and enjoying the outdoors with the dogs.
I only use my oxygen at night rather than every day. I take one puff from my rescue inhaler and two puffs of Symbicort® in the morning. After that, I am ready to take on the day!
For me, the valves are a blessing from God. I can’t imagine going through life any longer the way I was before them. I want everyone to know about the Zephyr Valves because they changed my life for the better, and I know they can help countless more.
My beautiful wife and I can’t wait for what the future holds.
Results 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.
Caution: Federal law restricts this device to sale by or on the order of a physician.
US-EN-886-v2
