I've always been active, I used to run distance and the hurdles at school in the Summer and played left back for the school hockey team (my brother used to tease me that it was left back in the changing room!!). I started smoking in my teens but was not what you would call a heavy smoker, I just wanted to fit in with the "cool" crowd!!

Back in 1999 we were going through a tough time at home and as my stress levels went up so did my smoking. So in the Spring of 2000, when I noticed I was getting slightly SOB, I put it down to being over 40 and cut way down .Then Summer of that year I had a breakdown of sorts and was really poorly. For several weeks I had a terrible cough and had trouble breathing but again thought it was nothing worse than a summer cold.

I have a very special and dear friend called Jennie who like me had a difficult childhood and we have kinda adopted each other, as far as we and everyone who knows us are concerned, we are sisters!! Her husband has Huntington's Disease and I was popping over every couple of weeks to help out wherever I could (or where she would let me!!) June 22nd 2003, the high street in Beckenham, Kent, around about 11-00am. I came over dizzy, nauseous, sweating, sob. Jennie got me across the road to a cafe and after a coffee I felt better and put it down to the heat and low blood sugar.

But as the day went on I had more and more trouble breathing and after a disturbed night was taken home early by car, thankfully a friend was there to run me back.

By now I had frightened both my self and everyone half to death so the Doctor was called out. He was actually a locum but he was very nice and said that I probably had C.O.P.D and left me with a course of antibiotics and steroids and a Salbutamol inhaler that I was to use if I felt the need.

My breathing did improve for a while but then I began to notice that just doing simple things like putting out the washing or hoovering made me sob so I would have to sit down and catch my breath before I got on with whatever it was I was doing. So when I went for my flu jab the practice nurse gave me a peak flow test (couldn't get over 150) and prescribed a second in haler, Qvar. Again it improved for a while then went off again so a third inhaler, Serevent.

By this time it was obvious that treatment was not working and so when I saw the new nurse, she decided to send me for X-Rays and a full blood work up, including testing for Thyroid problems because I'd lost so much weight(93lbs at my lowest). But they all came back normal so it looked like we were back to square one.

Sharon's specialty is Asthma and breathing difficulties and she had just finished a course before she joined the practice. She suggested going for another blood test (yuck, more needles!!) Eureka!!! I had low Alpha1-Antitrypsin levels now all I had to do was wait for the consultant's appointment.

Then disaster struck. I got a chest infection. I was coughing so I couldn't sleep, I had to sit bolt upright as I couldn't breathe, I truly thought that the next breath could be my last. I scared the crap out of Anthony never mind myself! A course of pills to get me to my appointment and more bed rest. By this time my breathing was so bad we had to arrange for hospital transport.

Once at hospital I couldn't perform a peak flow or spirometry test, the nurses were panicking as they couldn't get a blood pressure reading and and my O2 SATS were 85%!!!

Then there was a mad rush to get me a nebulizer and O2 for when I got home, no way was I going to stay in hospital, if I`m poorly I want to be at home!!

But at last we knew what was wrong, I was A1-AD(zz) I have now been on Spiriva since the 6th of April and know that I have to wait and let it do its job. But at least I am more optimistic now, I have my darling husband (even if he does fuss!!) I have my "kids", I have my extended "family', I have made some good friends in the States who I have met over the net (you know who you are Dawn, Vickie, Sherry, Alida, Barb,..lol!!) who have been really great in their support and last but by no means least you all at Spiderspun.

When Sharon first mentioned A1-AD, I immediately went to my pc (big ty to Kevin for finding it for us) and tried to find out more. Spiderspun was the first "real" website I came across and boy o boy am I glad I did, where would I be with out you guys! Thank you all for your help, your friendship and your support. But the biggest thank you has to go to Noreen when I count my blessings (which I now do every day) I count everyone and Noreen twice!!