The struggle to breathe: One Islander's story of life with COPD

While most people might plan their day around work, errands or social schedules, Brian Crabbe has a very different concern: how much oxygen is in his portable tank.

Crabbe is one of about 8,000 Islanders living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, an illness that means he's always short of breath and coughing up phlegm. 

"Every breath takes more energy than it normally does," Crabbe said.

He can travel about 30 feet from his oxygen tank at home, and he carries a portable one with five hours of battery life, meaning he has to plan his days around his oxygen supply.

The wires run through the house.

"My wife thinks I'm trying to kill her with the tubing running through the house," he laughed.

'It totally changes your life'

Crabbe was diagnosed with the respiratory disease in 2008 and it has gotten worse since then, he said.

 "Every time you get an infection, you take a step backwards and it takes quite a while to recover and get back to your baseline."

He found that out firsthand five years ago while pushing a car out of a snowbank.

"By the time I got back to my own car, I felt like I was smothering."

Crabbe has been on oxygen 24 hours a day, seven days a week for the past two years.

"It totally changes your life. The things you used to do, the things you used to enjoy, you can't do anymore."

Avoid dust and chemicals

High humidity and cold, windy days are hard to deal with, he said.

After being hospitalized in 2016, Crabbe got involved with a program called Inspired for people with respiratory disease. They got him into a rehab program, which he called a godsend.

He used to be a woodworker and mechanic and said dust and chemicals contributed to his developing COPD.

'Two weeks or 10 years'

"Respiratory protection has gotta be first and foremost in your mind if you're working in that type of environment."

The scary part is things could go south at any time.

"I could be here for two weeks or 10 years. If I were to get a bad infection, that could be it."

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