In 2002, while working as the head of a pre-K through eighth grade music education program, Markwell started experiencing shortness of breath and a dry cough. The symptoms became bad enough that she began limiting her frequent 5-mile walks. She was eventually diagnosed with hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP), an interstitial lung disease that can permanently damage the lungs if not treated. RELATED: Everything You Need to Know About Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Markwell, who is now 65 and lives in Half Moon Bay, California, believes her disease may have been caused by long-term exposure to mold, fungus, or organic dust from a furnace heating her office. “Initially doctors told me I didn’t have long to live because I was so sick,” Markwell says. “They gave me a couple of years. Then I discovered pulmonary rehab in 2005.”
What Is Pulmonary Rehabilitation, and How Does It Work?
The American Lung Association describes pulmonary rehabilitation as a program of education and exercise for patients suffering from chronic lung conditions like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Sessions offer exercise to help rebuild strength, and increase awareness about a patient’s lungs and disease. The classes, which are offered in a group setting to give patients peer support and encouragement, may be conducted by doctors, nurses, physical therapists, respiratory therapists, exercise specialists, or dietitians. The American Thoracic Society offers a searchable database to find pulmonary rehabilitation programs nationwide. In Markwell’s classes, held at a local hospital, the respiratory therapist told her about “activities of daily living.” When she began the program, she could only do one or two a day, such as taking a shower or going food shopping.
Exercising Her Way to Independence
At first, Markwell needed a nap and recovery time between classes. But the exercise changed that. “Classes were Tuesdays and Thursdays. I would crawl home Tuesday and nap after the classes, then rest on Wednesday in order to have the strength to do it again on Thursday,” she recalls. “It took a lot out of me but I felt so good afterward — standing taller, breathing easier, generally feeling better, which would last sometimes for hours after the class. Eventually, I worked hard enough to not need the naps and felt so much better month by month. I was getting my independence and life back.” Markwell, who had come to dread food shopping, now has the energy to buy groceries, get the bags to her car, and haul them into the house. After eight weeks of rehab, Markwell says she could “do pretty much what I wanted to do. Maybe not as fast or all in one day, but I had the energy to go places and begin to live again.” With supervisors gently coaching her, she exercised with different types of gym equipment. In addition to walking, she used treadmills, stationary bikes, arm bikes, wall pulleys, and free weights. “The exercise is not going to help the lung disease, but it builds muscle and the muscle supports the lungs. At the end of those eight weeks, you’re feeling so much better. It’s remarkable.”
Remaining Active Even After Rehab
Markwell didn’t stop exercising once the official rehab program ended. She worked out five days a week at the gym, and often did five or six hours of heavy gardening at her house on Saturdays. Currently, she is recovering from a knee fracture; but still pushes herself to get back to her full workout program. She adapted by changing her routine to include more stationary bike and lots of upper body work. “I am absolutely convinced pulmonary rehab extended my life, and my quality of life is so much better,” she says. Markwell also appreciates the personal support she has gotten from other patients in pulmonary rehabilitation. “The disease can be very isolating. People don’t want to hear you’re sick all the time, so you become even more isolated,” she says. “You get great emotional support when you’re working with people who are going through the same thing you are. We’re all checking in with each other. It’s a great support group.” Markwell is also playing music again, “I am a classical bassist. I’m playing again now with a local orchestra and a little Irish fiddling group,” she says. “Ten years ago, I didn’t think I’d ever be doing this now.”
