Struggling for Air

This past Monday, May 20th. I attended a City Council meeting to speak at open comment regarding the open burning issue. I suffer from Emphysema. ( I am 24/7 oxygen dependent) /COPD/ Asthma they are all pretty close to the same thing but COPD is what you hear used more often these days. I was late because simply changing clothes to go out, carrying extra tanks of oxygen out (which I must have with me always or I will end up hospitalized.) takes time as I easily become breathless and must stop and rest.

Finally I’m there, situated, patiently wait to be called on .I can’t really hear what people are saying as I also wear cochlear implants due to the sudden and complete loss of my hearing about 4 years ago, most probably from one of the 5 mediations I use daily to keep me breathing. I asked the City about closed caption a while back as I like to stay informed but was told it is too expensive. I have in the past been an active participant in Royal Oak issues, mainly keeping the Shelter open by starting fund raising, which proved very successful however I was forced to end my participation due to the condition of my lungs. Now a simple chore like making my bed, for me is exhausting. I am trying not be kept a prisoner in my home in because that will kill me, COPD people have to stay as active as possible because by just doing nothing, people with emphysema die,children die from sudden asthma attacks.My own Mother died 14 years ago from this same disease. I held her hand and watched as she simply stopped breathing, I remember saying its OK Mom, time to leave then she was gone. She signed a DNR. I have signes a DNR. Thankfully for her she had been in a coma ,but to watch was a nightmare. Things have changed since she died. More medications and treatments with monitored physical therapy by trained therapist who specialize in lung disease. I think that our awareness as a community, a State, a Country of what pollution is doing to the physical Earth, its inhabitants’ has grown and is winning. But we are possibly even losing a cure for cancer from the pollution that’s rapidly destroying the rain forest. By simply cleaning up our air this world has changed for the better. I wanted to tell you from my position, that even now, a pile of leaves burning blocks away from where I may be is enough to send me into severe respiratory distress. Wearing oxygen means nothing if it doesn’t reach the organs . By this time it must be physically and barbarically forced through with pressure to keep me alive. I have been there so I am very careful. Afterwards it’s a lot of hard work to come back to where you can live alone.

I made up information packets for each member. Seems the one mistake I made was that I referred only to leaves not smokers.

I felt chastised like a kid in grade school as the Mayor unfeelingly informed me I was wrong and that no one at this table had ever mentioned bringing back open leaf burning, NO ONE, EVER… he repeated in what sounded like to me a pretty stern voice, as he continuously poked his finger into the table. He explained it was the open smoker that was being discussed not leaves; I nearly expected to also hear “stupid” at the end. I left shortly after being unable to hear anything else. I felt the Mayor made me look like I was an idiot by completely and with a callousness’ that came as a complete surprise. He overlooked the point I was trying to make He normally will thank people for coming forward to express themselves. I walked back to my car in a little dazed, wondering what happened, what did I say so wrong? Why did he address my comments that way? Closed windows do not stop the pollution from getting inside and I am forced to turn air cleaners every day, those along with my Oxygen compressor runs my electric bill over or close to $200 a month, then air conditioning. I seldom turn on lights just watch TV in the dark. I live alone on social security and a small pension .I wanted to stress the seriousness of this personal and frightening medical problem in order to emphasize the importance of maintaining ANY burning ban. I am by far NOT alone, just look at our population, senior citizens, who are dealing with ageing population who do not need their lungs poisoned, seems everywhere you look you see a new life being lovingly pushed down the street by a proud excited parent. I wonder how they will feel when that child has their first asthma attack, or an asthmatic child ends up on a ventilator from a severe attack. Most back yard wood smokers are simply entertainment, breathing is for living. We all know much more than “special wood” will be thrown into the fire. We also know that it is unenforceable. Hosting the annual run, while polluting the air with burning wood or whatever will end up in them, is a contradiction of life itself. Their lungs get an extremely strenuous work out and we want to toss in a little smoke?

Mr. Mayor, you had no right to speak down to me the way you did. You are fully aware of my medical problems you often see me walking with my dog as I wear my backpack carrying my oxygen all the time. We live on the same street. Talking to me as a 5 year old who made a mistake in coloring outside the lines was unnecessary. You know, or should have researched by now how hard it is for people to breathe who have lung disease to even consider withdrawing the ban on outdoor smokers. Most people cannot possibly comprehend not being able to take in a breath. I can only pray the others there decide to keep it a no burning, increase penalties as motivation. Don’t turn this into the usual ping pong game, make a decision and see it’s enforced. You as Mayor and council members of this City have the ability to do this.

Don’t avoid your responsibility by sending it for a vote. There is already plenty of information out there that this City Council can make an educated decision that affects the quality of everybody’s life. LIVES DEPEND ON THIS REMAING IN EFFECT AND ENFORCING IT. It would be nice for me to someday again take a long walk with my dog, now we often are forced to turn around because simply a wiff of smoke will cause me distress, and often what started as a back yard barbecue has turned into a small bon fire with smoke billowing all over mixing with CAR EXHAUST FUMES these noxious fumes suffocate people. Simple outdoor grilling for meals I don’t object to however it has the same effect on lung disease infected people, Let’s remain the proud and progressive city we are, stop this insanity with a vote by the Council and be done with it. If you do not understand the repercussions of open burning on very sick people, than you should not be there making decisions that affect the lives of every resident who lives here.

Kathy Hagstrom