The Importance of Being a Healthy Weight with Bronchiectasis

Silvia was my friend even though we never met in person. She contacted me years ago when she had a misunderstanding with someone online. What this person didn’t know about Silvia was that English was not her first language and writing was a challenge for her.

Over the years we exchanged dozens of texts. Often, Silvia would send me gifs with a bunny or bird saying “Good Morning” or “Nitey Nite.” A deeply religious woman, Silvia drew strength from her faith and her many hospitalizations never made her angry. I learned how to be a more patient person from her grace.

Unfortunately, Silvia had difficulty gaining weight. She weighed 95 pounds and over the years, with new infections and a surgery, continued to lose weight. She showed some concern, but rather than focus on eating more, she preferred to discuss supplements and air purifiers.

When my book came out I sent her a copy and reviewed the chapters on nutrition and airway clearance with her. She admitted to having a sweet tooth and loving a traditional cake from her culture, but she had stopped eating anything with sugar.

Looking back over the years of texts, I wondered whether I could have done more to encourage her to gain weight. I took some solace when I finally came across a text I sent that read, “EAT THE CAKE!!”

During Silvia’s last months, her weight had plummeted to 68 pounds. She was hospitalized and started to receive supplemental nutrition through a feeding tube. My last text from her was right before Thanksgiving in 2022. It was a gif of a cup of coffee on a balcony railing surrounded by flowers saying “Good morning, have a nice day.”

After months of sending her texts and not hearing back, I contacted several people on her Facebook page. Her daughter got back to me and told me of Silvia’s unexpected death. She was 56 years old.

I think about Silvia when I tell people to do everything possible to gain weight, even if they have always been thin. You need to take every measure early on to prevent more disease. With bronchiectasis, you need to be in fighting condition.
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Thank you, Silvia, for being by my side. You are a constant presence, encouraging me to lead people to better health.

#bronchiectasis #lungdisease #lunginfections