CINCINNATI — A 75-year-old Florence woman told us she thought her severe COPD was a life sentence. Until, that is, she discovered a breakthrough treatment that has transformed her daily life.
Mary Kay Clay had suffered from severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) for years, relying on walkers and oxygen tanks to get through each day.
After smoking for 50 years, she believed her breathing difficulties were simply the inevitable consequence of her past choices.
"I just didn't think anything could be done," Clay said. "I thought well, I smoked for 50 years, that's the consequence of that, I only quit for 10 years."
Clay said her condition had severely limited her mobility and independence. Simple daily activities, like cleaning her home, left her struggling to catch her breath.
"I was on home O2, and I was using the walker, and I got so short-winded doing anything; anything made me short-winded," Clay said.
Clay said everything changed when she sought treatment at Christ Hospital and met Dr. Duane Allen, a pulmonary and critical care physician.
Allen introduced her to the Zephyr Valve treatment, an innovative alternative to traditional lung volume reduction surgery.
WATCH: Zephyr Valve treatment transforms Florence woman's battle with severe COPD
"It's called bronchoscopic lung volume reduction," Allen said. "We insert a one-way valve into airways that feed the lung, and the idea is that the airways that we treat slowly deflate that segment of lung, and so the lung becomes smaller."
The minimally invasive procedure works by allowing trapped air to escape from damaged portions of the lung while preventing new air from entering, reducing the size of the affected lung segment and allowing healthier parts to function more efficiently.
Within just three days of the procedure, Clay said she noticed a significant improvement in her breathing. She set herself a personal goal that had seemed impossible for years.
"I can do things I never could do before, and the day I saw Dr. Allen, when I got the valves, I said my goal is to make it up Bear Hill ... I hadn't been able to do that in years," Clay said.
She returned to the hill at the Cincinnati Zoo for the festival of lights and accomplished her mission.
"I knew that sounded like a stupid thing, but for me, that was huge," Clay said.
Allen said that many COPD patients don't realize additional treatment options exist.
"Patients with COPD often get to this stage where they sort of feel stuck. You know, they quit smoking, they get put on inhalers. And I think it's not widely known that we have more treatment options," Allen said.
Clay said she returned to activities she thought were lost forever, like doing yard work and spending active time with family and friends.
"Now I can take a nice deep breath. I could never do that. Now I'm raking my leaves, mowing my yard," Clay said.
Clay's message to others facing similar challenges is one of hope and perseverance.
"Take modern medicine how it is, and there are so many changes. Don't give up," Clay said.
As COPD Awareness Month comes to an end, Christ Hospital is spreading the word about the treatment that could help other patients who stopped smoking but are still struggling with severe breathing issues.
"So much of our practice is managing chronic diseases and trying to prevent progression of diseases, and Zephyr Valves are one of the few circumstances in our office where we see somebody, and we can make them a lot better with an intervention," Allen said. "It's incredibly gratifying to see someone who's just thrilled."
