Pulmonary Rehabilitation helps West Texas rancher get back to family

Ray Etheredge grew up on a cotton farm in West Texas with seven siblings, doing everything in the dirt most of his seven decades. He began working in the cotton fields as a young boy and eventually moved into the cattle industry.

After years of breathing in that dirt, his lung function began to deteriorate to the point that he was hospitalized with pneumonia. While in the hospital, he learned the pneumonia, combined with his poor lung function, had become a serious threat to his health.

The follicles in his lungs weren't working properly, making it difficult for Etheredge to breathe or take deep breaths. He was referred to Hendrick Pulmonary Rehabilitation in Abilene.

"When I first started, I could barely walk a short distance," he said. "I wanted to do whatever I had to do so I wouldn't have to undergo an operation."

Etheredge committed himself to rehabilitating his lungs under the guidance of respiratory therapists and saw steady improvement. Today, he walks a mile every day, something that once seemed out of reach.

More importantly, he's able to spend time with family without worrying about becoming short of breath.

"I can watch my grandkids play golf, football or volleyball, and I don't get tired or out of breath," he said. "If someone were to ask me whether they should go to pulmonary rehab, I'd tell them they have no idea how much it would help them."