Just breathe...

I am laying low and trying to catch my breath; literally. Asthma has had me down for at least a week of bed rest right now. About two weeks ago I noticed that my asthma was acting up. I increased my medications; allergy meds and inhalers, but it just kept getting worse. Due to the severe seasonal allergies and a cold/flu virus,(the girls had it but were only sick for a few days; with asthma the same cold takes over) even with the high doses of prednisone steroids I started using, I continued to get worse. Then when I took the girls to the opening ceremonies of the paralympic games; which was amazing; the smoke used for the light show, took my asthma over he edge and landed me in the hospital that night.I've reacted to this "concert-light smoke" before, but because of the other contributing factors, it was really bad this time.

Then with antibiodics, more steroids, and purchasing a nebulizer machine for home, I was hoping to stay out of the hospital.But with even doing everything right, I still couldn't get the asthma under control and ended up in the ER again. Adding more medications and bed rest has helped a little, but the Dr. (respiratory specialist) says it will take a while for my lungs to calm down. With only one trigger yesterday; freshly cut grass, I had another huge asthma attack.

Yesterday, After a day of appointments and tests at VGH,in the RAU (Respiratory Ambilitory Unit)I've been told I have severe asthma. This is now a life altering condition for me and one I will have to treat and be aware of everyday for the rest of my life (at the moment I feel very debilitated by it, but my specialist assures me that it will get under control in time and I will be able to breath normally again soon). I will be having more tests; pulmonary function tests April 9th and VGH; and seeing an asthma specialist in Vancouver May 26th.

Right now the main focus is to get me well enough so that I can have my scheduled nose/sinus surgery on April 15th. Due to years of allergies my sinuses are a mess and the situation is made much worse by the fact that I have a deviated septum.This condition causes sinus "drip" problems which greatly aggrivate my asthma. So by "breaking" my nose and re-setting it; my issues will lessen in the long run; though hurt terribly at the time:(

It appears that I have had asthma my whole life, without a diagnosis until last year. I don't have the traditional "wheeze" with my asthma, so it has been misdiagnosed and untreated for a long time. As a kid and youth the only way it showed up was when I exercised really hard, especially in the rain, I'd have a sore "burning" chest and cough until I ended up vomitting! Who knew?!? I just thought I needed to be in better shape.
In my very early 20's I had repeated long boughts with bronchitis and pnemonia; not realizing that the severity of my illnesses was due to asthma. (Also working in smoke filled restaurants certainly was the main culprit) Once I stopped jogging in the rain and working near smoke; I seemed "healthy"; but still had asthma, just was avoiding the main triggers without really realizing it.
Then I got cancer and all other health issues became secondary. In 1999, I had a year long battle with sinutitis and bronchitis and blamed the children I was working with, in daycare, for making me sick. When I did stop working with the kids, I did get better, but this all was related to my asthma as well. When asthmatics get regular cold/flus, which you get more contact with when you work with kids or have children, the viruses and infections are much harder to get rid of and are much harder on the person. I just thought I was a real wimp when I got sick; because i'd get so sick and I thought if I'd "just take better care" of myself, I wouldn't get so sick. All the while I had asthma, which now explains so much!

It was then I was told the first time that I should have my nose/sinuses operated on about 12 years ago. I was also told I should have my tonsils out, which is on my surgery "to-do" list for later this year.
Not until I was done cancer treatment 18 months ago did an oncologist figure out that I had really bad asthma; it was now worse than ever due to many factors; including my lung being damaged by radiation therapy and chemo has caused severe chronic acid-reflux; which makes asthma much worse.

It seems now we will finally be getting to bottom of it and I should be feeling much better soon. For now, my lungs are having trouble getting me enough oxygen to keep me awake and alert. I'm on the nebulizer machine several times a day and it could be weeks before I can function normally again. But I am holding out hope that with lots of rest, the right meds and the TLC I'm getting from my dear husband, I should be much better in a week or so.

Catching my breath again,

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