When illness strikes it is never at a time that suits you. It can’t be scheduled into your diary when you have a few days off. In fact quite the opposite- things normally happen when you have loads of stuff on and events you are looking forward to!!
This is what is happening right now!!
Of course Christmas is fast approaching and so are all the Christmas meals and drinks parties etc but with this comes changes in weather, the cold and flu season, basically a really rubbish time when your asthmatic.
For the past two weeks I have been battling a chest infection which is not totally flooring me but just there all the time grumbling away in that really annoying way. It started off first with my sinuses and I noticed a drop in peak flow. At this stage I would not really worry previously but given past experience I have been wrong. So in my eyes I overreacted at first and put my pred up straight away and started my emergency antibiotics. One course of antibiotics down and almost finishing the second I now have a well established chest infection and feeling a bit rotten. I did the right thing by over reacting. I would hate to think where this infection would have ended had I not acted and recognise as I did.
As part of having difficult to control/ brittle asthma I have an emergency pack at home. This includes a pack of prednisilone of 40mg for 7 days, antibiotics and extra nebs including saline nebs to help clear the mucus which builds up. By having this pack at home I can start treatment at first sign of an infection when it is not always possible to see my own GP or the on call Dr. For me now there is no point in delaying. I am far better to over medicate and be safe than wait to see a Dr because the infection could take hold and cause my asthma to get even more uncontrolled and risk exacerbation.
I am hoping that this will all clear. I have both my work and my lacrosse teams Christmas meals at the weekend and I desperately want to be well for them. I would hate to have to miss them. I also have an appointment with my consultant on Wednesday so only 2 days which will be good as I feel I could really do with seeing him. I can’t put my finger on it but my chest is just not right. I am not meaning this infection but the last few months I have been a lot more symptomatic and using a lot more reliever medication and also pain relief which concerns me. I don’t want to just function. I want to live again. I hope that seeing him and having a good appointment I can get back on top, take control and really enjoy 2015 and achieve all those things I have not managed to once again because I have not had the health I want.
ANONYMOUS-ASTHMA 
Hi just_tux..
Well I feel your pain.. Having been at a level like you battling with refractory asthma myself for a long term just kills me.. Mostly Everyone have this idea that asthma is a simple illness not realizing it’s a killer too.
I’ve been on 3 long weeks of admissions in a stepdown unit, 5 months of pulmo rehab which drained me and in need if another which I put on hold for the holidays..
Being a critical nurse like you we know what to do and benefits me hope you too from preventing me to admit myself in the ED for exacerbations which happens mostly ever other day.. I treat myself well tho.
We should emphasize to the rest raft asthma is a serious illness depending on which level you the course of treatment can take our life somewhere and makes vulnerable to other illnesses like HTN, DM , Myopathy, which are all from the basic side effects to adverse effects of long term treatment of asthma.
Asthmatic needed air.. We all do but we asthmatics needs to be proactive in promoting asthma so we could find a better cure.
I like your blog.. It’s cool.
Try to be off the cold air.. It’s that time that asthmatics exacerbates most of the time.. So bundle up and keep warm. Save your strength so you could attend your events.. I did a lot of cancellations because I can’t tolerated other activities.. I have 4 Docs that I go from weekly to every 2 weeks..
I miss my life as a nurse… I know you do too.
Life is beautiful when things are going the way we wanted but it never happens even the people grieving are heaped with more grieves after the other… But we are still grateful to be alive everyday.
Feel better.. Nice to have met an asthmatic nurse like me.. Great day and rest.
Thanks.