I was a preemie, so I've always had slightly under-developed lungs, but I didn't officially get diagnosed with asthma until I was 12.
Really - I'm lucky! With some hard work and really good drugs, I've been able to control it for the most part. Knock on wood, no trips to the ER for an asthma attack in almost a decade. But, the heat and humidity have made life really difficult this summer. Wheezing abounds almost as soon as I leave an air conditioned environment. Which, frankly, sucks!! It's awfully hard to go out and "play" if you are limited to only indoor activities that are fairly sedate.
Because of this - I've come to realize that most people really don't understand asthma. I have a fabulous pulmonologist who put my asthma in perspective for my mom shortly after I was diagnosed. For me - I good day is like breathing through a regular straw. A bad day? Well, it's kinda like breathing through a coffee stirrer. If you ever want to experience the life of an asthmatic - try breathing through a straw for a few minutes. It's exhausting!
I was on the elevator in the parking garage last night and a woman looked at me and asked "not to breath so loud". Um...lady...I'm WHEEZING. So sorry, but I have no control over that, mmkay?! I choose to think that she's uneducated about asthma, not ignorant. What? I'm just nice like that!
Now, who wants to go to the movies or out to dinner so I can at least get out of the house? :-)
Posts
I have asthma also and it wasn't really diagnosed until I was an adult but only because my primary care doctor was clueless about the symptoms. I also had a great pulmonologist that knew just how to treat me before it got really bad.
ReplyDeleteShame on that lady who told you to stop breathing so loud. What a jerk! That's just plain rude of her. What movie do you want to see??
I've only had a couple of really bad allergic reactions that caused me to wheeze, however my allergist said I'm not asthmatic, but on the "border" whatever that means! Anyway, you have my empathy. The wheezing I experienced scared the heck out of me, people don't realize how awful it is to have trouble breathing!
ReplyDeletethat lady...grrr. I wish I'd been there, I would have told her a thing or two for you!
Yep - I'm with you on the asthma boat - and people simply don't get it. They also don't get allergies if they don't have them....putting your cat in the bathroom just isn't going to make all the "cat toxins" go away...they are still all over your house.
ReplyDeleteMy hubby recently had an allergic reaction that involved trouble breathing...for like 60 minutes...it was a nice chance to point out...I feel like that for DAYS on end! He now has give me his eternal sympathy!
Hope the weather gives you a break soon!
Glad your asthma is under control!
ReplyDeleteTake care
Kisses and hugs
Lorenza
This is a perfect submission for when I get my "Inappropriate Comments from Random Strangers" blog going!
ReplyDeleteThat has to be really frustrating. I can only imagine it's similar to people saying a migraine is just a bad headache.
ReplyDeleteI to have asthma and know how you feel. I'm been bound to my house for most of the summer so far. It wears me out to go grocery shopping, even with an AC in my truck. The walk from the truck to the store is almost to much for me. I can't believe what that woman told you! You were a lot nicer about it then I would have been!
ReplyDeleteI think you are totally right about people not understanding asthma unless they have it. And I cannot believe that woman said that to you?!? Ah, that drives me crazy.
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful weekend! Let us know what movie you decide on.
Ugh, this weather is miserable enough, and asthma just makes it that much more sucky. I can barely handle walking to my car after work! Just one more reason I prefer spring and fall...
ReplyDeleteWow! What an awful women in the elevator. I hope you told her how it was! I'm sorry that you're having such an awful time this summer.
ReplyDeleteAwww peeps are rude these days! Feel better!
ReplyDeleteI can't believe somebody would say that to you in a parking garage.. How rude! My 5 year old has cough variant Asthma.. and allergies.. so basically every time he breathes in air outside or dust inside.. he starts to cough and then boom Asthma kicks in.. Poor kid, they've changed his inhalers like 4 times and have him on all kinds of meds. It's under control now which is great and for some reason MD has less Pollen I think because he hasn't had any problems since we moved here last month.
ReplyDelete