As a child, growing up in Sydney, Australia, and then Toronto, Canada, I was a chronic asthmatic. I remember my mother holding my toe through an oxygen tent, my dad rushing me to hospital from a camping trip, and our first day in Papua New Guinnea – a terrible asthma attack.
And then it stopped, just like that, for decades! Of course I always had an inhaler on hand just in case but the asthma pretty much left me alone until a few years ago. It was about a year before Anthony went into the nursing home. I was working at the university and up and down every night attending to Ants, and trying very hard to maintain a happy household for little Ming.
The ‘whoosh’ of an asthma attack is terrifying but, when it happened a few years ago, I didn’t recognise it because it had been so long since I’d experienced it. It was only when I saw my own blue face in the mirror of the hospital bathroom that I realised something had to change. So I gave up my job.
Now – today – this week I am having an asthma attack. I found the prednisolone from 2013 and am dosing myself wisely. It is day 4 and I am not scared because by day 5 it will hopefully pass. In the meantime my amazing mother is giving Ants his lunch.
Whenever I am sick like this I feel so much empathy for my friends who suffer chronic, ongoing diseases. I don’t cope well with my own suffering; I am pathetic! But I do care.
I can breathe.
jmgoyder 
That is so unlucky. I wonder what’s triggering the attacks? I read about a guy who claims he can cure hay fever type allergies and asthma by installing worms in your gut. I think there’s even been some evidence to give him credibility (other than his own experiment on himself). It seems a bit extreme for a mild case like mine; but if I were in your shoes, I’d look into it.
I’ll breathe easier when you’re feeling better. So sorry you’re dealing with this, Julie. No one can imagine the burdens you are carrying – I really feel for you. Sending love and a big hug.
sorry to hear you aren’t too good at present . hopefully it will pass quickly. sometimes, things have a way of showing us we are not invincible. take care
Best wishes for good clear breathing.
So sorry to hear this, Julie. Fingers crossed for a quick resolution….
Asthma, how wicked. I hope this is now day 5 and your air is filling you up!!!
Oh my goodness, How scary, Julie.
Asthma is not something to be trifled with.
I hope you get over this episode soon and it doesn’t reappear.
Sending you a big hug across the miles Vicki xx
So sorry to hear you’ve been unwell – my brother has asthma and he ‘grew’ out of it. As a child he couldn’t go anywhere without having fits but now he only gets them when he is stressed – I’ve been reading how asthma is linked to emotions and I suppose in your case it seems to be linked. Hope you feel better
You are brave to face an asthma attack without being afraid! I’ve never had asthma but sometimes after I choke on something I feel like I can’t breathe and it is terrifying. I hope you feel better soon.
Lots of sympathy, I was an asthmatic too in my younger days so can feel for you.
Please keep us updated…wishing you a speedy recovery and hoping you can rest and de-stress for a bit….xoxo
Take it easy what ever you do. Blue faces are not to be trifled with.
This has been a bad winter for me with a virus that has been going around but seemed to have moved in like an uninvited guest that just won’t leave. I have been taking my inhaler much more frequently.Maybe I need to keep up the increased doses so that I don’t backslide.-hope I never get as severe as you describe and wish you another recovery.
My sister is an asthmatic and I remember my mum having to call an ambulance during a very bad storm, mum remembers thinking on the trip to the hospital what is that noise sounds like a siren then realising it was indeed a siren, the siren of the ambulance they were in.
My sister was in and out of hospital for many years and yeah should would usually be in an oxygen tent as well. I would like to say she has out grown her asthma but nope hasn’t happened but she doesn’t end up in hospital any more thankfully.
It’s strange ; these bodies of ours’. I too had severe asthma as a child, but approximately 7-8 years ago it disappeared. I am fortunate as it has not returned.They didn’t have inhalers when I was young though. I
do hope for you that it is only a ‘flare-up’ and will again go away….. take care Julie as I imagine it is the day to day stress, that has likely taxed your body, though you forge on and don’t like to ever complain…….as 1 Corinthian 8:7 says Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things Diane
Breathing is good. 🙂
I never had asthma until I quit smoking. I have since read that this happens quite a lot. Anyway, eventually it pretty much went away with treatments and allergy shots. Every once in a while it comes back to haunt me, and I too tend to give it short shrift and denial… until I realize I am in trouble, that is!
Yes, breathing is good and I am glad you are from the land of breathlessness.
Scary stuff. I developed it when we moved to the desert, but though my allergies remain, the actual attacks have gone.