My Life as an Asthma Mom

             This week has been interesting since our neighbor's little girls got two kittens from Santa. They were so excited! But they had already scheduled a family trip after Christmas, so they asked my daughter, Kitty, if she could babysit.    We were a little unsure since Kitty is allergic to all animals, trees, flowers, bushes, etc. There is actually one animal that she's not allergic to according to her skin test - and that's a rat.    Shot Nurse brightly suggested that we get a pet rat for Kitty! What a teaser she is, just what we always wanted, a pet rat. We weren't sure how this week would go with babysitting. Kitty has been doing allergy shots (immunotherapy) for about 3 years, so we were hoping she would do well being around the kittens. The kittens are at the neighbors, and Kitty goes over every couple of hours to cuddle and play with the kittens.  She even bought toys for them but it seems they prefer a piece of ...

( http://www.medicalert.org/ ) Wow! Things have certainly changed since I first bought a medical alert bracelet for Son #2 at the local drug store. It was an inexpensive silver band that showed that he has asthma. Of course I also would meet with his teacher at the beginning of every school year, and also let any coach or scout leader know that he had asthma. They have some new styles of bracelets, necklaces, watches and shoe tags to alert people about allergies and asthma. He has long outgrown his asthma alert bracelet, but of equal concern is his tree nut allergy. We have to watch for that everywhere we go. In fact, last week we were in the city looking at Christmas lights and stopped at a street vender who was sellling hot chocolate. We ordered hot chocolate for all of us, and then Son #2 spotted a bag of Famous Amos chocolate chip cookies. And did they look good! He asked for a bag, and I started to reach for it, then remembered that those same cookies had caused him to have a reac...

We went into the city last night to look at Christmas lights, and Son #2 said, "What's with all the scarves?!" Since most men don't wear scarves, he was wondering why everyone else seemed to be. It was below freezing last night (but no snow yet, which is VERY odd for where we live.) But it was so cold that it could take your breath away.    Literally. Those people were smart, because they had a scarf wrapped over their nose and mouth to warm up the air before they breathed it in. Cold temperatures can be an asthma trigger for some people. In fact, some people are sensitive to anything cold, not just the outside air. I start coughing after eating yogurt, smoothies or ice cream.    In fact, yesterday when I passed by our administrative assistant she said, "Are you okay?!" I was coughing because I had just eaten a yogurt. I was a little surprised that anyone would notice, I guess because I am so used to it to coughing immediately after eating yogurt, but I was ...

So, it sounds like a brilliant idea, a cookie exchange! You bake one type of cookies, pile it up on a platter and meet a bunch of friends who have each baked a different type of goodie. When you arrive, you also bring empty plates and plastic wrap. Then you choose a few cookies from each of your friend's trays and pile them on your plate. You have a beautiful plate of assorted flavored cookies, yet you only had to bake once! What could be better than that. Well......... You knew this was going somewhere, didn't you?! Food allergies. It's hard to find desserts without nuts. Son #2 is allergic to tree nuts, so I am always nervous when it comes to any baked goods. There are A LOT of desserts that have nuts in them. And, even if I choose one that doesn't have nuts, how do I know that there hasn't been a cross contamination? If I scan a platter of cookies, I look for anything with nuts. Are people picking up desserts with their hands or using tongs? Are they using tongs ...

What do you use for Christmas trees when you have asthma? Do you use a real tree or artificial? Often times, having asthma means you also have allergies, and my kids are allergic to anything that's alive. Well, there is one exception-during my daughter's skin test for allergies, we did find out that's she's not allergic to rats. So Shot Nurse cheerfully told us that we could get a pet rat for our daughter! Pass. So, back to trees, since the kids (and Hubby and I) are allergic to so many different things (including trees) do we chance trying to use a real tree one year? Son #2 has completed his 5 years worth of allergy shots and daughter Kitty is about 3 years into having allergy shots. We used to get real trees when the kids were little, but they were always sick during that time too. So was it just that the kids were younger and they needed to build up their immune system? Or were they always sick in the winter because of the Christmas tree? We switched to an artificia...

                                          People always laugh when I say this, but it's true. It really explains the difference between people with asthma and those who don't have asthma (aka "normal people".) I try to explain to people what it's like to have asthma. "Normal people" can pet a dog or cat (or have one as a pet,) go horseback riding, visit a hay maze or a farm, walk through a meadow of flowers, do yard work outside, laugh or cry, wear perfume, use cleaning supplies or scented candles, go outside on a cold day, be around a smoker, and eat anything they want. For those of us with asthma, all of these things and more can cause asthma attacks. We can't help it! Our bodies just over-react, like a Drama Queen. The inside of our airways close up, the bands around the outside of the airways shorten and squeeze the airway from the outside. And then, because the airway is injured...

( www.cbs58.c0m ) Wow! What a story! A woman in Wisconsin, Kandace Seyferth, had a severe asthma attack, and when she collapsed, her daughter Maddie Kestell (age 10) and her daughter's friend Katlyn Vreeke (age 12) calmly started CPR and saved her life. How did two young girls know how to do CPR? From watching Grey's Anatomy! To see the video of the story, click here. The paramedics were shocked when they arrived at the house and saw the two young girls performing CPR on the mom. (Most adults can't do CPR) The girls thought nothing of it, since they said they had seen it numerous times on Grey's Anatomy. The girls performed CPR for four minutes until the paramedics came, saving the mom's life. Since the body can't go without oxygen for longer than four to six minutes, she most likely would have had brain damage IF she managed to survive the asthma attack in the first place. I don't think my kids could do CPR if I collapsed. In fact, I'm not sure I co...

(Allergysolutions.com) I was at Asthma Doc's office yesterday with daughter, Kitty, who was getting her weekly allergy shots. I notice a new magazine on the table and was thumbing through it. It carries products for 'Environmental Control & Allergy Avoidance Products.' I noticed that we already use most of the products listed in their catalog. We have dust mite proof mattress covers, dust mite proof pillow cover and pillows. Air purifiers and a special filter on our furnace. However, I have noticed a lot of dust in my house. Especially since I have a dark wood finish on my furniture-that light coating of dust drives me crazy. Especially when the sun hits it just right. I feel like I am always wiping down the tops of tables and dressers. I'm going to try the vent filters and see if they make a difference. They claim that the filters 'stop dust and other allergens from entering your home.' I thought that's what the filter on my new furnace was supposed to ...

(Division of Environmental Quality Utah) I live in a very different area, I live inside a "bowl" and am surrounded by mountains. Now that fall and winter are on their way, we are starting to get dirty air that gets trapped in the valley by the mountains. So, how do you know if air pollution is affecting your asthma or not? There is a great resource on the Utah Department of Health's Asthma Program website. They have a short article and a video that explains air pollution and how it can affect you (the video is pretty entertaining-it's not one of those videos that goes over your head) The website says that "high levels of air pollution directly affect people with asthma and other types of lung or heart disease. The particulate matter in an inversion acts as an abrasive substance that can cause damage to the lung tissue and aggravate asthma symptoms." Hubby has been complaining about how hazy the air looks, so I thought I better check out the air quality on th...

  This is what the cat looks like that has adopted our yard. I'm sure it's only a coincidence that we happen to have a bird feed hanging from our pergola in the back yard. And that the cat just happens to choose to sit in that exact spot under the bird feeder. It also jumps up on our front windowsill to get a better look at the ivy growing on the outside of our house. And what do you know? The ivy happens to have a bird nest in it too! My daughter has decided to call the cat Ninja, because he (or she) is so sneaky. We also are trying to communicate with Ninja by meowing. I'm not sure what we're saying. Sometimes Ninja will run out of our yard like we're crazy freaks. Other times, it will look at us and say, "meow?" The thing Hubby and Son #2 and daughter Kitty can't seem to resist is petting Ninja. We all have allergies, and everyone except for Hubby has asthma. But Ninja looks up at Hubby with those big green eyes, and Hubby is a goner. He can't h...

    I just read an article in Better Homes and Gardens about dogs and allergies. The article said that even so called "allergy-friendly" dogs can still cause their owners to sneeze and wheeze. They said that certain dogs are known as "hypoallergenic" such as poodles, bichon frise and Maltese. However, when they took dust samples from homes with those dogs, they didn't find lower levels of allergens in the home. So, what does that mean?    Do you need to get rid of Fido or Spot? They suggest grooming your dog outdoors so the dander doesn't spread through the house. Also, wash your hands after petting your dog. And the hardest of all things? Keep your pet out of your bedroom. As hard as it is to resist those big brown eyes and that furry little body cuddled up next to you in bed, you may need to. If you are sneezing and wheezing , talk to your doctor. If over the counter allergy medicine doesn't work, allergy shots are always an option. You have to be dedi...

(Close To Home Calendar) I love my Close to Home Calendar, it's a little like the Far Side comics. And let's just say I have a goofy sense of humor that enjoys that type of comedy. But, this is how our family feels. Since Hubby and I and all 3 of our kids are allergic to just about everything, pets are a no-no in our house. If any of you have cats, you know that cat hair gets EVERYWHERE. We had problems with cats when Son #2 was in second grade. He kept having asthma attacks at school, and it took a while to figure out what was causing it. We couldn't figure out what was triggering his asthma attacks, but came to the conclusion that other students in the class had cats, and they would come to school with cat dander on their clothes-causing Son #2 to have asthma attacks. That's when we started allegy shots (immunotherapy) to help de-sensitive Son #2. To learn more about it, click here. They did seem to help with his sneezing and wheezing, but of course he still has the...

  This story caught my eye yesterday. Scented candles and air freshners are something I try to avoid because of my allergies and asthma (not to mention my 3 kid's allergies and asthma-and Hubby's allergies) What a bunch of genetic defects we are! This article talks about an announcement from the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. At their annual conference this week, they said that candles and air freshners can cause allergy symptoms, make existing allergies worse and make asthma worse. To read the story, click here . Sure, these make our house smell good (I live in a historic home which doesn't always smell so "fresh and new") but I have always avoided any type of air freshners. Asthma Doc has always told me NOT to use them. So, what's the big deal with using air freshners? In the article, it talks about all of the toxic things that come along with the "fresh scent" of candles and air freshners. There are all sorts of chemicals in t...

Well, it just dawned on my yesterday that since I am hosting Thanksgiving this year, I should probably buy a turkey and other groceries and make food assignments. (I didn't realize how close Thanksgiving is!) It will be a small gathering this year, probably about 10 people. I'm going to ask Talented Sister In Law to bring pies, she makes delicious coconut cream, banana cream, pumpkin and pecan flavors. Which means we will have to be careful with the pecan pie. Since Son #2 is allergic to tree nuts, I am a little nervous about the pecan pie and cross contamination with the other flavors. His favorite flavor is pumpkin pie, so I will make sure he gets served first-before someone uses the pie server on the pecan pie, then uses it to pull out a piece of pumpkin pie. It seems like we can never relax when it comes to eating. I have to always watch for tree nuts, they seem to be in most ice creams and desserts. So, I have to inspect everything we eat and ask questions. Don't be af...

    Asthma continues to surprise me. I just got off the phone with my brother who asked if I saw the article linking asthma and acetaminophen (Tylenol.) I hadn't seen it yet. As much as I try to keep on top of anything related to asthma, it's almost impossible. The journal Pediatrics reports that acetaminophen may make asthma worse. Although they can't prove that acetaminophen causes asthma, they do say that it is associated with an increased risk of developing asthma. If you are interested in reading an article on msnbc.com, click here. If you want to read about the original research study listed in Pediatrics (which isn't exactly 'light' reading) click here. However, this is contrary to Webmd claims, that Tylenol is safe for asthma because some people with asthma can have an asthma attack from asprin or ibuprofen (Advil) and they can sometimes be fatal. To read the article on webmd, click here. So, now what? There seems to be conflicting evidence here. The ...

      Some people spray a spritz of their perfume in the air, and then walk through it.    Some people spray their perfume directly onto their wrists, neck and whole body. Then they go to the movie theater and all of us sitting there have to smell their stinky strong perfume.    It can also cause asthma attacks. Which happened to me for the first time Saturday night. Hubby and I decided to go out and see the new Three Musketeers Movie, and just before the movie started, a college aged girl sat down a few seats away from me. I didn't notice anything at first, then thought "that is a really stinky and strong perfume!" It was just annoying at first, then I sneeezed. Then I coughed. And coughed. And coughed. It took me a minute to realize that I was having an asthma attack! Perfume has never bothered my asthma before. I know what my usual triggers are (cold temperatures, dust, cats, etc) so I am careful around those triggers. But I have never had a reactio...

  I read an interesting article today about chocolate milk in schools.    Yes, I know it has sugar in it and it isn't the healthiest thing for school lunch. But my kids don't drink plain milk. In fact, Son #2 was allergic to cow's milk when he was younger, but has out grown that allergy. In the article, there was someone from a health and fitness institute who recommended replacing cow's milk with soy or almond milk. Woah!  Surely that person knows that in addition to cow's milk, soy and almond are among the top 8 foods that cause allergic reactions and anaphylaxis. Click here for information about common food allergens.  People can outgrow milk allergies, but almond (or any tree nut allergy) is usually a life long allergy. Click here to read the article about the chocolate milk debate. In a study from the American Academy of Pediatrics Clinical Report Managment of Food Allergies in School Settings they state that "Fatalities were noted to be over represent...

  One of the best things you can do for yourself and your family if you have asthma is make a few changes in your apartment or home. I have written about this in the past, but it is so important, I need to repeat it. After many of the ideas, I have a "click here" listed. That will take you to the entry when I wrote about that subject before. Many of these ideas come from my Asthma Doc, others I have found figured out as a designer. Remove your shoes when you enter your home. Why? Click here Vacuum twice a week with a HEPA filtered vacuum. For more, Click here Don't store anything under the bed. Really? Find out more, Click here Wash bedding once a week in hot water Don't keep stuffed animals on the bed. Why not? Click here Replace horizontal blinds with roller shades in the bedroom. For explanation, Click here Keep pets outside or at least out of the bedroom The problem with asthma is that you can take all the asthma medication you want, but if you don't get do...

  Food allergies never take a holiday. Daughter Kitty was searching through her candy and offered a Heath bar to her brother, Son #2. I happened to overhear her, and went running into the other room, yelling "NOOOOOOOO!" I knew that Health bars have tree nuts in them (almonds) which Son #2 is allergic to. He's pretty good at just selecting what he wants to eat, so I reminded Kitty not to offer Son #2 any candy, but to let him pick out what he knew was safe to eat. Kitty is younger than Son #2 and doesn't realize how bad a food reaction can be. For those of you with food allergies, PLEASE check your candy carefully. It worries me when candy bars that have tree nuts are in the same bag with candy bars that don't contain them. Everyone is different, but I don't want to chance any cross contamination that would cause anaphylaxis. I have seen that reaction once with Son #1, and I never want to see it again. To read an article about Halloween candy and anaphylaxis f...

It seems like moms have a habit of taking care of everyone except for ourselves.  I knew my tongue was looking a little discolored and thought it was probably thrush from my maintenance medication, Advair, but I didn't have time to go to the doctor. One night, after brushing my teeth, I asked my husband if he thought my tongue looked weird, and he said it looked my elderly neighbor's hair - which is stark white!  I didn't call the doctor because I didn't have any sick time left at work, since I had used it all up with my earlier bout with pneumonia this month. I wouldn't have time to leave the office and go to the doctor for a checkup. I finally decided to call when my tongue started to hurt. When I looked at photos of thrush online, it looked like many of the people had sores on their tongue.  Yuck. So, I finally called the doctor. Luckily, they called in a prescription. I was afraid it was going to be a bottle of Nystatin, which you rinse your mouth with several ...

I guess it's time to call my doctor, I think I have thrush on my tongue from using my daily, controller inhaler. Asthma Doc had always warned me that it could happen, but I was taking all of the precautions he taught me.   His suggestions are:    rinse my mouth and spit out the water after I use my inhaler eat breakfast brush my teeth and tongue right afterwards  But I can see a white film on my tongue.    Sigh. I don't have any sick time left at work to be able to take time off for a doctor's appointment. I have used all of my sick days to take my kids to their various doctor's appointments for asthma and allergy shots.    And Asthma Doc doesn't have appointments for after hours.  And I don't want to go to the ER, because this isn't "urgent". I guess I could try the Urgent Care after hours. I was looking at some photos online about oral thrush, and their tongues look a lot worse than mine (of course, maybe they let the infection go on to lon...

As much as I hate to use it, there are times when prednisone (a steroid) is necessary to treat asthma. (Don't confuse this type of steroid with the type that body builders use. They're completely different medications!) Using steroids is a last resort for me. Usually, I increase my daily maintenance medication and use breathing treatments with my nebulizer. When I am that sick, my inhaler doesn't work well for me because I can't breathe deep enough to get any medicine into my lungs. What works better for me is to use my nebulizer, I just sit and gently breathe in the mist. Even using all those medications, there are times I need prednisone. I have been sick now for over a week, and one day I woke up and was having such a hard time breathing that my voice could only come out in a raspy whisper. I asked Hubby to call the after hours clinic (of course it was on a Saturday) because I couldn't talk on the phone. However, After Hours Doc needed to ask me a few questions (...

          I'm probably one of the only people in American who doesn't have a smart phone. I'm a low-tech sort of person. I like my sticky notes-I use them for everything, including keeping track of my medications when I'm sick. Like most people, I get a little hazy when I am sick and can't remember which medication I've taken and when. It's important to keep track since there is a possibility to overdose on medications if you are a little "out of it." When I am sick, I will write down any medication I take so I can keep them straight. I record: Advair (my daily asthma medication) Advil (for fever and pain) Dayquil (this contains acetaminophen, and you can take too much and damage your liver) Antibiotic Prednisone Albuterol (my rescue asthma medication) Some days I don't take Daqyquil, so I have to keep track of how much cough medicine I may have taken. It's easy when you are coughing to think "I should take some more cough medicine-how...

So, this was my breakfast this morning (well, after I ate my nutritious oatmeal.) I am so careful to take precautions NOT to get sick, but I did anyway. I was in a training for work last week, and started to notice a scratchy throat. I thought maybe it was due to the extremely strong smelling perfume of the lady sitting next to me. But my throat was still scratchy when I got home. And the next day. Then the fever, chills and body aches hit on day 3, and I knew I was in for a rough ride. My nose did a Niagra Falls impression, and I filled an entire waste basket full of used tissues. My nose could outrun any snotty nosed toddler, hands down! I spent 4 days in bed. Alternating between "I'm freezing! Where's my jacket?!" to "Woah, it's hot in here, did someone turn the heat up!?" I was camped out on my couch with cold washcloths, Advil, Puffs tissues (with lotion of course), sinus reliever medication and popsicles. I also had all of the TV remotes and my ph...

    We missed a week of allergy shots because daughter Kitty was sick. So the next Friday, the New Nurse was there giving shots instead, and we asked where Wonderful Shot Nurse was. New Nurse said Wonderful Shot Nurse was gone!    She has moved on to other things (and we didn't even get to say good bye!) Kitty started to cry. I sent a text to Son #2, and he was shocked. You see, Wonderful Shot Nurse isn't just a regular nurse. She has helped keep my kids alive for the last 11 years! She has been taking care of Kitty since she was born (she's finishing elementary school) She has helped take care of Son #2 since he was five years old. (And he's in high school now!) She has given Son #2 his five years worth of allergy shots, and gives him his monthly Xolair injections. She also gave Son #1 his five years worth of allergy shots and kept him alive when he went into anaphylaxis after one allergy shot. She's more than just a Wonderful Shot Nurse, she was a friend. She alwa...

( www.epipen.com ) I know I have blogged about this before, but food allergies are still such a part of our lives. Hubby and I both have allergies, along with all 3 of our kids. But food allergies are a problem for myself and Son #2. There are various things that can trigger anaphylaxis such as: Foods - peanuts, treenuts (walnuts, pecans, cashews, almonds), eggs, milk, fish and shellfish (shrimp and lobster) and soy. To learn more about food allergies, click here. Medications - ibuprofen (Advil), asprin, antibiotics and anesthetics. Click here to learn more. Insect stings - yellow jackets, wasps, bees, hornets and fire ants. Click here to learn how to avoid stings. Latex - disposable gloves, syringes, and IV tubes. Click here for more information. I am allergic to seafood, and it can show up in the strangest places. I was at a catered lunch that asked for an RSVP, and I did mention that I was allergic to seafood. However, after I scooped a little pulled pork on my plate, I came upon ...

      Many people only get allergies a certain time of year (they call it seasonal allergic rhinitis-also known as hay fever.) One of the worst things for fall is ragweed. I hate that stuff!  One plant can make a million pollen spores in one day, and it can really travel! According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation, ragweed pollen has been found as far as 400 miles out to sea and 2 miles up in the atmosphere! Most of it falls close to the ground, but if you're sneezing, there's a good chance that ragweed is the culprit. Click here to read more information about ragweed from the Asthma and Allergy Foundation. I was reading an article in Coping with Allergies and Asthma magazine about ragweed. They had some great ideas. Some of their suggestions are: Start on allergy medication the first week of August, before ragweed season hits. Get treated for allergies year round which can make it easier when ragweed season starts. They say other allergies (animals, dust mites,...