Flash Back Friday
Flash Back Friday
Most people I talk to about asthma don't seem to think it's a very big deal. I was thinking back to one of the times Son #2 was being discharged from the hospital after a 3 day stay with pnemonia.
Poor little guy had red, puffy cheeks from steroid IV's, he was coming home on oxygen, but he was alive! The nurse who was taking us out to the car (they are required to accompany all patients to their car when they are discharged) was telling me about her brother, who had asthma. He was having an asthma attack and his wife was driving him to the emergency room for treatment. He stopped breathing in the car. They could not revive him.
That really made me pause, because how many times have I taken my kids to the emergency room? (Over 15 times at least) Luckily they have never stopped breathing in the car, but we had a couple of close calls.
Did you know that 11 people die every day in the U. S. from an asthma attack? I don't want to be one of those statistics.
Watch for symptoms-
Most people I talk to about asthma don't seem to think it's a very big deal. I was thinking back to one of the times Son #2 was being discharged from the hospital after a 3 day stay with pnemonia.
Poor little guy had red, puffy cheeks from steroid IV's, he was coming home on oxygen, but he was alive! The nurse who was taking us out to the car (they are required to accompany all patients to their car when they are discharged) was telling me about her brother, who had asthma. He was having an asthma attack and his wife was driving him to the emergency room for treatment. He stopped breathing in the car. They could not revive him.
That really made me pause, because how many times have I taken my kids to the emergency room? (Over 15 times at least) Luckily they have never stopped breathing in the car, but we had a couple of close calls.
Did you know that 11 people die every day in the U. S. from an asthma attack? I don't want to be one of those statistics.
Watch for symptoms-
- being short of breath
- difficulty talking or walking
- grey skin tone or dark colored lips or fingernails (Pet peeve-when people say "blue" lips. My kids lips have never been blue, but they look VERY dark, like they are wearing burgundy lipstick. )
- skin pulling in around collar bone, base of neck, or rib cage
- nostrils flaring
- fast breathing
- can't stop coughing
If you see any of these symtoms, get to the ER - FAST! Don't add to the statistic of dying in the car on the way to the ER or being found dead on the floor as you are crawling for your inhaler.
Keep on top of your asthma by using your controller medication - every day! Whether you think you need it or not. (You can't feel swelling in your lungs, but it's there) Talk to your doctor about your treatment plan, what is best for you? What do you need?
You can control your asthma and live a happy life. Just take it seriously!
Happily, it's been 3 years since Son #2 or Kitty has been hospitalized. We had 12 separate hospitalizations, but I guess since they haven't seen us for a while they probably gave away our corner suite!
It's just as well, I was getting tired of hospital food anyway.
Keep on top of your asthma by using your controller medication - every day! Whether you think you need it or not. (You can't feel swelling in your lungs, but it's there) Talk to your doctor about your treatment plan, what is best for you? What do you need?
You can control your asthma and live a happy life. Just take it seriously!
Happily, it's been 3 years since Son #2 or Kitty has been hospitalized. We had 12 separate hospitalizations, but I guess since they haven't seen us for a while they probably gave away our corner suite!
It's just as well, I was getting tired of hospital food anyway.
OMGOSH! Tell me about it! I don't know how many times I've told someone about my daughter's asthma and they go "Oh, kids always outgrow it, she'll be fine". Right...that is why she was on oxygen last March and hospitalized last November. That's why she gets progressively worse EVERY year. It's "just" asthma. Seriously, people underplay asthma way too often. When you have a kiddo with severe asthma that could, you know, kill them and someone tries to tell you that it's "just" asthma it can be really hard to keep your hand in your pocket and not across their face (and I don't believe in hitting but dammit!). I feel you. Asthma can be fatal and the fact that people choose not to believe that is crazy to me! I'm glad you have been able to be hospital-free for so long! That is awesome. Are any of your kiddos still on Xolair?
ReplyDeleteHello! Yes, it is incredibly frustrating. Countless times I have had someone tell me about their cousin, roommate, neighbor, etc who "outgrew" their asthma, so my kids will too! Well, we know there is no one size fits all with asthma.If you have watched your child struggle to breath and turn gray, it's life changing. There's no way to explain it or have them grasp the potential deadliness of asthma. Son #2 has been on Xolair for 3 years now, and will be for the rest of his life.Thank you insurance for paying the $1000 a month!
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