My Life as an Asthma Mom

    When I look back to our 22 journey with allergies and asthma, I wish I would have done things differently. If only I had known what resources were available to our family! Since my kids were ALWAYS sick, I decided to be a stay at home mom. Trying to pay the bills on one income with 3 kids with allergies and asthma was nearly impossible. Especially since we were frequent visitors to the pediatrician, Asthma Doc, After Hours Clinics, Urgent Care, ER and hospital.  Hospital Bills   My kids were in the hospital a total of 15 times (12 for asthma), plus they had several surgeries. So we  had a LOT of medical bills. We had an ongoing payment plan at our local hospital.  I would call their billing department to ask them to add our portion of the hospital bill to my tab - and the employee would laugh. I would tell them, "I'm not kidding. We have a payment plan, and I need my 20% of the bill added to our tab." Then the employee would say, "Ohhhhh." Mmhmmm.  Groceries

  I'm into podcasts these days (I know...I'm always late to the game!) I was listening to "Chasing Life" with Dr. Sanjay Gupta.  They had an episode called "In the Blink of an Eye" and talked about how their producer received a traumatic brain injury.  The producer was involved in a bad car accident and doesn't remember much about it. The doctors didn't hold out hope that she would come out of the coma.  But - she's ready to go back to work about a year after her accident, lengthy hospitalization, and physical therapy.  It was interesting to hear about Dr. Gupta and his producer talk about being resilient. Life happens and many times there are things outside our control.  So....how do you handle life when it throws you a curve ball? I loved this quote from Dr. Gupta: "We will all one day find ourselves in circumstances we would not have chosen. And when we do, we must remind ourselves that what is in our control is how we react to the hand w

                                                                            Do you ever feel like you make things worse when you try to clean? That when you do chores, it just stirs up the dust? Or that the strong scented cleaning supplies set off your asthma? We ran into this problem when my kids were little. My kids thought I was the Meanest Mom Ever because I would make them help with chores.  I would tell them that they helped make the mess, so they had to help clean it up. Makes sense, right?! They complained that their friends didn't have to clean their rooms-  their mom or the cleaning lady did it for them.  I would tell them that my job as a mom was to teach them how to clean, because they would have to clean when they went to college and got their own place.  So, yep. I am the Meanest Mom Ever Trying to figure out chores for the kids to do can be a challenge. They are different ages so we had to try to make it seem "fair" and age appropriate. Dividing up chores 

  Like most caregivers, I am Burned.Out. How many of you moms out there "get it"?  Having kids with chronic health conditions can cause a lot of sleepless nights, doctors visits, ER visits, hospital stays, and stress.  Things were a LOT worse when my kids were little. They were in the hospital 12 times (2 ICU's). We were on a first name basis with Asthma Doc and his staff.  But, just because my kids are adults doesn't mean they stopped having problems with their asthma. Sometimes, I have had one of my adult kids call and ask me to drive them to the ER because their asthma is flaring up, and they're too sick to drive.  Are you burned out? Isn't this  normal? Aren't most caregivers stressed out all the time?  Well, Mayo Clinic says you are burned out if: You feel overwhelmed/constantly worried You are often tired You get too much/too little sleep You gain/lose weight You are easily irritated or angry Lose interest in things you enjoy Feel sad Have lots of h

  (Allergy & Asthma Network)  Did you know that the 3rd week in September is called the "September Asthma Peak"?   What does that mean? More kids end up in the hospital during this week than ANY other week of the year! Yikes! You might think there would be more kids in the ER or admitted to the hospital during cold and flu season in winter, but it's actually in September.    Why? There are several causes: School - Kids are back in school which means animal dander from other student's clothing, possible mold in schools, and stinky exhaust from idling school buses Fall allergies - I really, really, really hate ragweed! Germ factory - it's easy to get infections from the other students Stress and anxiety with a new school year - even worse this year with COVID... Not taking meds - kids may be out of the habit of using their controller inhalers    What can you do?    Albuterol - make sure they have a full albuterol inhaler in their backpack (every state allo

  Sometimes I really hate asthma!  My last article was about being in the ER due to wildfire smoke from California's Dixie fire.Our state is full of smoke, and the air quality level is "red" which means "unhealthy for all". I was being careful and staying indoors.I kept the AC on in the house, keep the windows closed, and used the recirculating air setting in my car.  But - I was in a work meeting and the building filled up with smoke. It smelled like a campfire!  My lungs just couldn't recover. Two days later, I was in the ER. Steroids in the hospital  For those of you who have had a severe asthma flare, you have probably had oral steroids in the hospital. They can be given as a liquid, in a shot form, or in an IV.) It is vital to get the inflammation down quickly in the lungs, and steroids help with that. But it's nasty stuff due to the side effects. After I was discharged, I had to have a week's worth of oral steroids (prednisone.) Those also have

  One of the most important things I teach families in my asthma education workshops, is that if you ever think to yourself:  "I wonder if I should go to the hospital?" The answer is YES! Like many places this summer, our state is full of heavy, thick smoke from the California fire ( Dixie fire. ) We have had smoke in our state several times this last month. On Friday, our air quality was listed as the #1 Worse Air Quality in the World . Yes, the world.  That day, I was at a work meeting, and I thought I could smell smoke. I glanced out the door and saw that the valley was suddenly full of smoke. And that smoke was coming into the building. I quickly took two puffs of my inhaler, excused myself, and drove to my office. But, when I got to my office, I could smell smoke in there too.  I headed home because I knew it safe with a clean furnace filter and free standing air purifiers.  But the damage to my lungs was already done.  I didn't feel well and continued using my Albut

  Well, here goes another social media battle in my area.......should we ban personal fireworks? For the last year, I've had to watch social media friends fight about mask wearing and whether to get the COVID 19 vaccine.  Now people are fighting about fireworks. We are in a loooong drought (weather forecasters say it's the worst drought in the last 1200 years.) Yikes! Things are so dry that we have had record breaking fire seasons, year after year. Many of the states around us are also parched and have numerous fires burning, so we get their smoke along with our own forest fires. And those of you who have read my posts before know that Son #2 ended up in ICU during one 4th of July weekend - all thanks to smoke from neighborhood fireworks.  So, it's probably clear that I'm NOT a big fan of fireworks.   I'm just not a fan of breathing in all of that smoke containing heavy metals. And knowing that air quality often reaches toxic levels during the 4th of July weekend. 

  https://www.aafa.org/ It's here! The annual Allergy & Asthma Awareness Month!  How many of you feel like friends and other family members just "don't get it" when it comes to allergies and asthma? Now is your chance to dazzle them with a few facts!  Did you know that : 10 people die from asthma every day in the U.S. Asthma is the most chronic disease among children Asthma is more common in boys than in girls  There are a LOT more facts on this page.  Allergy & Asthma Foundation of America (AAFA) has "31 Days of Action for Raising Asthma and Allergy Awareness in May 2021" I know...I am a bit late in posting this 😬  You can see what they have planned for each day. They have Healthy Home checklists, coloring books, watch parties, twitter chats, etc. Allergy & Asthma Day on Capitol Hill (AADCH) Allergy & Asthma Network sponsored an Allergy & Asthma Day on Capitol Hill. You can watch the video here , then contact your legislator about iss

  I love spring and the hope that comes with it! Today was a gorgeous day, so I decided to take a break from work and take a stroll around the block.  The temperature outside is just perfect, and the neighbors have lots of gorgeous flowers. So off I went. I wasn't far from the house when a neighbor stopped to chat. She pointed out the smoke coming from a nearby orchard. Oh great! I wasn't sure what was going on until I realized that the farmer was probably burning the branches from his orchard. I noticed most of the trees in the orchards around here have been pruned back so it's easier to reach the fruit.  I'm assuming the farmer is burning the extra branches. But - smoke is NOT a good thing for asthma!  In fact, I hadn't planned on experiencing an asthma trigger, so I didn't take my inhaler. Yikes! I mean, I'm just going around the block, right? I normally don't grab my purse.... I turned around and headed back home as fast as I could, and then made sur

  I often talk to people who tell me they have had asthma FOREVER and so they know everything about asthma. Well, I don't think ANYONE knows all that there is to know about asthma.  And even if you have had asthma for a long time, asthma medications and treatment guidelines change.  Look at the posters above. The poster on the top is the 2020 version of "Respiratory Treatments" from Allergy & Asthma Network.  The poster on the bottom is also the "Respiratory Treatments" poster from Allergy & Asthma Network....... but it was made in 2014.  Look how much it has changed in 7 years!  Look how many more medications are on the market! Asthma is always changing. It's hard for the professionals to keep up with all of the changes. If your lungs are being cranky, and you are still doing what you have always done to treat your asthma, it may be time for a change.   Talk to your doctor and see if you are on the right treatment plan for your type of asthma, and f

   Photos from American Girl This falls under the category of How Cute Is This??!! And why wasn't this allergy & asthma set around when my daughter was little?  Look at those adorable little inhalers and the spacer! I love how they have two inhalers in the set - the controller for every day use, and the rescue inhaler. I'm in cuteness overload!  😍 I also love the allergy nose spray and allergy pills. And lets not forget the cute little epinephrine auto-injector and food allergy stickers for her medical bracelet.  When my daughter Kitty was little, she had a few choices in dolls - blond, brunette or a red head.  There was no such thing as a doll with a health problem.  It's so exciting to see a doll with asthma - it makes carrying around inhalers and an epinephrine auto injector look normal (as it should!) Nobody wants to be the "weird kid" in school that carries around supplies for their allergies and asthma.  Playing with dolls and tiny little inhalers, all

        In 2010, I started this little 'ole blog to help other moms learn more from our family's journey with allergies and asthma.   Fast forward, and it's now listed in Feedspot's Top 15 Asthma Blogs, Websites and Influencers of 2021!   How cool is that? And what makes a good asthma blog? Well, I make share a mix of personal stories and back it up with links to science. I don't share anything that isn't accurate.  There are a lot of people out there who have suddenly become experts in everything - just ask Facebook! COVID has seen an explosion of "armchair" experts in epidemiology, public health and human diseases. As someone with a science background, I make sure everything I share is accurate.  And I also mix in some fun resources (books, movies, etc) about asthma.  Thanks for including me Feedspot - and Happy reading!

  (Shutterstock image)   Does having asthma move you up the eligibility list to get COVID?  Well, it depends.....how's that for a non answer?! Some states consider asthma a high risk medical condition, but some don't. That worries me, because  there are so many different types of asthma. A person who uses their inhaler once or twice a year is NOT the same as someone who has been in the hospital multiple times for asthma.  My kids were in the hospital 12 times for asthma (2 of those were in ICU). Having a child almost die from asthma is VERY different from someone that uses their inhaler once in a while.  My state doesn't consider asthma to be a high risk medical condition - which means I am still VERY worried about my adult kids. Just because your kids are adults doesn't mean you can stop worrying about them ya know! 😁 Why are those with asthma NOT high risk for COVID?   A February study reviewed 57 other studies with over 1/2 a million people with asthma. They looke

    Needles.  Who really likes them?! I was at the lab getting some blood drawn when the tech asked me if I was okay. I said yes - needles are no big deal. I have had many surgeries, so needles are nothing compared to that!  But many people are REALLY scared of needles.  Years ago, I was at the lab waiting for a blood test, and saw a big, burly construction worker in front of me. Suddenly, I heard a thud and saw that he passed out - face first.  The lab worker was there alone and quickly yelled for me to grab smelling salts. After frantically searching the cupboard, I found them and tossed them to her. She held the smelling salts under his nose and then had me help lift him back into the chair. I was shocked at first, then had to stifle a giggle. Clearly this man had not had many surgeries, nor given birth 3 times...... Most moms have a lot of experience with medical procedures - including needles, epidurals, and c-sections. But you don't needles to treat asthma, right? Well...not

  (https://www.aafa.org/allergy-capitals/) Yes, I'm writing about allergies AGAIN. Our family is already miserable this year.  AAFA (Allergy & Asthma Foundation of America) , has just released this year's list of the worst places to live for allergies.  For all of you fans of "The Office", you know all about Scranton, Pennsylvania. Personally, I have never watched The Office........ don't hate me! Michael Scott's city of Scranton is the Number 1 worst place for allergies (yes, I had to Google the name of the boss on The Office - sorry Office fans!) So how does AAFA score the cities?  AAFA looks at: Fall and spring pollen levels Use of over-the-counter allergy meds How many board-certified allergists  Pollen levels We have a local allergy offices who posts the pollen count on their Facebook page. If you want to know the pollen count for your area, you can look on the National Allergy Bureau (NAB) Pollen Counts. You can also create an account through NA

  Last week, our family of 5 all starting having problems with allergies ......already! It's mid February, and our usually snowy state has not been getting our usual snow storms. In fact, one of our storms went around us and ended up in Texas. They aren't used to the snow and most of Texas hasn't had power for days.  I guess they are all trying to keep warm, and that's straining the power system in Texas.   But our state is mostly dry and warm With the warm and dry temperatures here,  we are already having pollen.  I thought it was too early for pollen, but with an unseasonably warm and dry winter, spring has decided to arrive early. I could tell because all 5 of my family members (who live in different areas of the state) starting complaining about allergies the same week.  Hmmm When To Start On Allergy Meds   I was just listening to a national allergy and asthma webinar and the presenter said he tells his patients to start on allergy medicine BEFORE allergy season sta

   A year ago, we were watching the news and seeing people in other countries dealing with the pandemic. Most were not allowed to leave their homes - and if they were, they were wearing masks.   Fast forward a year, and masks are part of our every day routine.  Before I leave the house, I think: Keys -  wallet - mask  I have a bag of masks in my office, my car and my purse. You never know when you might need a clean one.  As a life long asthma sufferer, I always wear a mask. I want to protect myself from any sick people that are coughing or sneezing near me. My three adult children and I have a habit of getting pneumonia or bronchitis at least once a year. Long before people jumped on the Germophobe bandwagon, we were carrying hand sanitizer, antibacterial wipes (in the car and purse) and carefully washing our hands.  Yet, we still managed to get sick - and end up in the hospital. In fact - my kids were in the hospital 12 times for asthma  and 2 of those were ICU. Most of those were th

    This is one of those really heartbreaking stories😭 A few years ago, I read a story about a young woman (Laura Levis)  who died of an asthma attack   My worst fear is that one of my kids would die from asthma. My kids have had 12 hospitalizations for asthma  - and 2 of those were ICU. I know how quickly asthma can go from bad to worse. Some people are surprised to find out that you can die from asthma.  Did you know that every day, 10 Americans die from asthma ? It's heartbreaking, but it can happen.   Later, I read another article from Laura's husband (Peter DeMarco), and learned that she died just outside the locked door to an emergency room (it was NOT clearly marked - unlike the photo above.) Peter wrote a lengthy article explaining how a long series of mistakes had led to Laura's death.    Could this happen to someone in my family?  I used to know where the entrance to our ER is located, but.....they just rebuilt the hospital.  Where is the new entrance?  Do my

  You would have to be living under a rock if you didn't see the protestors who stormed the U.S. Capitol. 😮 I was busy at work, helping in our COVID clinic. My phone kept pinging with texts, but I didn't have time to check them. On my commute home, I turned on the radio and was stunned to hear what was happening. What??!!! I turned on the TV when I got home and saw protestors climbing walls and smashing windows in the capitol.  I have spent a fair amount of time in the DC capitol building. I have also visited the House and Senate buildings multiple times when our family has advocated for allergies and asthma.  Like many people, I have walked those halls! I recognized different parts of the building on TV -  although they were happy times for us when we were there. As I was trying to process what I was seeing on TV, my lungs started to get cranky.   What was triggering this asthma attack?! Then I realized.........stress! Did you know that strong emotions and stress can trigger