My Favorite Asthma Memories

Mom said I was diagnosed with asthma at the age of 2. So, that makes this year a huge year in my life. It marks my 50th anniversary of living with asthma. In honor of this exciting anniversary, I am writing this post. In honor of my asthma anniversary, here are some of my favorite asthma moments.

My top asthma memories

After my asthma diagnosis: 1972

No, getting diagnosed is not one of my favorite asthma memories. But, what happened shortly thereafter was.

Not long after my birth mom noticed I was breathing heavily. She probably noticed this on her own. Although, she had a little help from my older brother who got annoyed at my noisy breathing.

This worked to my advantage. To protect me from my brother, when we went driving my mom made him sit in the back seat and I got dibs on shotgun. Of course, back then no one ever wore seatbelts. And not only that, I was fond of standing in the front seat. My seatbelt was mom’s extended right hand.

A few years later, mom moved me into my own room. All my brothers had to share rooms except for me. So, getting my own room was another benefit of having asthma.

My first asthma pill: 1980

I do not know when I had my first memorable asthma attack. Perhaps this is a gift. Well, for sure this is a gift. No one wants to remember those horrible events. I do remember an early treatment for asthma. It was the most putrid, yucky-tasting crap I have ever tasted in my life. I cringe even now as I think about it. But it had theophylline in it. Theophylline kept my lungs calm. So I tolerated it. But, begrudgingly so.

But this post is about my favorite asthma moments. I think it was sometime in the early 1980s I was introduced to the theophylline pill. It was a big white pill. But, my doctor told me if I could learn to swallow pills I did not have to take that yucky syrup anymore. So, I quickly learned how to swallow pills.  I cannot remember what that first pill was called. But, eventually, I was switched to theophylline, a medicine I would take for the next 27 years.

My first rescue inhaler: 1980

I can remember it clearly. I was sitting all frogged up on a bed in the doctor’s office. It was an unscheduled visit for asthma. And the doctor said that he had something for me. He left the room and came back holding something white in his hands. He said it was an inhaler called Alupent. He had me exhale, and then he squirted the medicine into my mouth.

My breath came back instantly. He gave me a second puff of the medicine. He gave the inhaler to mom. This was my first rescue inhaler. It was not long before mom gave me the inhaler to carry in my pocket. She figured this was important for when I was away at school. My Alupent inhaler and I became best friends. I carried an Alupent inhaler with me everywhere I went until I was introduced to an albuterol inhaler in 1995.

My good friend epinephrine: 1980-1991

Ah, man, so many good memories of getting an epi shot. And, nope, unlike other kids, I did not mind getting shots. The shots only made me feel better. And for that, I had no qualms about them whatsoever. IVs? Well, that’s another story. But the shots were good.

I would hardly be able to take in half a breath. Mom or dad would take me to the ER. The doctor would order an Alupent breathing treatment. And then he’d order a shot. I would sit there and watch the clock. And within five minutes I would be able to take in a nice deep breath.

This created a feeling of euphoria. As I got older my doctors started prescribing Sus-phrine, which is a long-acting version of epinephrine. They would give me a shot of a systemic steroid, which took a few hours to kick in. And the Sus-phrine kept my airways open long enough for the steroid to start working. This was a nice concoction that worked so well for me.

Do you have any positive memories from your asthma journey?

These are some of my favorite asthma memories. Do you also have favorite asthma memories? Share them with the community by clicking the button below.