30 Asthma-Related Things I Am Thankful For

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Thanksgiving is coming up. I am feeling thankful for so many things, and many are related to asthma. Here is a list of 30 things asthma-related that I am thankful for.

Asthma-related things I'm thankful for:

1. The fact I was born in 1970. I got to live in an era of great asthma medicines. Yes! I am so thankful for this. I have read our history of asthma. I know how hard it was for asthmatics for 99.9% of our history. We now have access to many good treatment options. I am so thankful for this.
2. My mom and dad. They did a great job of helping me when I had trouble breathing. So many times they sacrificed sleep to drive me to an ER and sit with me all night.
3.  A medicine called Tedral helped me breathe easier in the 1970s. Tedral contained a medicine called theophylline. This medicine helped calm my airways for over 30 years. I was able to wean myself off of it when better medicines were invented.
4. A medicine called Alupent. I was introduced to the Alupent inhaler in 1980. It was awesome! It helped me get my breath back fast, and I could take it with me wherever I went.
5. An asthma controller medicine called Vanceril (beclomethasone). I was introduced to it in 1982. It helped control my asthma so I didn’t have to go to the ER all the time. The only downside is you had to take it four times a day. That wasn't always easy to do, especially for a busy kid.
6. Emergency rooms (ER). This is self-explanatory.
7. Emergency Room doctors. I got to know many of them.
8. Respiratory therapists. They had such a great impact on me that I eventually became one.
9. Epinephrine. This pulled me out of severe asthma attacks many times.
10. Prednisone. It helped calm my airways by reducing inflammation. It worked as a kid and still works when I need it.
11. The great people at National Jewish Health. They helped me gain control of my asthma back in 1985. Of course, back then it was called National Jewish Center/ National Asthma Hospital.
12. My first nebulizer. Mom bought it for me in 1985. I used it so many times to help me breathe easier.
13. The albuterol inhaler. We met in 1985. We remain good friends.
14. Portable nebulizers. They plug into walls or the car lighter. Now you can take a breathing treatment at home and on the road.
15. Mesh Nebulizers. These are even better than portable nebulizers. They are small like inhalers. And they are as quiet as a gentle breeze.
16. Long-acting corticosteroids, such as Flovent. I was introduced to it in 1997. Unlike Vanceril, this new controller inhaler only needed to be taken twice a day.
17. Serevent, a long-acting beta-agonist (LABA). Taken along with Flovent, this helped me gain even better asthma control.
18. Combination inhalers, like Advair. It was an inhaler that contained both Flovent and Serevent. It made it so much easier to be compliant with your controller medicine. Rather than 4 puffs twice a day, you only needed 1 puff twice a day. Easy. You just use it before brushing your teeth twice daily. Today, there are many similar medicines, such as Symbicort, Breo, and Dulera. There are also many generic inhalers of this type.
19. Generic inhalers. They make medicines much more affordable.
20. Pharmacists. They make it so we have access to all these great medicines.
21. Doctors. So many wise doctors have helped me over the years. I thank all of you. Thank YOU!!!
22. Asthma wisdom. I just can’t say enough about asthma wisdom. Doctors, researchers, scientists have learned so much about asthma in just the 50 years I have been alive. As I noted in #1 above, I am very fortunate and THANKFUL to have lived in this era of our asthma history.
23. Singulair. For me, this medicine is a life changer. Before Singulair, spring was miserable for me as far as sniffling and sneezing. Since I started this great medicine, spring to me is like spring to a person with no allergies.
24. Biologics. I do not use them, yet! Still, they remain an option should I need them. And so many of my asthma friends have benefited from them.
25. My children. They have asthma too. They do not experience it much. They barely know they have it, and this is a testament to modern wisdom.
26. My grandma. So many times when I was at her house she paid attention to me. She made extra efforts to make sure I stayed away from my asthma triggers. She noticed when I was having trouble with my asthma. I will never forget.
27. The Internet. This made it possible for asthmatics like me to meet asthmatics like you.
28. The blogosphere. This made it possible for me and other asthmatics to share our asthma wisdom and stories. It made it possible for the good folks at asthma.net to find me.
29. ALL MY ASTHMA FRIENDS. I can name them all if you wanted me to. But, they know who they are. Thank you ALL. It is so great to have people to share stories with. Usually, we do not talk about asthma. But, when the need arises, they are there. Or, I am here.
30. Asthma.net. What a neat place for us asthmatics to hang out. Thank you to all the great people who created this and make it work.

What about you?

I could go on, but now it is your turn. Going along with this theme, what are asthma-related things you are thankful for? Please share with us in the comments below.