Living

The holidays are always a busy time and with a very festive week came Siberian cold temperatures and the dreaded return of my "friends"-- the cough and the wheeze, along...

When you know your own body, it can be so frustrating to deal with doctors who do not know your detailed medical history. During the holiday times, many doctors take...

The one thing about my passion for asthma is that it's a blessing and a curse. A blessing that I can help other people, but I curse because I CAN'T...

For me personally the phrase “New Years Resolution” is an immediate turn off. It scares the dickens out of me. It makes me want to turn the other way and...

Some experts denounce New Year’s resolutions. Marquette Magazine noted they usually fail and lead to some form of “self-loathing.” The Huffington post said they are “rarely met, usually disappointing and...

Is this the your first holiday season with a special asthmatic in your inner circle? Even if this year is your fiftieth holiday season with asthma here are tips to...

Prednisone is one of those nasty medicines that I dread, but sometimes it's necessary when you have asthma. For my kids, a course of prednisone (oral steroids) could sometimes prevent...

I recently attended an asthma conference and one of the speakers made this statement and it caught me a bit off guard. I always just assumed that everyone that says...

This fall has been a whirlwind for me. I have been in a bit of transition. New work experiences, leaving the comforts of my home office and commuting again, dealing...

I get an annual flu shot, but while I’ve pondered the pneumonia (pneumooccal) vaccine before, it’s never something I have personally made a move on. Should I? Adults and children...

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC, for short), flu activity so far this season is low in the United States. However, peak flu season is fast approaching. So...

Have you ever taken a trip up to the mountains and noticed your asthma symptoms start to worsen? I know I have. I can remember countless trips up to the...

Yep, not kidding. I was recently shopping for a new spacer for my inhaler, and my search showed spacers for cats and dogs. Then I burst out laughing. You see...

Giving can seem like a one way street. We let go of something that belongs to us - often my money or clothing or food - so that someone in...

I had the recent opportunity to hear a wonderful speaker at a conference. Her name is Ai Jen Poo and she is the creator of an entire movement committed to caregivers...

This is a question I get asked quite frequently. What’s in your asthma toolbox? People ask me what I recommend that they include in their toolbox. While things may differ...

Recently, we took a trip to Moab, Utah, to hike in Arches National Park and see the world-famous Delicate Arch. The elevation is a little over 4,000 feet which is...

One of the most recently defined asthma subgroups is severe asthma. It was first defined about 20 years ago. This was when physicians recognized 5-10% of asthmatics did not respond...

The two words that seem to make everyone squirm: medication compliance. The two words apart from each other aren't bad but when they are put together have a negative connotation...

There are many phrases I have heard that summarize life as a patient. Some of my favorites are "Being a patient is a full-time job, on top of my full-time...