When friends have your back before you realize it!As asthma comes in all kinds of different forms, sometimes, I forget that some of my friends with asthma actually have asthma, until I think back on conversations. I keep... By Kerri MacKay2 min readBookmark for laterReactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Let's Talk Pulse OximetryWe have all seen them - either the sticker or clip on your finger attached to the vitals machine. The elusive pulse oximeter. There are also small portable ones that... By Theresa Cannizzaro, Respiratory Therapist3 min readBookmark for laterReactions0reactionsComments29 comments
Where Was That Pamphlet Five Years Ago?I recently came across a pamphlet on advocating for yourself and involving patient and family advisers in your decision making and care. I could have seriously have used that pamphlet five years... By Dia SWS3 min readBookmark for laterReactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Losing My Voice to AsthmaSo asthma never fails to surprise me. The latest “fun” with asthma is that I now lose my voice when I have a severe asthma attack or when I get... By Andrea M. Jensen CHES AE-C2 min readBookmark for laterReactions0reactionsComments25 comments
History of Asthma (Part One): In The BeginningThe earliest recorded instance of respiratory distress was from china in 2600 BC. It was characterized as "noisy breathing" which could be what we know as wheezing today. There are... By Theresa Cannizzaro, Respiratory Therapist2 min readBookmark for laterReactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Community Views: Where Do You Keep Your Inhaler When You’re Out and About?We all know inhalers play a significant role in asthma treatment. The importance of carrying your asthma inhaler at all times cannot be overstated. Your inhaler is probably one of... By Editorial Team 3 min readBookmark for laterReactions0reactionsComments16 comments
Alarm Fatigue: Patient EditionOn our second last Asthma Pals session this Spring, one of the kiddos asked about how to get better at remembering to take her puffers everyday. My suggestion was to pair... By Kerri MacKay3 min readBookmark for laterReactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Post-Secondary and Asthma: Asthma and Allergy Friendly AccommodationsI never really thought of my asthma as a disability when it came to my time in university. It’s not that asthma didn’t cause me trouble a time or two... By Kerri MacKay3 min readBookmark for laterReactions0reactionsComments2 comments
Past Its Prime, Medication Expiry Dates, Inhaler Inventory and HousekeepingLike most patients, there are a few items in my medicine cabinet that I have been saving for a zombie apocalypse or that failed but that I just don't seem... By Dia SWS2 min readBookmark for laterReactions0reactionsComments4 comments
Asthma Subgroups: Asthma/COPD Overlap Syndrome (ACOS)Researchers now understand that about 11% of asthmatics also have COPD, and 10-50% of COPDers over the age of 50 also have asthma. When this happens it is generally diagnosed... By John Bottrell, RRT4 min readBookmark for laterReactions0reactionsComments0 comments
The Effects of Coffee on AsthmaI rarely ever drank coffee until I was 40. Then, for some inexplicable reason, I became a coffee fiend, drinking 6-7 cups of coffee every day. Then I quit cold... By John Bottrell, RRT5 min readBookmark for laterReactions0reactionsComments21 comments
Finding Your People (for Kids): Asthma PalsIn May and June, I was a part of the Asthma Society of Canada’s initial launch of an asthma peer support program for kids called Asthma Pals. Asthma Pals, is... By Kerri MacKay2 min readBookmark for laterReactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Dark and Twisty Severe AsthmaI am generally a pretty positive person. Especially, when it comes to health stuff. I usually take the good, the bad, and the ugly and deal with what is coming... By Dia SWS2 min readBookmark for laterReactions0reactionsComments19 comments
An Asthma Journal & Why You Need OneEver since I was a child I have kept a journal. Writing and being able to get my feelings down on paper is extremely therapeutic for me. When I received... By Theresa Cannizzaro, Respiratory Therapist3 min readBookmark for laterReactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Collapsed Lung From AsthmaI feel like you can never know everything there is to know about asthma. For instance, did you know that you can get a collapsed lung from asthma and being... By Andrea M. Jensen CHES AE-C3 min readBookmark for laterReactions0reactionsComments4 comments
Treatment Goal: Adventures!I sit here sipping iced tea after showering off a morning of digging in the garden. I will head out to bicycle to a potluck supper with friends in a... By Kat Tynan2 min readBookmark for laterReactions0reactionsComments0 comments
I Just Faxed My Doctor's Office, Because It's The 80'sI’m mentally packing for my next trip (and my next trip 9 days after that, and my next trip 4 days after that. Life is hard, y’all ;)). In my... By Kerri MacKay3 min readBookmark for laterReactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Patients Are A Multidisciplinary Wealth Of Lived Experiences And Shared GoalsI heard this quote recently at a lecture. "Patients are a multidisciplinary wealth of lived experiences and shared goals" and it really struck me. How can we as patients be... By Dia SWS3 min readBookmark for laterReactions0reactionsComments0 comments
What's This About Hypoallergenic Dogs?If you saw my Why Having a Dog Would Be Good For My Asthma video, you’ll already know I love dogs. Big dogs. Preferably retrievers—labs or goldens—but you know, I’m not... By Kerri MacKay2 min readBookmark for laterReactions0reactionsComments0 comments
How Long Do I Wait Between Inhaler Puffs?The million dollar question: how long should I wait between inhaler puffs? Like many asthmatics, medications delivered by inhaler are an integral part of my everyday. Also, like many patients, I am... By Dia SWS2 min readBookmark for laterReactions0reactionsComments2 comments