Living

Last summer, a new market space opened up just outside of my town, with a gorgeous rustic vibe and 2 rows of smaller shops from local vendors and restaurants. It...

One of the things I hate most about living with chronic illness, including asthma, is the sheer amount of medical waste I produce. As my illnesses have progressed and evolved...

If there is one thing I do not understand, it is health insurance in the United States. How do insurance companies decide what they will cover and how much they...

I generously passed on my asthma genes to 3 of my children. Of my 3 children with asthma, they have each had their run-ins with asthma attacks. Thankfully, my 2...

Oh, the innocence of young parents. I try to keep a straight face when a harried young mom tells me how lucky I am that my kids are all adults...

Over the last 15 years living with severe asthma and other chronic health issues that followed, I have developed some pretty strong health advocacy and communication skills with my care...

We have all been there. Your appointment time is 10:15, but now it is almost 11:00 and your doctor still has not been in to see you. The doctor is...

I do not want to go around telling people I have asthma. But sometimes I feel I have no choice but to tell people I have asthma. In fact, sometimes...

It has already happened once this summer, but for the second time, a dramatic air quality drop from wildfire smoke has thrown me off my otherwise generally well-controlled asthma game!...

Having a chronic illness, like asthma, there are a few items that I reach for on a regular basis. I am not the best at keeping track of some of...

I do not know if all schools require this, but in my state, they require students take a band or orchestra class starting in junior high. My 3 kids all...

Preemies rule! But we may be a bit screwed when it comes to early life events in asthma. This has been a million-dollar question that I have been asking my...

In the UK right now, local councils across the country are stretched. Our roads are constantly being repaired, our bins are not being collected on time. The hedges and grass...

Successfully managing asthma can depend on many factors, one of which is medication. As a lifelong asthmatic and professional respiratory therapist, I have a comprehensive understanding of how important this...

One wish I have always had is to get off all steroid treatment. Steroids have kept me chained to my inhalers and ointments all my life, and I have never...

I feel like my brain and body are always playing tug-of-war. My brain says things like, “Keep going, you can do it!” and “Just push through!” or “You’ll feel better...

When I was diagnosed with asthma in grade 11 I had several friends who also had asthma. While our asthma was different (I would later learn I had severe asthma...

I was flying to Washington, DC, (again) for work. My family often joins me every May as advocates from all over the United States visit our reps on Capitol Hill...

This time of year always brings a new crop of fellows and residents to my severe asthma clinic. It is an interesting time of year, as they are ripe with...

I have been toying with the idea of getting a port for a few years. If you do not know what a port is, it is an implanted device that...