Living

As a teenager, I got together with a bunch of fellow asthmatic teenagers. This was back in 1985, during my stay at an asthma hospital. I was a patient there...

May is Asthma Awareness Month 2023! We know that living with asthma and managing symptoms can be exhausting, especially when contending with other health conditions at the same time. Our...

Years ago, the neighbor’s cats decided to move in with us. Tabby and Siamese figured out that we were suckers. We made the mistake of leaving the front door open...

One of our community members commented: “What frustrates me the most is paying to breathe.” And I have to say I agree with this. It is very frustrating when you...

People with chronic health conditions, like asthma, often face complex treatment plans and multiple doctor visits. Brain fog, fatigue, and problems concentrating can be frequent side effects too. That is...

As a kid, I endured at least 5 years of allergy shots. I started when I was 10 years old in 1980. Every Tuesday, Mom drove me to my doctor’s...

I was recently surprised by a question that I was asked: “What motivates you as a patient?" It happened during a routine follow-up and I have to admit that for...

I wrote an article about how I am afraid of getting sick. Because when I get sick, my body is like “I got you! Let’s Go Big or Go Home!"...

You would be amazed if you could see my workstation this morning. I am sitting on a bench at Stearn’s Park in Ludington, Michigan. The lake is very calm this...

It is no secret that steroids can wreak havoc on our bodies. I have been on and off of them for years. Sometimes my tapers drag on for months because...

At 12:10 am, I send the following text to Dia: "Omg I’ve had a cough/super mild shortness of breath for like...2.5 days... Guess who just realized her Qvar sounded like...

I was diagnosed in 1972. I was 2 years old. That’s a useless fact I suppose you could go without hearing. Still, it’s relevant to me. I feel now that...

As all asthma sufferers are likely aware, by having this respiratory condition our immune systems are often weaker than the average person's. I know mine is. I have allergies too...

I really marvel at people who go about their lives, never worrying about getting sick. Our family has always had bad luck with respiratory infections. We are a family of...

Have you ever been carrying on with life and then what feels like out of nowhere is an asthma attack? This happened to me recently and I was caught off...

Treating someone with an asthma diagnosis can be very convoluted, and even the best doctors do not always completely understand it, unless they are, perhaps, a pulmonologist. But not even...

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...

To me, prednisone can be described in three words - wonderful yet wicked. Prednisone, or oral corticosteroids, is often prescribed for short periods. This usually happens during an acute flare-up...

For years, I coordinated an Asthma Home Visit Program. It was a cool idea really - doctors and hospitals referred patients to Public Health Educators (who could provide extra education)...

Shortly before Christmas, I started feeling a sore throat coming on. I was at my mom’s house a few hours away from where I live. There are not many good...