Living ~400lbs

… and believe me I am still alive

Asthma

  • Disabled or not?

    A person with a disability is defined as: A person with a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities; or A person with a record of such a physical or mental impairment; or A person who is regarded as having such an impairment. – NW ADA Center “Disabled” is… Continue reading

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  • Medical Tests of the Itchy Sort

    In May 2018 I was short of breath. I thought I might have pneumonia.  Turned out they  found a pulmonary embolism and I spent 4 days in ICU. I was finally discharged to go home and rest. This also came shortly after a kidney stone and high blood pressure diagnosis, and I was really, really,… Continue reading

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  • Wheezing Around the Block

    One of the recent rants I moderated out of the comments included something* about how “wheezing around the block doesn’t count as exercise.” Wheezing is a symptom of asthma, bronchitis, sinusitis, pneumonia, and other illness. Deciding that wheezing is only due to weight and only will be treated by weight loss is DANGEROUS. I do… Continue reading

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  • Saturday Ramblings

    1am is still Saturday if you haven’t gone to bed yet, right? Note to self: The expensive twice-daily asthma med works best if the evening dose is 12 hours after the morning dose, not 18 or 20. You carry it with you. Set an alarm on your phone & use it. Don’t just turn it off. Kath posted… Continue reading

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  • Histamines in Food

    A bit of background: An allergen is something that triggers an allergy. When a person with allergic rhinitis breathes in an allergen such as pollen or dust, the body releases chemicals, including histamine.  Histamine […] causes dilatation of the blood vessels (flushing, rash, itching) and increased mucus production (runny nose, productive cough), and bronchoconstriction (wheezing,… Continue reading

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  • I’m a grownup, right?

    Forty-seven years old. Working in software (not rocket science, but involves brains) over 20 years. Employed and promoted by a company that prides itself on “hiring and promoting the best.” Have been taking various meds for allergies for over 30 years. ….so why did I forget the Flonase again??? (I’m sure it has nothing to… Continue reading

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  • Allergist update

    Had a follow-up appointment with the allergist last week. It was nice to confirm that the new meds and cleaning regimen not only feels good for me, I did better on the lung capacity test this time than on my first visit. It was nice to confirm that needing to use albuterol prior to aerobic… Continue reading

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  • What I do with asthma

    Advair inhaler, twice daily. Spirivia inhaler, once daily. Flonase nose spray, once daily. Singulair & antihistamine, once daily. Rescue inhaler, 2 puffs before exercise or as needed. Vacuum several times a week. Weekly wipe down surfaces in bedroom. Weekly wash sheets, comforter cover and pillowcases in hot water to kill dust mites. (Dust mites is… Continue reading

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  • Operation (de-)Dust Mite a Success

    The quest to cut down dust mites in our bedroom was a success.  I woke up Monday morning without a headache and without needing to blow my nose.  I hadn’t noticed these symptoms much until they were gone, but they were.  Even better, I seemed better able to handle other asthma triggers the rest of… Continue reading

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  • Operation de-Dust Mite

    In October I noticed I was having more anxiety about the whole “going to the doctor” thing.  I ended up calling the asthma specialist I’d been referred to at least six months previously and going in on Monday. This was stressful in many ways. I’m freak-folks-the-hell-out fat.  I’ve got the whole mental “You mean it’s asthma,… Continue reading

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  • Five Things Makes a Post

    New job! I have a new job.  The place I was temping hired me in late December.  I’m not doing exactly the same job, which is both “new and scary” and “cool and interesting”.   It’s also been interesting to note that the things I was looking forward to ending with the contract (the commute,… Continue reading

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  • Asthma Not-Fun

    I would like to realize I’m wheezing before someone stops me at work and asks, with a look of deep concern, “Are you alright?” Really. It’s bad enough to have someone ask me, with a look of deep concern, “Are you alright?” while I’m setting up mics and speakers for a concert.  Or walking around… Continue reading

  • Proper Treatment

    Knowing intellectually that people can die of asthma is a bit scary.  Reading that a friend of a friend died of an asthma attack is another. Death from asthma is a relatively uncommon event, and most asthma deaths are preventable. It is very rare for a person who is receiving proper treatment to die of asthma. However,… Continue reading

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  • Some things I’m glad about today

    1)  Riding the bus to my new job means I’m walking daily again, at least on weekdays. Funny how walking even a 1/2 mile or so every day can feel good, even if it’s spread throughout the day. 2)  Yes, I have a temp gig.   At the moment it’s a better fit than the… Continue reading

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  • Feeling Like A “Bad” Fatty

    I haven’t been exercising.  I spent most of the weekend sitting or laying down. Sometimes I’d be breathing hard from the effort of sitting (compared to laying down).  Sunday I was so exhausted I literally laid down and cried. I’ve got a cold, which does not combine well with asthma.  Plus I was helping run… Continue reading

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  • You Know You Have Dust/Pollen/etc Allergies When…

    …you feel like you might be getting a cold (congestion, headachy, coughing, tired).  Do you drink tea and put your feet up?  No, you spend Sunday dusting and vacuuming the bedroom, changing the sheets and mattress cover, running the pillows and comforter through the hottest dryer setting to kill dust mites, washing your CPAP mask… Continue reading

  • Thankful Thursday

    [a not-always-weekly exercise in gratitude] The man of the house baked a chicken with some rosemary this evening.  He accompanied it with broccoli with cheese sauce,  green beans steamed with red potatoes, corn cooked with onions, cold sliced beets, and French bread.   As we were eating he said, “So did I make the Thankful Thursday this… Continue reading

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About Me

Former software tester, now retired heart patient having fun and working on building endurance and strength. See also About page.

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