Perhaps I’m being a teensy bit overdramatic; after all, I’ve been over the worst of the flu-ish conditions – nausea, exhaustion, congestion, sneezing, bodyaches – for a few days. But the coughing, my god the coughing and the lack of breathing is set to ruin me.
I’ve had moderate-to-severe asthma most of my life. I’ve gotten it a little more under control as I’ve grown older, partly because one of my biggest triggers is the cold and Tejas doesn’t get too cold and windy for ten months out of the year. In fact, it’s almost the inverse of where I used to life. Now my biggest triggers seem to be chest colds. Good ol’ bronchitis kicks up an asthma attack every time. It doesn’t matter how much I up my preventative meds beforehand, I always end up on prednisone and nebulizer treatments. And so when the flu moved from my entire body, to my head, and then was left sitting squarely inside my chest, I wasn’t surprised. I used my nebulizer every four hours. I bumped my preventative meds from one puff once a day to two puffs four times a day, and I used as much Mucinex as I could without ODing. Finally, the nebulizer stopped making the wheeze even a little better and I contemplated a late-night ER run. My lungs and I made a deal: if they would get me through the night without requiring extraordinary measures, I would get them some pretty, pretty steroids the next day.
I’m happy to report that I am once again able to get, you know, oxygen into my system when I take a deep breath. Huzzah! Of course, I’m cranky and snapping at the kids and I was up half the night because steroids steal my sleep. But look! Breathing! On PURPOSE!
Which you would think would distract me from the fact that it’s 77° outside. Now that I can (mostly) breathe, I want to go running. This Christmas-flows-right-into-flu-season thing has thrown me off my running schedule .I haven’t been in a month! I don’t think running a 10k is feasible. I’m only at a 5k right now, and I only have a month left. I think maybe I take one more night off. I’ll be through with my prednisone course by Sunday, and then I can start running again. And really hope that I’m a fast learner. Because I have a lot of running left to cover.
January 25, 2013 at 10:51 am |
Ahhhh breathing on purpose. Such luxury!!!
D glad you’re getting better
January 25, 2013 at 12:30 pm |
It must absolutely SUCK to not be able to breathe!
January 25, 2013 at 3:06 pm |
Glad you are getting better. Don’t pressure yourself to run the 10K – breathing, resting and taking care of yourself are much more important.
January 25, 2013 at 8:36 pm |
Don’t try to do too much too soon. I hope you are feeling wonderful very soon. Then you can run!