1. Comedy makes me laugh really hard (duh!). Thus I rate comedy shows on the official Asthmagirl  Inhaler Lung Scale (AILS) which is similar to how scientists predict earthquakes except far more exact.
2. Most comedy festivals are in downtown Seattle which is triple jeopardy for the lungs; bus diesel, parking garages AND laughing as hard as you can...? Time for AILS!

So the two headliners were:

Mike Birbiglia and... 

Kathleen Madigan!

While the two opening comedians were very good, these two had me reaching for the inhaler multiple times. (Yes, laughter is a trigger!).

Kathleen Madigan alone? We saw her last year. She was a 4.5 on the AILS.... Kathleen Madigan and Mike Birbiglia? They scored an all time high at 6!

Thus, on Sunday I was struggling with how bad my chest hurt from both coughing as hard as I could and laughing until I cried!

I would far rather have asthma issues from laughter than anything else though!

AG out!

• Co-workers that helped me through the worst asthma attack in years (see Living with Asthma)
• My beloved Dr. M. who invariably finds a place in his completely booked schedule to see me
• Short dose of steroids which although keeping me up most of the night, appears to be motivating the lungs to do all the right things 
• The brute squad for laying on me and cheering me up
• TOG for reminding me to take all my meds
• Having a recliner which enables me to sleep upright until my lungs can handle laying down.
• My boss for finally understanding how mortifying my asthma is to me
• My laptop Guido, for letting me get the bulk of my work done remotely last week
• K2 and K3 for helping around the house

I'm still trying to process everything that's happened the last few days... it feels like I'm in a fog which is likely due to a tremendous lack of sleep and lots of breathing treatments. But I'm really trying to take to heart what I need to learn from last week so that I can do better next time. I'm thinking kitch-y inhaler necklace!

I'm also trying to be patient because the things that I want to do right now are going to take a couple more weeks of recovery to do well. I'd love to hike Rattlesnake Ledge again for mother's day, but TOG has to work and I'm pretty sure my lungs would pop right out of my chest if I tried to gain altitude. I'm just now walking up the stairs without passing out at the top!

What I am doing is bringing a homemade lunch to my coworkers....

...the ones that went for my inhaler, got me to my car, started my breathing treatments and sat with me through the after effects of medication. I want to thank them with something I made with my own hands, something I took the time and trouble over. It's the least I can do...

Do you have something you're thankful for?

Asthmagirl out

Someone at work did. I was at the sink washing my hands when she came running and threw the microwave door open and the smoke rolled out. I couldn't help but cough as I backed away and retreated to my office around the corner. I was surprised moments later when the smoke penetrated into my office through the air system. It only took moments for me to realize that I needed to leave the building quickly. This is the beginning of NOT recognizing what is happening. I paused to think about what I might need and grabbed my work keys so I wouldn't be locked out.

Things I didn't grab:

• inhaler
• coat
• purse
• cellphone
• car keys

The result had me living one of my worst moments... a full blown asthma attack in front of my boss, fellow managers and the girl with the neck pillow. And there was nothing I could do to stop it. I could not even get enough air to say "inhaler". Fortunately, one of the managers knew what to do and sent someone for my inhaler. I'm on my knees now out on the sidewalk and once I had the inhaler, it took 6 or 7 hits before I could quit coughing and catch my breath. This lead to lightheadedness, uncontrolable shaking and chattering teeth. They got me up and to my car where I got my portable nebulizer out and did an Atrovent treatment. While staff came out to check on me regularly, one manager sat in my car with me for over an hour until my breathing was stable enough to drive myself home. 

When I got home, I got the word from TOG that I made another poor decision in not having someone call him. Apparently my reputation for making poor decisions in the midst of asthmatic distress is legion and TOG would have felt better about calling the shots than having folks at work wondering what to do for me. I confess that I was far more concerned with breathing than I was calling home but in hind site, it would have been a smart thing to do.

Now I'm just pondering how to help my lungs recover quickly. Hopefully a moderate amound of meds a couple more days down time will put things back on the right track.

My friend M, at work told me in the first meeting on Tuesday that she kept watching me because although "I'm used to you being so freakin' pale, it's the first time I've seen you with no color to your lips. I thought you were either going to turn blue or fall out of the chair!" How odd... I felt like I was coping well at that point...

From the blog front, I'm trying to make my way back to visiting everyone. I keep getting distracted by a)the huge pile of dishes in the sink and b) all the dust bunnies drifting across the kitchen floor. How did that happen in just a few days? Anyway... I stopped by the Respiratory Therapy Cave and morphed to Rick's blog where I learned about the seven benefits of asthma. So far, I rate myself four out of seven... I have developed perspective, vulnerability, empathy and sharing. I have yet to develop religiosity, intelligence or cleanliness. I really have my doubts about ever developing the cleanliness, but my asthma doesn't have a problem with dust mites or that attitude might change! And the intelligence thing... there are times when I still feel no more intelligent about my asthma than I did 6 years ago. And just for the record, I used to celebrate in kind of a wacko way, my anniversary of becoming an asthmatic, but now I feel blase' about it. It was however six years ago in February of 2003. *confetti* Time flies!

And now... I really want to be non asthmatic for a while! I'm totally burnt out on this winter thing... and this breathing thing... and the bad air crap! It snowed again this morning. It's almost March for goodness sake. I've got a serious yen to run or hike or bike or something. Especially biking... I stare at my bike every morning when I go out to get in my car. I dream of an exotic new bike helmet... I want to throw my camera over my shoulder and take off into the mountains... I've been drooling over a new lens for the last month! I swing back and forth between "I must have it" and "It's awfully expensive, I should wait". The thing is, the used ones on eBay are almost the same price as the new ones at one of the online stores. I've got it in a shopping cart online, I just can't press the "buy it now" button. How pathetic!

Enough Blathering! Have a wonderful day! Dream of spring! And Sandals!

Clue: Biscuit dough

Answer:...?

Clue: Wall paper paste

Answer: What is things that are white?

Clue: Pie crust

Answer: What is dough? Dough-y?

Clue: Spud like

Answer: What are mashed potatoes?

Clue: It lives

Answer: Asthmagirl's pasty white face! *confetti, applause*

And no, I'm not posting a picture of it. I don't know why I turn whiter than white when I can't breathe... must be that stupid oxygen thing.

The worst appears to be over. I can tell this because instead of sleeping for 12 hours last night, I slept for about 4.5. All systems back to normal! I swear, I will never skip the flu shot again! I was on the phone with our wireless phone dude yesterday.... I'm croaking at him, he's croaking at me and we're both bemoaning the fact that we never got around to the flu shot and sharing what therapies work the best. FYI, he swears by theraflu severe cold- daytime formula. I prefer to max out on tylenol and vitamin water!

So what did I miss while I was jousting with the airways?

Spent yesterday in my jammie's sleeping. Dizzy. Headache.

Bodes well for the dinner meeting I have to lead tonight.

Yours in dizziness....

AG

I was reading some of the reveiws of the top 25 blogs in Time magazine. Each of the summaries showed a sample entry topic for that blog and then "the entry you will never see."

For Example, from the blog Zen Habits...

"The blog excels at offering specific strategies to improve and simplify your life (16 Ways to Get Motivated When You're In a Slump, 20 Ways to Eliminate Stress from Your Life, 30 Simple Family Pleasures.) This is the rare blog that can actually improve your everyday life."

Sample Zen Habits post: Here are my simple steps to achieving Email Zen: 1) Don't check email first thing in the morning, or have it constantly on...

Entry you'll never see: Whenever you find yourself feeling a bit down, there's no better pick-me-up than treating yourself to a shopping spree.

All of this got me thinking about what my sample post would be... Let's try this:

"While carrying your Chihuahua on a hike, stop wheezing long enough to point your camera at the nearest peak, try to capture any interesting "light" in the photo that can be remarked upon later as you write your blog while wearing comfortable shoes, craving coffee, dithering about your hair and discussing food. Oh... and breathe!"

And the entry you'll never see...

"Going shoe shopping at the mall is fantasitc... all the exhaust from idling SUVs as I dart across the parking lot, the smokers providing the welcoming puffs in front of the entry way, the scents and perfumes wafting from Nordstroms... Macy's... Body Shop, the young men covered in Battle Axe "maiden bait"... It is a feast for the senses!"

Which made me wonder what y'all would say on your blogs! Or not say! Well...?

Then the weather got so cold I busted out the gloves and hat yesterday...

Today I wake up to this...

And this....

So much for my thoughts of running soon...

I'm so ready for spring.

Asthmagirl out

PS~ I realize this is nothing for other areas of the country. I feel pathetic whining about snow. But we're just not used to it here....

I was browsing through my photo files and found this picture from December when it was so cold and snowy.

I can't think of any other reason Maddie would allow Cassie to lay on top of her!

The other picture I found that I liked is this one.

K2/Girlfriend commented yesterday about my Bad Wife episode and the lack of sweeping. She's right. This guy did sweep my kitchen floor last week when he dropped by to see her. This is K4, K2's inamorato love interest companion good friend. They're not dating. Much. Which explains why he's sweeping my kitchen....

It may take a while to resume the bad wife chronicles. I cleaned out the fridge and wiped one of the shelves last night at 11:00. I'm not sure what came over me. I'll do better!

What will you do today?

Asthmagirl out!

In the meantime, the lungs are gone on hiatus. In a big way...

Hopefully they'll come back from their beach trip rested and ready to work!

In other news, we have a new recruit at our house. Remember this guy? Percy?

I'm not kidding when I say I have used this little mandoline almost daily since I got it for Christmas in 2007. We have done more salads and soups and potato salads and apple pies and the list goes on and on. Unfortunately, his little blade is not sharpenable (is that a word) or removable/replaceable. So our last few games have been eventful. Basically, he still shaves onions but he's terrified of leeks or carrots. He's being benched! Poor guy...

Meet his large, steroidal cousin, Maurice...

Maurice came to us via an incredible trade with Costco. His stats are great! And Maurice's blades can be changed out. Maurice isn't going to take any crap from a leek. And you carrots that think you're all buff and what not? Maurice is gonna slice you up.

Thin.

Paper thin.

He may even julienne you if you get in his face.

I think we're going to play an exhibition game tonight. Maurice vs. The Chicken Pot Pie Veggies.

I'll referee!

Asthmagirl out!