Spring Cleaning

Keep telling myself that asthma doesn't get in the way of my normal life. 

Just occasionally it creeps up and says boo! Like today. 

Today, I decided to sort out my overcrowded kitchen worktops. To see just exactly what was taking up the space and could I re-arrange toaster, coffee maker, kettle, 2 microwaves, several pots containing wooden spoons, spurtle, ladle etc, etc. We'd bought ourselves a bread maker - makes very good bread - and needed space for that too.  

Pre bronchitis this year, I would've done the whole thing in couple of hours. To my surprise, this time I ran out of energy pretty well near the start. Had a wee seat and a cuppa.  Did a bit more, thinking where has my energy gone? Another longer seat, looked at emails and had another cuppa. Finished off with a quick tidy up of the surfaces ie put kettle back in usual position and cleaning stuff back in cupboard. Promised myself to do some more tomorrow.  

Its a puzzle cos most days, weeks even, I'm fine. Holiday weekend, I weeded for most of an afternoon with only one break. Get a bit out of breath on a brisk walk to the other end of our main street. Most folk would. But this? This was a bit puzzling. 

Went off to Starbucks for usual coffee and took my book. Just walking up the stairs with the tray had me out of puff again. Sat back and started on my fruit bread. Cough, cough. OK, take a deep breath and try a drink of coffee. Splutter, cough. Hadn't done that for ages! Ventolin ahoy! 

Two puffs and settled back with my book. Fine again, took my fruit bread and coffee.  

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Most times I have an easy life and completely forget (apart from the twice daily inhale) that I have asthma. Like yesterday, when someone came to the door with a survey on local transport. Did I have a car, use public transport, ride a bike, etc. 

"How is your health?"

"Fine" I said happily. 

"OK, so no long term conditions?"

"None. Oh wait a minute, yes!" I stammered "I forgot. I have asthma."

We both laugh as I explain it's a relatively recent diagnosis.  

Living with asthma? It has its funny moments. 

World Asthma Day - London/Birmingham!

Well! As Olive was saying, last week was World Asthma Day! Me and Emzieness spent a good portion of our day campaigning for Asthma UK! We left Leicester at about 7.15 to travel to Birmingham, to speak at a conference for P.E Teachers and School Nurses about our experiences with both. The Day was run by the George Coller Memorial Fund. This is a charity set up by a mum after her young boy died of asthma. There was about 20 Asthma Nurses there, and a consultant spoke aswell. It was a fantastic morning, and I learned a lot.

That evening we headed off to London to the Parliamentary reception at the Houses of Commons. It was great. There was a lot of MP's there, and a few people got up and spoke, including a 19 year old who had managed to get his asthma controlled due to the help of a fantastic asthma nurse. He highlighted that having asthma hasn't stopped him from doing anything that he wants to since he was able to get it under control. We spoke to a lot of MP's, and tried to get them to start taking more notice of asthma, and not brushing it under the table as "not serious".

Asthma control is very important. Thanks to having my asthma controlled I've been able to go SCUBA diving, do a Sky jump off the Sky tower in New Zealand, go Skiing and Travel the world for 3 months. Having asthma is not something that should stop you from doing many activities, and I know in some cases it is hard to get control of your asthma, but hopefully with the help of Asthma UK, more drugs will be funded and found!

Anyway, On the Wednesday myself and Clarebear went to London Zoo, It was a fantastic day out, even though we were both wrecked by the end of the day!

So what did everyone else get up to for LimeLight?

Here's some pictures! The first is the official one from Birmingham, and the second is one of mine from London!

Asthma in the Limelight- Scotland

To kick off asthma in the limelight and all the fundraising associated with it I went to Waverley Train Station with a women who works with AUK and some other volunteers to do a bucket collection for AUK. We were equipped with our buckets, stickers, lime green AUK t shirts and to top it all off a lime green curly wig!!! It was a great day a little cold at times but all in a good cause.

While collecting I had some interesting comments. Alot of people wanted to buy my wig and pffering alot of money for it but sadly I had to recline the offer (I grew attached to it after a while). Other people comment that asthma wasnt real and some people said they werent going to gove to an asthma charity cause it wasnt a worthwhile cause but if it was for cancer they would ahve donated. This really hit me hard at how people feel about asthma. The stats are horrific for asthma and yet people still dont aknowledge it along with other very serious diseases. In Scotland we didnt do anythign major for World Asthma Day because today Wednesday we have a Cross Party Group meeting in the Scottish Parliament whihc I am going to later today but I need to find my smart clothes first!!!!

Hope everyone else had a good day and week. Off to parliament.

Below is a photo of me ready for a day of collecting!!!!

Amazing Day Out!

On may day bank holiday i decided that i would go with my friends for an outing to the seaside. I got myself all organised and well equipted with my nebuliser, nebules, pain killers, wheelchair and other disablity accessories (disabled key and badge).
Told my passengers that i would be stopping for a neb break on route to keep my lungs in there normal routine.
Arrived at Bridlington couldnt find the disabled bays so parked in an ordinary parking space, I have not done that for so long, the spaces are so small it was quite amusing really, went to find out how much it was to park and discovered i could still use my disabled badge :D so it was free!
Got the wheelchair out, interesting in a normal parking space, went out to find my other friends who had arrived before us due to me needing to stop for neb break.
We must have looked an amusing sight, i was in my wheelchair and one of my friends who was pushing was wearing her inline skates. We had a great laugh!
Over all it was a great day out, as i had planned ahead we did not have any problems and all went smoothly and i was able to keep up with my friends.
Living with asthma you can live a normal life just by planning a little in advance and having people who do not mind pushing you around in a wheelchair or walking slowly with you.
I am now considering however purchasing a scooter so i can get a little more independance as i know there would have been no way i could have walked from the north beach to the south beach i definitely needed the wheelchair.
Just to encourage other asthmatics, plan ahead and you can have fun even with Brittle asthma!