Badass-matic
You’ll probably have to zoom in on these images, but do any of the drug labels on my IV pole look familiar to you? You may have heard of these drugs before, but you might not beware that they are also used in the critical care treatment of severe asthma exacerbations, what they call status … Read moreAsthma party drugs
This is a generic notebook that they give ICU patients at the hospital I go to when my asthma gets really bad. With it, they encourage patients and their families to keep a sort of diary, which often times can help in with the persons recovery. I have a stack of them at home. Well … Read moreICU angels
I post my personal hospital bills from time to time to show how incredibly expensive an asthma exacerbation in the San Francisco day area can be, but this one takes the cake. At first glance $56,000 may seem like a drop in the bucket compared to some of my other hospital bills. That is, until … Read moreSticker shock
Didn’t I just blog about my 133rd hospitalization for asthma? Well make that 134 now. This is getting F’ing ridiculous. This latest flare wasn’t triggered by some massive chest infection or the flu, but by a simple cold….aka Rhinovirus. Id been feeling pretty decent in recent weeks, but just like millions of other people during … Read moreA common cold with not so common asthma
My 133rd hospitalization occurred on 10-9-2017. The trigger wasn’t the usual environmental allergies or resp infection, this time it was smoke from wildfires that have been devastating portions of northern California the past couple weeks. I woke that morning (4am) to a house full of smoke . It was so bad, we had to put … Read moreMy 133rd hospitalization for asthma
So my asthma is acting up again and I feel like I have the proverbial elephant sitting on my chest. I say my asthma is acting up, but in actuality it’s always acting up. So I guess what I really mean is that my symptoms are ramping up from my norm, getting more intense by … Read morePrelude to an asthma flare
Back in the old days when you got sick and ended up in the hospital, it was probably because your primary care doctor put you there. Boy, have times changed. Nowadays you have one set of doctors who see you in the clinic when you’re doing well, another set of doctors who see you if … Read moreDid you bring a note ?
Not sure what’s going on. Since 2003 when my asthma started to get really bad, it was for the most part, relatively stable and the symptoms tolerable for several months at a time. Even the exacerbations, while still very severe on occasion, were somewhat predictable. Likewise, my lung function, specifically my FEV1 and FVC, though … Read moreNo matter how well I take care of myself
If you’ve suffered from asthma for any length of time and/or have been hospitalized for it, no doubt you’ve experienced some of the not so pleasant side effects of corticosteroids, or possible psychosis from being in the intensive care unit for any length of time. Being in and out of the hospital and on steroids … Read moreICU delirium got a hold on me
The search term “Intubation” comes up fairly often on my blog’s traffic logs, so I thought I take a moment to write about it. Lord knows I’ve had my share of them. I truly hope your asthma never gets to point where you actually need to be intubated and put on a ventilator, but here’s … Read moreWhat’s it like to be intubated for asthma?
Think a severe asthma exacerbation only effects your lungs? Check out the photos below. Each photo was taken appx 2-3 weeks after being discharged from the hospital after a serious asthma flare. Dehydrated? Perhaps, but interestingly, most people retain water while on prednisone. The thing about frequent severe asthma exacerbations and frequent use of steroids, … Read moreThe wonderful side effects of frequent asthma flares
Most people will tell you Im one of the sweetest, most caring people you’ll ever meet. But make no mistake, when Im recovering from a bad asthma exacerbation, I can become an obnoxious asshole… I get anxious, I get irritable, I get angry and nasty all at the same time. I snap at everyone and … Read moreIm an A hole when Im sick
Oh goody, another post about asthma exacerbation recovery. After being discharged from the hospital only 3 days ago, it’s probably a little early to be writing about this topic again, but something is definitely different this time around. The recovery seems excruciatingly slow( gee, where have I heard that before?). In my mind I should … Read moreThe impatient patient