Ive been trying my best to tough this one out at home, but I’m starting to get really tired which is not a good thing. If I end up on a ventilator because I waited too long to come in , I’ll really look like an idiot. So, I’m gonna bite the bullet now, and go in for treatment while I still have a chance for a quick recovery. I’ll be at the following prison…UCSF until further notice.

Had a great time and a stronger than expected finish at yesterday race. My final race results aren’t in yet due to a technical glitch, but I think I finished in about 3:07 , which is much faster than I anticipated and probably why I’m having problems today.

I felt fine immediately after the race, but as I was driving home, I could feel myself getting increasingly tighter and short of breath. By the time I made it home 2 hours later, my peak flows had fallen from 350 to 190 and I was tight as a drum.
I ended up staying awake all last night taking nebs treatments every hour with only minimal relief. Earlier this morning I bumped up my pred to 60mg, but they haven’t kicked in yet, or I’m not reacting to them

My doctor wants me to go to the hospital, but I’m really not in the mood to be tortured right now. I’m sore enough as it is..I can barely walk. I did however, promise her that I’d go in if things didn’t turn around by later today.

Bottom line, I might have exacerbated myself by over-doing it at yesterdays race. I shouldn’t have tried to racewalk the entire 13 mile distance , but I was feeling pretty good at the time and just couldn’t resist. It could have been that I had an exacerbation brewing and didn’t know it ( happens all the time to me). Exerting myself hard for 3 hours my have pushed me over the edge..Who know really knows what the trigger was.

I’ll have a proper race report up in a few days ( if I’m not in the hospital). Hope everyone else did well at their respective races!

PS…Check this out…what an amazing runner!

California’s fastest half-marathon lived up to its billing Sunday as American Meb Keflezighi set a new U.S. 20k record and bettered his personal best by 25 seconds winning the Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon in a time of 1:01:00. Keflezighi’s 20k split of 57:52 broke Ryan Hall’s standing 20K record of 57:54 set in 2006.

In case you didn’t get a chance to read the SARP’s study on asthma titled “Lung Function in Adults with Stable but Severe asthma”, here’s a postcast where they interview Ronald Sorkness, a physiologist at the University of Wisconsin and the lead author of the study.

Dr Sorkness does a great job of explaining the basics of asthma as well as the research the SARP is doing, in trying to find out what makes the severe form of the disease different from the milder forms. This is the same SARP study that I will be participating in later this year. Listen here

I rarely ever do these question and answer things , but some of my favorite asthmatics are doing it and it’s for a good cause…. so what the heck.

1. The illness I live with is: asthma
2. I was diagnosed with it : at the age of 2
3. But I had symptoms since: birth in 1954
4. The biggest adjustment I’ve had to make is: learning to live WITH the disease.
5. Most people assume: because I’m able to walk marathons, that I’m totally healthy
6. The hardest part about mornings are: that they end too soon.
7. My favorite medical TV show is: I don’t watch medical TV shows.
8. A gadget I couldn’t live without is: my Mp3 player.
9. The hardest part about nights are: making it through them.
10. Each day I take 12 pills, 3 inhalers and 6 nebulizer treatments .
11. Regarding alternative treatments I: have tried just about everything.
12. If I had to choose between an invisible illness or visible I would choose: probably an invisible one.
13. Regarding working and career: I chose something I was very familiar with…..Respiratory Therapy.
14. People would be surprised to know: that I have interests other than asthma.
15. The hardest thing to accept about my new reality has been: I was born with this disease, so it’s always been part of my reality.
16. Something I never thought I could do with my illness that I did was: become the first person with severe lung disease ever to finish the Boston marathon.
17. The commercials about my illness: I think this one depicts it the best.
18. Something I really miss doing since I was diagnosed is: taking my breathing for granted.
19. It was really hard to have to give up: Ive never given up anything because of my asthma, Ive always found ways around it.
20. A new hobby I have taken up since my diagnosis is: Searching for a cure.
21. If I could have one day of feeling normal again I would: RUN a marathon and savor every moment of it.
22. My illness has taught me: that I’m a lot stronger than I thought.
23. Want to know a secret? One thing people say that gets under my skin is: I’m an inspiration
24. But I love it when people: tell me that Ive made a positive impact on their life.
25. My favorite motto, scripture, quote that gets me through tough times is: “life isn’t about how to survive the storm, But learning how to dance in the rain”
26. When someone is diagnosed I’d like to tell them:that they’re  not alone.
27. Something that has surprised me about living with an illness is: that I would meet so many interesting and kind people.
28. The nicest thing someone did for me when I wasn’t feeling well was: stayed by my side till the crisis was over.
29. I’m involved with Invisible Illness Week because: believe it or not, Ive been guilty myself on occasion of judging people by their outward appearance. Shame on me.
30. The fact that you read this list makes me feel: that you’re interested in my answers.

Find out more about National Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness Week and the 5-day free virtual conference with 20 speakers Sept 14-18, 2009 at invisibleillness.com

Yup, I’m a severe asthmatic and my stress reliever is a cat! How weird is that.