A common cold with not so common asthma

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 flu season…. I caught a cold. I didn’t even think it was that severe. I had a runny nose, a mild sore throat and head congestion, but no major fevers or body aches. As luck would have it though, my lungs decided to get in on the act and 4 days later I ended up on a ventilator in respiratory failure, spending Christmas in the hospital.

Overall though, I emerged from this exacerbation fairly unscathed. My asthma responded well to treatment, and other than the usual steroid withdrawals and the lingering effects of the cold, I’ve almost fully recovered now. Still, spending 9 more days of my life in a hospital intensive care unit because of asthma and a cold isn’t cause for celebration. Hopefully 2018 will bring fewer of these severe exacerbations.

Moral of the story, if you have asthma or any chronic lung condition, you are at a much higher risk for complications from a cold or the flu. Even if you’ve had the flu shot ( which wasn’t very effective this year), don’t mess around. Contact your doctor right away if your asthma starts acting up.