NEW DEVELOPMENTS - NOVEMBER 20, 2009

Both Mum-mum and I have had a lot of fun this week. Time brings its own wisdom and we both learned something new. Mum-mum aunt died at age 52 after an asthma attack before I was born. Her older sister has reminded her of it. During the forest fires this summer getting a complete breath was difficult for her and many others. The doctor said she would set up a test at the hospital and she would hear from them when an appointment was available. She was given a prescription for a puffer that said to stop immediately if it caused certain increased problems. One puff was enough to make her stop immediately. A friend told her about a product called RespirActin at Nature’s Fare, composed of various herbs that had helped them. Also she bought a bottle of Aerobic Oxygen used by runners esecially when walking up our steep hill while carrying groceries. This week a call from our local hospital saying they could work her in for my appointment this week. She told the nurse she was gradually doing better since the forest fires were contained and now felt she should save this cost to the health system. The nurse replied it would be left in her hands to take the next step.

Mum-mum had also learned to think about it when takineach breath. A friend said that learned to take a deep breath to the count of three, and then breathe out with a count of seven – pushing out that last bit of stale air that may be lingering at the bottom of the lungs. Years ago when gtheir young son asked if he could have a dog my husband was delighted because dogs had always been part of his life as a youth. From that point, they enjoyed having a dog and other small pets including turtles that hatched out in our back yard. She now has had the opportunity to see what it is like to share my home with a kitten. That call from the hospital this week about the breathing appointment caused me to consider the possibility of cat dander being harmful in the future. "How quickly I had forgotten the feeling of desperation one gets when it is hard to get a full breath of air and now am so grateful for friends as we share thoughts, advice and the challenge of and being responsible for taking care of ourselves in simple ways and being careful regarding our own health. It is good that I never took up smoking when so many others were saying it was so 'cool' to do it." Mum-mum said.