tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75476945988040550232024-03-05T14:05:39.478-06:00Join the Club!Coming to terms with chronic illnessKathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00069301265040853403noreply@blogger.comBlogger105125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7547694598804055023.post-52998424177936170282012-03-16T23:10:00.012-05:002012-03-17T23:10:15.243-05:00Rage at the Machine<p><a title="By Suimasentyottohensyuushimasuyo (Own work) [GFDL (www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-SA-3.0 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)], via Wikimedia Commons" href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3ATrackball-Kensington-ExpertMouse5.jpg"><img width="512" alt="Trackball-Kensington-ExpertMouse5" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/96/Trackball-Kensington-ExpertMouse5.jpg/512px-Trackball-Kensington-ExpertMouse5.jpg" /></a></p><br /><div><br />A combination of this have kept me away from here. I'm fixing to graduate college and so I'm looking for an adult job. I've also been pretty busy with all my class schedule stuff too. I don't know what it has been but I've also somewhat lacked motivation/flow throughout to write something and put forth the effort to blog. </div><div></div><br /><div>I've been having some problems between keyboard and chair with my laptop. I guess some of it could perhaps be attributed to a feature which in my personal opinion could be seen as a bit of a design flaw. I'm sure that the designers were well intentioned with taking away the button of the mouse on the newer Macbooks. In theory it sounds awesome to have a computer where there is no need to hit a specific mouse button to make it click rather the whole trackpad is a button if you will. I don't know why I can't wrap my head around the motor skills needed to take care of getting things clicked on and staying clicked, to for example drag and drop. </div><div><br /></div><div>You don't realize just how much you drag and drop things to make daily computer activity happen until you can't. There are ways around this of course. I've taken to copying things by command line rather than dragging and dropping them from one folder to the next. Sure it takes a few more taps 0f the keyboard but results in infinitely less frustration and is much quicker for me to do. I have found that trying to turn on the sticky keys type feature for the drag and drop of the trackpad is in fact more problematic rather than less. I end up inadvertently dragging things around when I mean to click on something instead. I realise the longterm solution is to learn the motor skills needed to drag and drop things on this style of trackpad where I cannot have my thumb on the button while I use my index or middle finger to drag something around the screen. </div><br /><div>I have experienced no end to the frustration of knowing exactly what I need to do to take care of this and yet not having the ability to master the skill needed to make it happen. I feel like i'm back in first grade trying to learn how to write all over again. I have no problems using a mouse either of the traditional variety or of the trackball variety(my preference actually). I am throughoutly embarrassed as a person who repairs PC's all day long that I cannot work on my own computer. I am reduced to controlling my computer via hot keys, command line, and plugging in a usb mouse which is not very conducive to being on the go with a laptop. </div><div>If I ever want to own another mac with the direction they are taking the computers I will need to learn how to deal with multitouch trackpads in order to be functional other wise I'll probably be headed back to Linux. </div><div><br /></div><div>This probably sounds all sounds a little nuts to someone not stuck inside a body that refuses to respond to fine motor skill learning in a normal fashion. I know the steps and can't make them happen. This is frustrating and will reduce me to tears on occasion. Welcome to my life. I appologize that this has been a bit of a whiney/rant post. I realize that in the grand scheme of accessibility computer challenges this is relatively minor and I do count my blessings. I do have other things to blog about soon-ish as well that should be less rage-ish. </div>Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00069301265040853403noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7547694598804055023.post-2546449919493769362012-01-03T22:16:00.006-06:002012-01-03T23:52:21.863-06:00New Year time to get off my ***So 2011 was more or less uneventful-ish. I walk/ran/swam/erg'd 1100km that I remembered to log on daily mile. Did a few races including my first triathlon(super short sprint). My asthma and allergies were pretty much stable. Same meds, same jabs at various frequencies with allergens. No prednisone, ER visits, or epipens used! New diagnosis: PCOS. Same admonishments to loose weight and get in shape.<br /><br />I admit to being inconsistent at doing goals and stuff and sticking to them. But here's some hopes/dreams/goals whatever you want to call them for 2012:<br /><br /><ol><li>Get the heck off symbicort or at least on less symbicort(Dr. B said if the winter goes well he'd consider changing my asthma meds but didn't elaborate)I'd like my voice back to normal</li><li>Finish a Marathon.(I'm hoping for the St. Louis Rock & Roll marathon in October)</li><li>Reach the top of the Rock Climbing Wall(I just learned to belay about a month and a half ago)</li><li>Weigh less than 80kg/175lbs (would put me out of the "obese" bmi range)</li><li>Faster time at the same Sprint Triathlon.</li><li>Finish rowing/erging my million meters.</li><li>Finish Half Marathon (Looking at the Go Girl! Run in Mid Missouri in May) Corollary to #2.</li><li>Do the fitness <a href="http://www.fourmilab.ch/hackdiet/www/subsection1_2_5_0_3.html#SECTION0250300000000000000">ladder</a> workout daily.</li><li>Get a "real" adult job.</li><li>Significantly reduce the amount of soda/sugared soft drinks I consume. </li></ol><br />I'm going to endeavor to accomplish these things I hope my list isn't too long however, I feel like it helps that most of the goals overlap. Here's to a fitter 2012.Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00069301265040853403noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7547694598804055023.post-43156035599369229562011-12-05T22:17:00.004-06:002011-12-05T23:02:17.758-06:00What me a writer?!?!I was chatting with <a href="http://kerriontheprairies.com/">Kerri</a> tonight on facebook and mentioned that I'm not really sure if I should keep up with writing here. I will be the first to admit I'm not really much of a writer. I mean I can write a research paper like nobody's business. I have an analytical scientific mind, always have probably always will. This whole blogging thing... not so much my strong suit. As you can see senior year (take 2, yep I'm a 5th year) has been keeping me pretty busy and away from the computer.<br /><br />However, there are weekends like this past weekend where I feel like I'm barely human. I do homework between naps and spend a lot of my time in bed with my laptop or propped up with pillows on the floor with books or my laptop around me trying to get studying done. By the time 8 or 9pm rolls around I'm so worn out that there just isn't anyway I'm going to get to have fun Friday night plans. I might stay up to watch something on Netflix but otherwise nothing wild is happening here. Just gonna take my evening meds, a dose of ventolin to keep my lungs open while I sleep and curl up in bed. The part of this that makes it so hard is that I *only* have a cold. It's isolating to have friends who don't get it. Yes, I'm not well, but no I'm not going to completely put my life on hold. Sometimes I just need to scream at the world.<br /><br />I also don't need the sympathy good job from my friends when I finish yet another 5k in 40 some odd minutes. Guess what you all are healthy 20 year olds whose brains process motor skills instructions in a "normal" fashion. At the end of the race not only are my lungs yelling at me, my brain is too. It is just as fatigued as my muscles from the coordination efforts required. I realize that until you've walked a mile in my shoes(or intermittently fast forward motioned it) and I in yours neither of us will 'get it'. Life isn't perfect, I realize I've got it pretty good my future is bright but sometimes I just need to say how I feel without fear of judgement or sympathy or belittling of my achievement or current health situation.<br /><br />One thing that has definitely always been a barrier to me really developing my writing that I didn't even really think about until recently is that handwriting is something I've struggled with. Keeping a journal is just never been my thing. I can't seem to keep and even keel to my writing in terms of spacing, pressure to the pen, and just general flow. Don't ask me why I excel at typing as a motor skill and suck so much at printing out my words. Perhaps some of the blame falls to the evolution of society as a whole. We have moved away from the handwritten word and towards electronic composition. Typing is a skill I need to survive. My slow sloppy inconsistent handwriting gets me by for the things that I need it to, like writing checks and short notes to people.Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00069301265040853403noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7547694598804055023.post-44201139673484824022011-12-03T18:34:00.005-06:002011-12-03T23:07:57.856-06:00Turkey Trot 2011: A Race ReportHey Y'all.<br />Clearly the whole National Blog Month thing didn't go very well for me. I did however do a 5k on November 20th. It was right above freezing. My lungs weren't very happy campers (read at least 6 puffs of ventolin was involved in this adventure). I didn't have a very good finish time: 45:37, official times TBA. I did jog quite a bit. I also felt like I was breathing shards-o-glass. I'm pretty sure I finished last. I was too busy balling my hands up in side my jacket to take pictures. The temperature didn't get me so much as the wind. It was an okay time. I think the fitness goals for the winter are going to shift more towards swimming or rowing or something indoorsy.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbR6_NN8JmTfJV81UByGB5p4bbz9GsuJxjbyIhFUNB6ZyOUzKuusEeGjZ0ZOjQMqYlFs5J1Z22lpMeT5wDDGiFSKY6AwKIl9gIkSS4Z7PagEyxb6DP-M2xvaKViks4D2uQ5yR4gFpit6E/s1600/turkeyTrot11.png" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 151px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbR6_NN8JmTfJV81UByGB5p4bbz9GsuJxjbyIhFUNB6ZyOUzKuusEeGjZ0ZOjQMqYlFs5J1Z22lpMeT5wDDGiFSKY6AwKIl9gIkSS4Z7PagEyxb6DP-M2xvaKViks4D2uQ5yR4gFpit6E/s320/turkeyTrot11.png" border="0" alt="Nike Plus graph with a large number of peaks and valley's of the 5k run. Started at 10:01am, distance 5.31km Time 47:15" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5682133626106788674" /></a>As you can see quite a spikey intermittent forward motion fitness event. I know the distance and time are a bit off. I started it a little early and ended it a little late(the water cooler was mighty tempting). I did get to try out a new bra "shock absorber" quite nice, really keeps the girls from bouncing pretty well. The course was around St. Louis University's campus, which is decently pretty. The markings would've been better had the weather not been kind of a foggy/misty/dampness outside since they used sidewalk chalk. All on sidewalk which was nice. Quite a few decent hills which is where most of the slow downs in speed comes from. The track club which puts the event together was out at every turn to point you in the right direction. Maybe about 50-75 people did the event, which was a benefit for the canned food drive/campus food pantry in the holiday season. It was good to get back in the saddle even if it wasn't a PR by a long shot.<br /><br />At present fitness is kind of on hold. I'm working on a nice cold thing that has gone down to my lungs. It was up in my head most of this week and then moved down into my chest over the last 24 hours or so. Which is fun or something. So far just a nasty cough and short of breath. Not much peakflow drop which is good I guess. Homework has got me pretty well buried. Finals are not this week but the next. I'll try to be more bloggy, as finals permit.Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00069301265040853403noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7547694598804055023.post-44965904055843160582011-11-03T23:38:00.005-05:002011-11-04T00:08:01.293-05:00NaBloPoMo #3<a title='By Gary M. Stolz, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons' href='http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AEasternWildTurkey.jpg'><img width='640' alt='EasternWildTurkey' src='http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bb/EasternWildTurkey.jpg/640px-EasternWildTurkey.jpg'/></a><br />So today I took the jump and am signed up for the local Turkey Trot back home it's a 5k at Local Catholic University benefiting a food bank. Yes, I walked a 9k 2 weekends ago. No, I'm not feeling ready for this 5k. Hopefully, I can do something not embarassing at it. It could be anything from sunny and in the 50's(F) to snowing and single digits(f) I have some decent cold weather tops and I have ordered some legit cold weather pants from Title 9, which should be here along with some new bras (yay!) in the next few days. Since me and athletic in the winter don't exactly go together and I should really stop wearing the aweful cotton stretch pants I've worn the last few times I went out in the frigid. I need to for reals formulate a training plan and get my butt in gear, in hopes of not finishing last. Which would probably mean a p/r cause the looking at some old results the last finishers were at like 30 minutes... Maybe I should see if it's not too late to walk the 3k instead?Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00069301265040853403noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7547694598804055023.post-44935743559177931062011-11-02T22:21:00.003-05:002011-11-02T22:28:04.166-05:00NaBloPoMo take 2So today has been a pretty lazy day, except not that lazy. I've gotten a decent amount of school stuff done, but I didn't get dressed for the day until like 2pm. I'm on the rag and for whatever reason, that makes me just want to jump out of my skin, along with attempt a diy hysterectomy. I have cramps now that I'm on the pill and have "real"-fake periods. It's an annoying occasional pulse of pain with a little bit of dull achyness in terms of cramps. However, part of the reason why I didn't put on real clothes until so late in the afternoon is because I just don't want to be touched by people or things when I'm on the rag. For whatever reason, in addition to my lungs being hypersensitive, my whole self is just hypersensitive to touch too. To add to the lung happy fun crazy times, we're also allegedly getting some snow tonight, although it's just been raining hardcore at this point. Regardless it's not supposed to be hardcore real snow, just some flurries, probably won't even stick much.Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00069301265040853403noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7547694598804055023.post-82895664129425054922011-11-01T23:30:00.003-05:002011-11-01T23:36:17.775-05:00NaBloPoMo take 1I think I got that acronym right. It's november, I'm on the rag, the lungs are cranky(oh hai 400 (66%), I didn't miss you!). I'm going to attempt this whole national blog posting month. I wouldn't be suprised if I fail at it. After all lately school has kind of eaten my life. I owe you a race report (or is it two), and a bunch of other catching up on life.I'm also woefully behind on updating my daily mile, and overall keeping up with much health related other than the taking of meds. Hopefully an attempt at a post a day will help me get back in the blogging swing of things, don't hold your breath though.Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00069301265040853403noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7547694598804055023.post-4491368858866565862011-10-22T09:55:00.003-05:002011-10-22T09:57:20.177-05:00Drive By PostinSo I haven't fallen of the face of the earth I swearzors. School has been keeping me redonkulously busy. I'm doing the Title 9k(walking) tomorrow here in Chicago with 2 friends. The lungs have been pretty copasetic and Dr. B says if this keeps up he might try to ween me off symbicort. Fingers Crossed :). Anyway I've got a whole day of exploring the city to get out and do! Hope all is well with you all and I'll try to give you a proper post soon.Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00069301265040853403noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7547694598804055023.post-70851583861296654672011-09-12T21:36:00.003-05:002011-09-12T21:59:18.092-05:00"Not Sick"<span class="Apple-style-span">. I was just so worn out from work and class and everything. The last 36hrs or so I've been brewing a nice flare after having my period last week on top of some ?fall allergy? conguestion. The conguestion has apparently migrated down into the lungs and is not playing nice. It feels like I'm running a 5k. </span><div><br /></div><div>I warn you now this is a bit of a rant. Continue at your own peril(okay it won't really be that perilous). So I was on facebook chatting with a friend, this evening. I mentioned that I kinda felt like curling in a ball.<span class="Apple-style-span"> said friend is a mild intermittent(like really intermittent I think he's had about 3 asthma flares in the 5 years I've known him). He's like "asthma isn't sick". I really wanted to jump through my computer and just smack him. It's like look I feel like shit you don't need to tell me I'm not sick you can come over here and listen to me cough and watch me curl up in a little ball and take a nap. Yes I'm not contagious but I'm also not "well". </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span">/Rant</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span">The lungs are touchy as of late I think it's a combo of coming off the rag and the allergies have my nose running like a faucet. Had a nice 70% today, they responded to ventolin though. School has been keeping me pretty busy as has my job in the IT department. So that's what's up here. :)</span></div>Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00069301265040853403noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7547694598804055023.post-58247853499010899652011-09-11T14:56:00.002-05:002011-09-11T15:05:51.009-05:00A thought or two on 9/11I was in 7th grade this day in 2001. An akward tortoise shell glasses wearing young girl, 12.5 years old, math nerd, and just about to get braces put on my teeth to correct an overbite. While that day I grew into a young woman it only partially had to do with the terrorism attack that occured that day. I was already a New York Times reading, NPR listening, investment making kind of kid. I've been going on 40 for quite some time now :P.<div><br /><div>That day I was a scared young girl. Not only because the country was under attack and my Dad's office building was being evacuated and inside a national guard controlled area. However, menarche is a date I will never forget. I had the timing to start my very first period ever a few hours into the school day on 9/11/2001. I had been somewhat prepared by school or my mom or my peers for starting my period but it was none the less scary to have it for the very first time. I will never forget 9/11/2001.</div></div>Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00069301265040853403noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7547694598804055023.post-36039596236229557612011-08-26T00:26:00.005-05:002011-08-26T10:12:14.375-05:00Post #101We'll it's been quite some time that i've been rambling along on here. I have just moved back to school for a final year of intellectual stimulation and degree completion and such. I've used way too many <a href="http://www.butyoudontlooksick.com/articles/written-by-christine/the-spoon-theory-written-by-christine-miserandino/">spoons</a> in the last few days. I'm probably going to end up sleeping it off at some point this weekend. The lungs have been decent all and all, I've been SOB a bit. However, I'm pretty sure on the list of stuff your not supposed to do with allergic asthma includes heavy lifting moving oneself into a ResHall out of the Parent's Basement, on a yellow air quality day, that you got allergy shots on...oops. So shoot me. I apologize for the lack of creative title. This post is post 101 on this blog: pretty self explanatory.
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<br /> On a tangentially related note I'm considering leaving blogger for something that doesn't make me want to tear out my hair when I try to deal with pictures. Which could have something to do with my utterlack of motorskills concerning a multi-touch trackpad. Yes, I've had a computer with one for 1.5 years and still can't do much other than pointing and clicking and two finger scroll with it. I haven't even mastered drag and drop without the physical mouse button hence my lack of OS X upgrade at present....motor skill fail. This has been kinda hard for me. I don't generally do new stuff much anymore so this whole learning motor behaviors has been kinda bringing me to tears of frustration.
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<br />A random thought: Went to the pharmacy today to pick up a symbicort refill which involved transferring it from LocalGroceryChain Store near Summer research to another store of the same chain in my college town. When the lady pulled it up in the computer the "refills were void". I know i still had refills left, I hand carried a freshly written paper copy of the script to the Pharmacy near Research this summer I had 4 refills left. Frantic call to Dr. B's office later, with the explanation that the pharmacy screwed up somehow and needed a new one called/faxed/escribed into oh-yeah my not-home-pharmacy-that-you-don't-have-on-file. Thankfully Dr. B was in and sent it in in relatively short order and I had all the relevant numbers/address/name of the pharmacy handy. Cause these things lower one's stress level on the first day of classes.
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<br />I've also been putting off a follow up with Dr. Z I'm like wwwaaayyy overdue for an annual check up cause I don't want to face the scale. I haven't really put on weight but it also hasn't disappeared. I did put in an electronic request for an appt this evening. So I should know by monday at the latest if I can sneak that in over fall break or not. I will probably have come to the end of my vials and need to make an appointment with Dr. B too over fall break. Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00069301265040853403noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7547694598804055023.post-88678037048902177622011-08-17T07:00:00.005-05:002011-08-18T00:23:28.693-05:00Wordless Wednesday: 8/17<table style="width:auto;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/S6DWzmONKYBa-dE3lcM5AhxD9HupebDXiOcsm0XyBBc?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMXgSBDNbx9xuqggdQgsk6D27S9Rakmhy4_qn4kD0qHMqiHFcWHw4MxdOtJkLWrGRTpNG6wjdrMYVFVappocx4-1T3S26_t9ddKTgtCgrm5dfIjPcGXNIpvd2FcDGucP_FD73dRsfXeFI/s144/IMG_20110716_161054.png" height="150" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:center">
<br /></td></tr></tbody></table>Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00069301265040853403noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7547694598804055023.post-70849723730155761212011-08-07T22:40:00.003-05:002011-08-08T00:22:47.070-05:00EpiPens, Heat Waves, and suchI've been somewhat away from the internet for the last few weeks. I'm in the middle of a whirlwind of moving back to my parent's house for about 3 weeks and then it's back to my college town. My EpiPens just expired(unused!) so I got some new shiney ones that don't have a year's worth of scuffs on them and pocket lint worked into the protective tube. <div><br /><div>The lungs have been pretty copasetic. I've got about half a dozen half written posts that I've been meaning to finish up about the lungs and the athletic endevors. I've done some open water swimming in the lake by the State University I did summer research at, but otherwise I've been in out of the humidity and heat which has not inspired much exercise. </div><div><br /></div><div>Hopefully once school starts back up I will be back in the rhythm of blogging and working out and all the other things that just haven't fallen into place. My routine is off and there are so many little things to take care of between now and leaving to go back to school for the year. Plus I've been doing correspondence class to try to be done with Calculus II. I'm still trying to figure out my whole spiritual/church thing. We'll see where that goes...</div></div>Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00069301265040853403noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7547694598804055023.post-9344873969631668812011-07-19T19:40:00.002-05:002011-07-19T19:43:09.168-05:00Pictures to Return SoonSomething I did when I modified settings on my google account seems to have broke the pictures on this blog. I shall endeavor to figure out how I broke my pictures and fix it. I apologize for the lack of graphics at the moment.Kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00069301265040853403noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7547694598804055023.post-85829986538827927742011-07-18T00:27:00.000-05:002011-07-18T00:27:41.192-05:00Fakin' it til I make itI know it's been a while since I've posted on here and I do intend to properly catch you all up on what all has been going on with me. Summer has been a crazy time(not that the school year isn't too). I could really use a few more hours in they day (who couldn't!). My research assignment for the summer has been keeping me plenty busy and this whole working 9-5 really eats up a lot of the day! I've also been doing a lot of introspection as I am presently living without a roommate in a Residence Hall. In my research program there are only guys. Emotionally the lack of female interaction in my day has been kind of a tough adjustment. I can accept that I exist in a male dominated field. Spending 40+ hours a week with 9 guys is an interesting experience.<br />
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Perhaps the hardest part of this is that only one of the guys in my research lab knows most(all, I can't remember) of the laundry list of things that are part of my 'normal'. I didn't realise it until I had it pulled out from under me just how much having people who kind of sort of 'get it'. My friends from school are practically family and thus more or less get it all as well as you are going to without living through Latex Allergy or Asthma or just plain allergies.<br />
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The other half of what I've really been missing here at Big State University is my church 'family' while 99% of my church family doesn't know that I have a chronic illnesses, they still provide a lot of spiritual support and general encouragement. They can sense when I'm a little lower even if they don't know it's because an asthma or allergy flare has really taken it out of me. Having that spiritual community and the quiet space and prayer/meditation time each week really helps. I'm at a point of questioning what exactly I believe and how that fits into a Church structure. Right now all I can say for sure is I find peace in church services.<br />
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Work has also been my escape to pretend like it's all good. I have sedentary work which allows me to sit and catch my breath even when I'm short of breath. I've probably pretended like my asthma wasn't bothering me way more this summer than normal because I sit infront of a computer screen all day. Which is way easier on the lungs than lots of moving about. I've also been reading a lot and watching a lot of movies which are also low lung impact activities. It helps that I'm a bit of a nerd, so computer and indoors things are just fine with me. I do enjoy spending some time with and in nature but that is a treat I save for days when I'm breathing well and the air quality is nice.<br />
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The lungs are acting up as of yesterday so you all should be hearing from me a bit more as I try to pass my time where I really just want to be a sloth or napping. In the mean time I'm gonna keep on faking like it's all good until I make it that way(while treating my flare out of sight).Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7547694598804055023.post-6049110508418908972011-06-19T23:30:00.000-05:002011-06-19T23:30:35.332-05:00Advice for ParentsLast week I was reading Rick's Blog post about being an <a href="http://respiratorytherapycave.blogspot.com/2011/06/being-asthma-dad-has-its-benefits.html">Asthma Dad</a>, which linked to Kerri's <a href="http://asthmadaytoday.wordpress.com/2009/12/20/blog-food-on-my-own/">Post </a>about being an asthma parent. With Father's Day this all got me thinking about what advice I would give to parents. Raising a kid with allergies and other issues isn't exactly easy especially if you didn't grow up with it.<br />
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My asthma hasn't really been my parents concern hardly at all. I was diagnosed as a young adult... 19 to be exact. I was old enough to sign all my own paperwork, get myself to the doctors, and deal with my own pharmacy stuff. The only way it really relates to them is that I am on their insurance still since I'm a full time student. Occasionally my mom has bailed me out by going to pick up my allergy shot vial(for me to take back to the student health clinic) or running to the pharmacy for me when I have to work late. The majority of the burden falls to me to be an adult and deal with the stuff that needs to happen to keep me going.<br />
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Allergies were much my parent's problem growing up. My mom spent upteen nights having me take steamy shower to loosen up the mucus so I'd stop coughing. She also was the one who had to nudge me awake when the benadryl would knock me out during the day. She also got it cause she's got much the same allergies as I do. She put up with going through pretty much every allergy med on the market with me and bouncing ideas around with the pediatrician(some how an allergist never came up). Raising a kid with allergies takes quite a bit of patience, and empathy to understand just how hard it is to stay inside when everyone else gets to run around outside.<br />
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The dyspraxia is perhaps the hardest for my parents to 'get'. It sounds simple enough on paper but it really does extend so much beyond what people who don't live with it would realise. I strongly rely on habits and routines to make it though the day. Messing with these can really make for some frustrating times on my part which when I was younger would cause a complete meltdown now I am a bit better although I do still lash out occasionally.<br />
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To Parents:<br />
<ul>
<li>Especially in the teen years, let the kid take the lead but do be a safety net. Learning from mistakes before you are out on your own with no one to bail you out is important. However, don't play the shame game. There is enough on your child's plate to keep them responsible and force them into a bit more of adulthood they don't need a reason to resent their illness(more). </li>
<li>Routines are a great tool for kids with motor skill issues. Colors help too, as left/right are sometimes hard to differentiate(I'm 22 and I still have to use the thumb makes an L trick to tell my Left). Don't criticize slightly unorthodox approaches to accomplishing the same end result as long as they aren't harmful/dangerous. </li>
<li>Build trust so that kids are willing to let you know what's going on and don't try to hide being sick(er than normal) from you. </li>
<li>When possible let the kid set the pace whether it's with allergies or asthma about whether or not they are up to running around outside or with motor skill stuff about when it's time to loose the training wheels. </li>
<li>Patience is key no matter how old they are. You haven't walked a mile in thier shoes(most likely) and so it's hard to know what they are dealing with. </li>
</ul>
These are what I would say from growing up with a father who didn't get it most of the time. And a mom who did or at least tried. I have a strange relationship with my father it's not that he didn't do good things for me in life but emotionally it's not a tight one.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7547694598804055023.post-73328743455809896952011-06-15T10:25:00.001-05:002011-06-15T10:25:00.873-05:00A Quick Allergist UpdateSo I had a visit with Dr. B over the time that I was in my hometown between the spring semester and the summer research project. Dr. B is happy with the level of ventolin that is keeping the lungs at bay and the fact that I'm not inhaling so much of it. As well as that the allergy shots seem to be helping. I've been released on time off for good behavior until I finish out this vial of extract which should be sometime in the mid to late fall since I'm up to having shots every 3 weeks. Overall he's happy with where I'm at and my compliance level. I walked out with a script for 6 more symbi's to hold me til I come back.<br />
I also got bloodwork for Dr. Z while I was home. My numbers came back just fine. Cholesterol is still a bit high but that's nothing new. I was hoping for a little better on the cholesterol but I may have just hit the best it's gonna get numbers-wise. I'm free from Dr. Z until my annual check up.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7547694598804055023.post-91566568229548546132011-06-09T21:48:00.000-05:002011-06-09T21:48:29.323-05:00ExhaustionI don't mean to keep making excuses for why I'm not writing on here. I really do have intentions of getting back to writing on here. The transition to living away from home at State University has been slightly less than smooth. I've also had a bit of a hard time acclimating to the warmer weather. Between the stress of the new surroundings, recovering from the latex encounter over Memorial Day weekend, and all the day to day stuff that happens in the life of a busy college student I've not had the energy to write. The lungs have been atypically cranky spent a lot of time in the lime green which just zaps the energy. The fact of the matter is also that it is almost 5k of daily walking to get from my ResHall to the research lab and lunch and back. I have been doing a lot of napping in my free time outside my 40 hour work week. Not knowing people here who get that I don't look sick but some days dragging myself out of bed and staying upright really is an accomplishment. I mean I still have those friends who talk to online but they aren't around in person for a hug. Things are looking up, I'm getting settled and I intend to have some proper posts soon.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7547694598804055023.post-78435940854607803232011-06-01T21:33:00.000-05:002011-06-01T21:33:47.327-05:00Camp NACURHSo I'm involved with the Residence Hall Association on my university's campus and we are affiliated with the National Association of College and University Residence Halls. Our school went to the national conference this past weekend in Macomb, IL at Western Illinois University. It was a fun weekend full of presenations about different events and issues related to ResHall living as well as legislation for the governing of the national association and regional affliates.<br />
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However, as part of the decoration there were many balloons, thankfully not in the ResHalls where we were staying. This did not do happy things to my body or lungs. I took lots of benadryl and the reactions waxed and waned. I was better when I was away from it but still pretty darn miserable. I did have a few good moments where I was up to taking the stairs to our floor(11th, with a super slow elevator). However, overall it was pretty well bendryl and ventolin every 4-6 hours. I'm ready to be back to normal. My body is still pretty wore out but my lungs have started to bounce back today. Still have some congestion going on in my ears and sinuses. I'm glad to be feeling human again. I know I owe you a 12 of 12 from may as well as a race report from the 80's run in May and a doctor visit update. Life has been hectic and now that I'm settled in at the state university for summer research I should have some time to do some more writing.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7547694598804055023.post-18589243946405775352011-05-08T22:59:00.001-05:002011-05-08T23:01:06.497-05:00Blowin' Out Some Candles!So I haven't disappeared into the abyss I swear. Just the library(darn finals/end of semester)! Alas the end has come and gone and I shall re-commence some proper blogging. Today I turned 22, I didn't really do anything special like at all. I worked, hung out with the family for mother's day and that's about it. No big deal. I didn't actually blow out candles today. We'll have cake and such some other day. Since I've been home for a whole 24 hours I kind of wanted to just have a break before the festivities. Plus I need to do some serious un/repacking since I've got a summer research fellowship at the State University about halfway between my parent's place and my college. The lungs/allergies have been freaking awesome. I haven't seen a number below 590(95%) other than right after the Tri and even then I was still in the green. I could definitely get used to this. Haven't been doing to much training for the 5k that is on Saturday :/. I've been moving things out of the reshall out to wahzzoo so hopefully that will keep me in shape enough. I did run up the big staircase by work this afternoon on my lunch break(without stopping or premedicating, somewhere around 90 steps in the staircase). Anywho just a quick drive-by birthday post.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7547694598804055023.post-13128068704534340252011-04-30T20:26:00.001-05:002011-05-01T21:18:59.930-05:00Tri for a Healthy Life: a Race Report<strike>Official times have not been posted yet, but I finished last at somewhere around 1:15</strike>. <b>Edit:</b> Official Time: 1:11:32, splits: 2:44/5:05/38:19/1:21/24:03. The swim went well, no cap for me since the numbered ones were latex. The extra drag didn't really bother me. I wasn't trying to set any records. Swim went well... took it relatively slow, did manage to pass one person (we started individually with 20 second spacing between people). Just kept it long and good form, with flip-turns and lots of gliding under the water to conserve energy for later. <br />
I dried off and put real underwear on/took my suit off to reveal the sports bra already on underneath. Tossed my running shorts on as well as a singlet and socks and shoes. I did manage to pin thru my singlet on one of the pins so I had to fix that right quick during Transition 1. Put my helmet, sunglasses, and camelbak on and grabbed my bike. The course was relatively flat, a couple big hills nothing too major. Had a nice tailwind on the way out, and a few people behind me/close to me. At some point I got overtaken by the other fat chick/non-atheletic non-size-2 person. Then it was just Ivy the bike repair dude behind me. He was great and cheering everybody on and such. Not having a road bike definitely made it hard to keep up with the folks on road bikes. That and some killer wind coming off the nice rolling fields on either side of us for a good deal of the ride. It was a headwind that was also trying to blow us into the oncoming traffic(wasn't a closed course) on the way back. That wind really kicked my butt. <br />
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I tossed my camelbak, helmet, jacket(which I had but didn't wear the whole bike ride), and bike in the transition area and was off to 'run'. I use the term run loosely. My legs were pretty tight/wobbly, after biking. I walked it out to the first hill we were headed out to. Jogged down the hill and part way up the next hill. Walked the rest of the way up the hill, jogged down. Pretty well jogged the flat parts and downhills and walked the uphills. I was just plumb tuckered out by this point. However the watered down Gatorade I'd been sipping on all of the bike ride definitely hit me at this point and I got a bit of a second burst of energy. I was running next to the bike rider who was the "tail" for the race. Her name escapes me at the moment she was super nice and talked to me the whole way. The best thing that sticks out is "You know what they call the last person who finishes the race 'a triathalete' that's something less than 5% of the population can claim".<br />
There wasn't a clock at the finish but looking at my phone I estimated the finish time. There was good post race munchies and I got my finisher's medal. The lungs behaved really nicely the whole time. I woke up in ultra mega double-plus green(read 102%), took 2 puffs of symbicort and 2 puffs of ventolin before heading out for the event. Didn't need anymore ventolin the whole course. Took 2 more puffs before I laid down for a post race nap which was after some delicious french toast with a friend who volunteered as a course guide person for the event.<br />
The event was a lot of fun since it was women's only, lots of cheering(the other racers all cheered as I ran past as the last finisher) and good job-ing and high-fives. Not that that doesn't happen with co-ed races too but it was just a really fun environment. If I do it again I'd get my hands on a road bike for the event and do more training rather than going oh hey look that's in 2 weeks that could be fun. I'm really glad that road construction forced the bike portion to be cut short by 2 miles. I'm not sure how well I would've faired with a longer course. Oh and I got a confirmation email with some details(parking, race map etc) for my '80's themed 5k in 2 weeks that promises to be "totally boss". It's weird to think that I can lay claim to the title 'triathlete'. If you said that to me before I would've asked you what you were smoking. I apologize for the lack of action shots, I was busy trying to finish the race :P.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7547694598804055023.post-76363305376556745452011-04-20T21:46:00.000-05:002011-04-20T21:46:56.908-05:00Let's Tri Something NewWhile I was eating at Steve's Deli the other day (No, not this <a href="http://www.breathinstephen.com/">Steve</a> who did awesome at Boston this week!) , a pink flier caught my eye. Some students at another university have put together a women-only beginner triathlon in about 10 days not too far away from where I go to school. I was intrigued to say the least. What I don't think I've written about on here is that I enjoy bicycling to commute as well as for leisure, and I'm a Red Cross Certified Lifeguard(I don't actively engage in it but I carry the certification). Swimming 150 meters, no big deal, bicycling 8 miles will be a bit of a challenge but in range, a 2 mile run to top it off should be right on schedule with my training for the 5k/10k and beyond. So I my crazy self has decided to tri something new. I'm registered for the Tri For a Healthy Life Triathlon on April 30. I've got some work to do there. At present I'm thinking my time will be somewhere around 2 hours which isn't too shabby I don't believe. I did a bike and run today. Did about half the distance for each of them in about 45 minutes total. The rubbery feeling of your legs after a hard bike ride is quite a unique sensation. I will definitely be plum tuckered out by Saturday afternoon. One of my friends is going to be volunteering along the route so you might get some action shots.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7547694598804055023.post-2731284515660878232011-04-17T23:00:00.002-05:002011-04-17T23:07:47.134-05:00What does another year mean?As I was writing my <a href="http://clubcough.blogspot.com/2011/04/blogversary-1-year-of-my-life.html">1 year blogversary post</a> I was contemplating whether this was a situation to celebrate or just more take note of but not really in a celebratory fashion. I can't really say I'm enthusiastic about any of my diagnoses. I mean asthma has definitely gotten my buns in shape which is a good thing. Well or umm encouraged me to get my buns off the couch. I definitely don't really celebrate the diagnosis it's not like it was really much of a mystery what was going on inside of me. On the other hand the PCOS finally gives a name to my crazy wonky hormones and cycles which is a little reassuring. It makes me feel more normal in an abnormal fashion. The allergies don't really have any significance in my life. They've almost always existed the only thing that might make it a red letter day is if the shots really work and I can count on lack of allergy symptoms being the norm not the exception. The one exception to my apathy about the years coming and going since diagnosis of things is my latex allergy. That one is something that will always be lurking in the corner ready to strike and possibly kill. Each year that I don't have a horrible reaction or use an epipen or end up in the ER is a little victory. I guess I don't make a big deal out of anniversaries of 3 of the 4 things cause they don't really scare me. They are something that has become part of my normal day to day life. They push me to grow to a better person but they don't strike fear into me anymore. To summarize: another year with: Asthma, Allergies, and PCOS: Meh; Latex Allergy: Victory!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7547694598804055023.post-70992655020989463102011-04-17T01:13:00.000-05:002011-04-17T01:13:03.862-05:00Run with RyanSo I ended up doing a little impromptu exercise with my friend Ryan this evening. We decided to go for a jog. Which seemed like a good idea at the time, we had somewhere to be, and both of us are trying to get in shape. It is a little colder than it has been recently outside but still above freezing, between that an a lack of warm up and premedication I got to the last little stretch and was audibly wheezing, which never happens. Ryan was a little freaked out by this, also my inhaler and spacer seemingly came out of nowhere. I have forgotten that it is scary to other people when you can't breathe. I wasn't particularly worried yes I wasn't feeling great but I've def been worse. I took two hits and we went into our destination.<br />
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Later this evening he was asking me if I thought it was scary or if I was afraid to run because of it. And I was like no, I normally don't have problems and I carry my inhaler/epipens. It's no fun to live in fear, plus there is too much going on to let asthma get in the way. Now that he kind of understands what to expect and that I'm most likely not dying, he's a lot better about it. The lungs have perked up now. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7547694598804055023.post-68455652046231499862011-04-14T18:43:00.000-05:002011-04-14T18:43:39.792-05:00Blogversary: 1 year of my lifeWell it's been a year since I sat down one night and decided to try out this whole blogging thing. I've learned a lot, lived a lot, run a bit, coughed some, gotten off the couch, and made some great friends. It's certainly been an interesting year, I've gotten an "official" asthma diagnosis(not shocking), as well as a PCOS diagnosis(slightly more suprising), and allergies under the best control they've been in in years. Overall I'd say I'm in a lot better place now than I was this time last year. Yes, I still inhale more ventolin and symbicort than I'd like. This is a better control place than I've been in a long time. I like it but I know we/I can do better. I feel like the dose of maintenance meds I'm on is kind of overkill. Yes, I'm controlled but I feel like the dose might be able to be titrated lower. One thing I'd say for sure these days is that my asthma isn't "mild" as I said in my first post on here. Yes, I keep marching on but with some pretty hardcore ICS/LABA on board.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Credit: WikiMedia Commons</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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By the Numbers:<br />
2 5k's<br />
1460 puffs of Symbicort<br />
358 Allegra Pills<br />
1 5mi/8k Race<br />
900ish puffs of Ventolin<br />
83 blog posts<br />
2252 hits on this blog<br />
458+ km of forward motion<br />
0 ER/Hospital Visits<br />
0 Prednisone<br />
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Overall I like where this year in my life has gone and I look forward to a new chapter of awesomeness as I embark on year 2 of blogging. Goals for the year to come:<br />
1. Get the weight under control.<br />
2. Lower the dose of my maintainence meds.<br />
3. Inhale less ventolin.<br />
4. Complete at least a 1/2 marathon.<br />
5. Run more, walk less when competing.<br />
6. Finish Undergrad. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2