Ok- This is definelty Early Mornin’ B*S, just warmed nup a lil bit…

 
The EMT’s that ‘allegedly’ ordered their lunch while a pregnant woman died 600 ft away are denyin’ they refused to assist the woman.  They claim (thru their lawyers!), they were NEVER asked to examine her or told of her condition.   They further claim they were only asked to ’summon an abulance’ (!)

Well I’ll be dayumm!  Is that the best they can come up with?    Jason Green and Melisa Jackson claim they never saw Eutisha Rennix (who was at the back of the store) and that “the employees did not seem overly concerned about it.”     There was ‘no apparent panic.’

WHY would these people not hit the panic button when a PREGNANT woman is lyin’ on the floor, breathin’ heavy and complainin’ of pain; in obvious distress?    WHY wouldn’t they, seein EMT’s in the store, NOT ask for their assistance?  WHY would they tell “911″ to call “911“?

That sounds like a bunch a b*s, straws snatched up in a hurry.   The ‘mouthpiece’ also said,  ”protocol, training and regulations” also kept the two emergency workers from intervening further because they “didn’t have any equipment or medications and worked as dispatchers rather than in the field”.    Does he know how dumb he sounds right now??

But – an EMT Union worker stated that said that “all dispatchers are required to be field-trained EMT or paramedics in order to be more effective at their jobs, and are capable of getting involved in emergency situations.    The New York Fire Department says all members take an oath to “help others whenever emergency medical care is needed”. 

 They flucked up.

According to Cynthia Rennix, Eutisha’s mother, this lil story is no where near what the co-workers, the supervisor, and witnesses in the restaurant at the time have to say.     “They were well aware of the seriousness of her being on the floor. They should have at least looked to see what was going on,” she said    “That’s no excuse for it.”

Well Jason and Melisa have been suspended – without pay at that!-  till this is ‘further investigated’ by the DA and the Dept of Health, which oversees EMT training. 

We’ll see what they come up with.

* Hepatitis – An inflammation of the liver caused by infection or toxic agents and characterized by jaundice, fever, liver enlargement, and abdominal pain. Sewage backup is reported to be related to Hepatitis.

Inhalation of contaminated organisms is a simple way for micro organisms to penetrate the human body. It happens when we breathe aerosolized particles or contaminated dust.

A better understanding of the facts about sewer backup, potential health risks when exposed to sewage backup and its products and diseases transmission is the key to keep you and your family safe.

http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Be-Safe–Know-The-Hazards-Of-Sewer-Backup/464115

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Diabetics are more susceptible to the staph/MRSA that breeds in raw sewage.

Article # 1 ===> http://www.research.va.gov/news/research_highlights/ulcer-011504.cfm

Article # 2 ===> Podiatry Today http://www.podiatrytoday.com/article/3695

Feature:
MRSA: Where Do We Go From Here?
- By David G. Armstrong, DPM, MSc, PhD

“When it comes to diabetic foot infections, the presence of MRSA may lead to poorer outcomes, an increased risk of amputations, higher treatment costs and increased mortality.”

_____________________________________________________________________________________

After sewage back spills, my neighbor contracted hepatitis. His foot became so infected it was amputated; he died age 50.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Look what happened to my feet as a result of the raw sewage.

Not to mention ongoing illnesses, respiratory – this is less than ONE YEAR!

_____________________________________________________________________________________

My handicapped uncle’s hospitalizations and death coincided with the discharging of raw sewage.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Here Fresno, CA’s Tower District is the proof that the risk analyst was lying about the cause behind sewage back spills. They were 100% deliberate and intentional – behind secret replacement of the water system. Within 2 homes there was ongoing illness, respiratory, cellulitis, pseudomonas, repeated hospitalization, amputation, death and more.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Why does a sewer backup present a serious health threat? A sewer backup will always be the source of health hazards mainly because of the organic waste and wastewater that it contains. Such filthy place can be an easy nesting ground for bacteria, viruses and harmful micro organism. It is hazardous because of the many ways it carries diseases which is sometimes difficult to detect.

For you to truly understand the hazards sewer backup can bring to you and your family, one should learn what sewage first. Sewer backup is also known as septic tank waste or raw sewage.

Septic tank waste typically contains everything from wastewater to solid waste matter, human feces, industrial discharge and organic waste produced by households and industrial sources. It is unloaded by drains and sewage lines.

Harmful micro organisms such as coliform, fecal colifrom, Escherichia coliform and Enterococcus root from its main source excrement.

Being exposed to sewage or to its fecal contents may cause a number if diseases:

* Gastroenteritis – An inflammation of the stomach and intestine causing vomiting, diarrhea and cramps if irritation is too much. It is often accompanied with fever if gastroenteritis is a result of an infectious agent.

* Hepatitis – An inflammation of the liver caused by infection or toxic agents and characterized by jaundice, fever, liver enlargement, and abdominal pain. Sewage backup is reported to be related to Hepatitis.

*Occupational asthma – A respiratory disorder characterized by labored breathing, chest constriction and wheezing.

*Weil’s disease – A feverish condition marked by gastroenteritis, severe headache, pains in the back and calf prostration, and sometimes developing of mild jaundice.

*Allergic Alveolitis – An inflammation of the inner part of the lung (alveolitis). Sewage backup may be associated with this disease; nevertheless it is rarely reported with relation. It starts with fever, breathlessness, dry cough, muscular aches and malaise.

In addition, exposure to sewer backup may cause fatal damage to liver, kidney and blood disorder. Infection of skin or eyes is a sign of sewer backup related contamination.

It is an important thing to know how disease can be transmitted. Knowing the transmission pattern of sewage backup related diseases provides preventive ways for micro organisms to get in a human body.

The most common way of transmission is mouth-to-mouth contact and it happens during eating and smoking
. Hand-to-mouth contact can also transmit disease. It occurs while wiping the face with something contaminated such as hand or gloves.
Another possible transmission is skin contact, when skin comes in contact with contaminated matter through cuts, scratches or deep wounds. Certain parasites can enter the body by means of entering through the surface of the eyes nose and mouth.

Inhalation of contaminated organisms is a simple way for micro organisms to penetrate the human body. It happens when we breathe aerosolized particles or contaminated dust.

A better understanding of the facts about sewer backup, potential health risks when exposed to sewage backup and its products and diseases transmission is the key to keep you and your family safe.

http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Be-Safe–Know-The-Hazards-Of-Sewer-Backup/464115

_____________________________________________________________________________________

This article is from Dr. Ray Sahelian’s website, http://www.raysahelian.com/  , which contains many helpful articles discussing therapeutic uses of nutritional supplements and herbals.

Forskolin for asthma

Forskolin versus sodium cromoglycate for prevention of asthma attacks: a single-blinded clinical trial.

J Int Med Res. 2006 Mar-Apr. González-Sánchez R, Trujillo X, Trujillo-Hernández B, Vásquez C, Huerta M, Elizalde A.
Servicio de Pediatría, Hospital del Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Manzanillo, Colima, México.

To determine the efficacy of forskolin in preventing asthma attacks, we performed a single-blinded clinical study in children and adult out-patients at a public hospital in Mexico . Forty patients of either sex with mild persistent or moderate persistent asthma were assigned randomly to 6 months of treatment with forskolin at 10 mg a day orally (capsules) or with two inhalations of sodium cromoglycate every 8 h, i.e. three times a day. The number of patients who had asthma attacks during the treatment period was significantly lower among those receiving forskolin (40%) than among those receiving sodium cromoglycate (85%). We conclude that forskolin is more effective than sodium cromoglycate in preventing asthma attacks in patients with mild persistent or moderate persistent asthma.

I think I mentioned before that it’s practically impossible for me to go home after exams and not get sick. It’s like my brain tells my immune system “It’s OK, you’re at home now, your maman is right here to take care of you, you can take a break”. And this year has been no exception. I woke up yesterday with a sniffely cold, which means I decided not to go skiing. It was -25 C anyway so my dad decided not to go either. Oh well, nothing has been ruined, I stayed home yesterday and jammed with my brother ALL DAY. It was so good.

Today is the tourtiere cook-a-thon, then a skate (wooot!) then visiting then midnight mass then TOURTIERE feast yummmmmm.

Merry Christmas to you and yours, I very much hope you are sharing it with special people.

Seriously, I cannot believe a year has gone by already.  I started this blog on December 23rd, 2008.  And you know what?

I thought nobody would read it.  I thought that I’d do it for a month or two, get sick of it, and the whole idea would fall to pieces.  But, I’ve kept up with this blog for a whole year, met a ton of cool people . . .   Danielle, Becca, Steve, Amy, Elisheva, Morgan,  Emzie, Olive, Rick, Sus, Rona . . . and so many more of you out there.

To say that a lot has happened in the last year since I started blogging here would be an understatement.  Respirology, spirometry, a copious amount of doctor’s appointments, Ventolin, FloVent, Singulair, Symbicort, Advair . . . prednisone.  Teaching grade eleven bio classes about asthma.  Getting my first job at the daycare.  Maintaining a balance between breathing and life.

Most importantly, though, is all of you reading this.  Who have been following this crazy journey, encouraging me, keeping me accountable for my lung health.  I never would have been in my most vivid imaginings have pictured I would have developed friendships online that mean so much to me.  Thank you all so much. <3

Here’s to another year of blogging!

Occupational and Environmental Medicine 2010 (Volume 67 Number 1)

Fade Fave: Lung function and indicators of exposure to indoor and outdoor particulate matter among asthma and COPD patients

Fade Skinny: Finds no consistent associations between lung function and 24 h average particle number or particle mass concentrations were found in panels of patients with mild to moderate COPD or asthma. More detailed exposure assessment did not change the observed associations.

(NHS Athens is required to access this article online)

I’m not sure what it is about this month but I’ve had a lot of people asking me how they can achieve a less toxic environment in their home. I’ve had five people purchase the Shaklee Get Clean Kit and their feedback has been amazing so far (best clean I’ve had in a long time, doesn’t burn out my nose hairs as I clean (I love that one!), doesn’t make my skin hurt, etc). One family decided to make the switch from Seventh Generation, one from what they called ‘traditional’ cleaning products that they would buy at Costco and three from a mix of ‘green’ and ‘traditional.’

When I came across this article today on Healthy Child Healthy World, Raise Healthier Kids with a Healthy Home Cleaning Routine, I thought I would share as it seems like an extension of the conversations I’ve been having. You can read the full article here. I’ve highlighted the pieces that really stood out to me:

As if the social and economic stress of 2009 isn’t enough, here we are in the 11 hour of the most stressful time of the year:  Christmas.  Got to get the gifts in the mail on time so they make it there by the 25th.  Got to send the cards out and make sure that we include everyone who sent us a card this year too.  Got to make the cookies for the office.  Got to attend all those holiday parties.  Don’t forget the decorations and the lights!  It’s enough to drive you insane – or at the very least put unnecessary stress on your body.

Stress is the reaction of the body to a perceived threat or expected outcome.  I’ve placed emphasis on the words perceived and expected, because these are the operational words in stress.  To the degree that we perceive something to be a threat or expect something to turn out poorly, our stress will rise proportionally.   If Aunt Mathilda doesn’t receive her Christmas card on time, we will perceive ourselves as not living up to her expectations which may create tension in the family relationship which will make us feel inadequate…. and so forth.

The key is to monitor what we perceive and what we expect.  We need to be careful here because perceiving something to be a threat requires us to anticipate a future possibility, just as expecting a certain outcome is a projection into what is only a possible outcome.  When we find ourselves in this future, anticipatory consciousness by definition we are not present in the moment.  If you are fearing the future, you can’t be in the present.  The paradox is that our ability to monitor our perceptions and expectations exists only in the present moment.  It’s staying in the moment, that’s the trick.

Enter the three wise men.  Legend has it that one of the gifts of the magi was frankincense.  Frankincense is an aromatic resin produced from the sap of the Boswellia tree and was a prized herbal remedy during the time of Jesus, so it’s no surprise it was brought as a gift, but why.  Frankincense (as is Myrrh, another of the gifts) is an anti-inflammatory.   It is particularly useful in reducing inflammation of the lungs and bronchial tubes thereby allowing a deeper breath and helping a person under stress to relax.  The Mayo Clinic even today lists frankincense as an effective herbal remedy in treating asthma.  So it might have been helpful in aiding a new-born or even the mother in breathing after delivery.

New research has also verified the psychoactive properties of frankincense, which may have been helpful in calming and anxious mother and reduce the effects of postpartum depression or calming a baby suffering from colic.  In a 2008 study published in the on-line Journal of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology, researchers from Johns Hopkins University and the Hebrew University in Jerusalem found that a constituent of frankincense called incensole acetate activated channels in the brain that lowers anxiety and creates anti-depressive behavior.

So how can all of this help you with your holiday stress?  Frankincense is available in modern times as resin nuggets and as essential oil which is distilled from steaming the resin.  Inhaling the smoke from the burning  resin or the aroma from the essential oil will deepen the breath, open the lungs and calm the nervous system.  Inhaling the sweet, balsamic aroma of frankincense can produce a meditative state from which you can focus yourself in the present moment and objectively monitor your perceptions of possible threats and expectations about the outcomes of your choices.   When you can do that, stress is much more manageable.

So give yourself one of the gifts of the magi and treat yourself to some frankincense.  ‘Tis the season.

- Paul Kulpinski, LMT

Sources:

Irish Times.com

Dreaming Earth Botanicals

Mayo Clinic

Wikipedia

Think Gene

Spasms in the airways in the lungs are characterized as Asthma.

This impending exhalation of air causes coughing, wheezing, tightness in the chest and difficulty in breathing.

Chronic or excessive inflammation or sensitivity of the airways to outside stimuli such as cold air, pollution, pollen, chemicals, cigarette smoke, animal dander etc., are sources of these spasms.

Stress can also be a trigger as well as exercise, laughing and respiratory infections.

Other sources may include:

• Hereditary factors
• Imbalance of Fatty Acid – essential fats can have an anti-inflammatory effect while saturated and processed fats can have a pro-inflammatory effect.
• Deficiencies in Nutrition – Magnesium, Vitamins B6, B12, Vitamin C and Selenium are often found to be low in asthmatics.
• Food Intolerance and Allergies – Mucus forming foods are a problem.  Dairy products, eggs, soya, chocolate, corn and wheat may all be culprits.
• Sensitivity to foods with chemicals such as preservatives and colorings or household cleaning products.
• Inhalant allergies like pollen, animal hair, dust mites and smoke.
• Low levels of stomach acid are often found in asthmatics which can lead to food intolerance and nutrient deficiencies.

For more information concerning Action Plan, Things to Avoid, and Herbal Supplements,

refer to the Left Column under Body in Motion ~ Asthma

Well, I (finally) received a response from my Allergies, Annoyance, and Alliteration email. Out of all the places I emailed… only one response. How sad. They must have all deemed me a little too crazy… Even Helene below just passed me on to Charlotte.

While I do this all for amusement, it’s cool to see some cities & organizations tackling this issue. It seems like they’re a lot more tough on these sorts of things in Canada than they are down here. Perhaps I should again bug the government… It’s not like they have anything better to do. Right?

Forwarded message
From: Charlotte Collins Charlotte

Date: Fri, Dec 18, 2009 at 12:39 PM
Subject: RE: Allergy Concerns & Subway Restaurants?
To: world.and.lunar.domination
Cc: Info Info

Dear Eric,

Thank you for sharing your experiences with Subway. They are but a microcosm of the retail restaurant world. Your query about training “in the ways of sanitary work stations, cross contamination, allergens, and general good hygiene” has not been lost on policy makers in some localities. New York City and St. Paul, Minnesota have enacted laws to promote food allergy awareness and ingredient transparency this year. Both laws require an awareness poster to be displayed in the employee area of restaurants and a flier displaying photos of the 8 major allergens in the US and common items that can cause cross contamination (see below). These laws are not perfect, but they are a start brought about by advocates like you who voice their outrage. Keep it up and be sure to let your local and state lawmakers know of your concerns.

Charlotte Collins

St. Paul Ordinance food allergy poster designed Hospitality Minnesota, St. Chamber of Commerce, and the Anaphylaxis & Food Allergy Association of Minnesota (AFAA).

From: Info
Sent: Friday, December 18, 2009 9:34 AM
To: Charlotte Collins
Subject: FW: Allergy Concerns & Subway Restaurants?

To Charlotte:

Do you want to respond to this?

Helene

From: ERiC AiXeLsyD [mailto:world.and.lunar.domination]
Sent: Friday, December 18, 2009 8:46 AM
To: canieatthere; info; foodallergyqueen; allergicgirl; vpetrancosta
Subject: Allergy Concerns & Subway Restaurants?

Aloha Allergy Afflicted Amigos,

Please see my experience with Subway’s lack of concern for allergens and cross-contamination highlighted below, surrounded by their ensuing lack of customer service/respect. Their final unapologetic apology can be viewed on my blog.

I find their lack of concern quite disturbing. What can be done to make companies like this more aware of these issues that can be deadly for a certain percent of the population?

While shellfish is surely simple to sidestep, what about my peeps that are petrified by peanuts, terrans that are terrified by tree-nuts, friends that are fearful of fish, my mates that are mired by milk, my sidekicks that are scared of soy, or my well-wishers that are weary of wheat?

Thank you in advance for your time, and I hope you have a safe & happy Thanksgiving holiday!

Always Anti-Anaphylaxis,
-ERiC AiXeLsyD

Well, I (finally) received a response from my Allergies, Annoyance, and Alliteration email. Out of all the places that  I emailed… only one response.  How sad.  They must have all deemed me a little too crazy…   Even Helene below just passed me on to Charlotte.

While I do this all for amusement, it’s cool to see some cities & organizations tackling this issue.  It seems like they’re a lot more tough on these sorts of things in Canada than they are down here.   Perhaps I should again bug the government… It’s not like they have anything better to do.  Right?

From: Charlotte Collins Charlotte@aafa.org
Date: Fri, Dec 18, 2009 at 12:39 PM
Subject: RE: Allergy Concerns & Subway Restaurants?
To: world.and.lunar.domination@gmail.com
Cc: Info Info@aafa.org

Dear Eric,

Thank you for sharing your experiences with Subway. They are but a microcosm of the retail restaurant world. Your query about training “in the ways of sanitary work stations, cross contamination, allergens, and general good hygiene” has not been lost on policy makers in some localities. New York City and St. Paul, Minnesota have enacted laws to promote food allergy awareness and ingredient transparency this year. Both laws require an awareness poster to be displayed in the employee area of restaurants and a flier displaying photos of the 8 major allergens in the US and common items that can cause cross contamination (see below). These laws are not perfect, but they are a start brought about by advocates like you who voice their outrage. Keep it up and be sure to let your local and state lawmakers know of your concerns.

Charlotte Collins

St. Paul Ordinance food allergy poster designed Hospitality Minnesota, St. Chamber of Commerce, and the Anaphylaxis & Food Allergy Association of Minnesota (AFAA).

From: Info
Sent: Friday, December 18, 2009 9:34 AM
To: Charlotte Collins
Subject: FW: Allergy Concerns & Subway Restaurants?

To Charlotte:

Do you want to respond to this?

Helene

From: ERiC AiXeLsyD [mailto:world.and.lunar.domination]
Sent: Friday, December 18, 2009 8:46 AM
To: canieatthere; info; foodallergyqueen; allergicgirl; vpetrancosta
Subject: Allergy Concerns & Subway Restaurants?

Aloha Allergy Afflicted Amigos,

Please see my experience with Subway’s lack of concern for allergens and cross-contamination highlighted below, surrounded by their ensuing lack of customer service/respect. Their final unapologetic apology can be viewed on my blog.

I find their lack of concern quite disturbing. What can be done to make companies like this more aware of these issues that can be deadly for a certain percent of the population?

While shellfish is surely simple to sidestep, what about my peeps that are petrified by peanuts, terrans that are terrified by tree-nuts, friends that are fearful of fish, my mates that are mired by milk, my sidekicks that are scared of soy, or my well-wishers that are weary of wheat?

Thank you in advance for your time, and I hope you have a safe & happy Thanksgiving holiday!

Always Anti-Anaphylaxis,
-ERiC AiXeLsyD

Searching is one of my main activities these days. Today I am searching the virtual world of the Internet for a pulmonologist. Ruth has fallen ill with an asthmatic cough. The excitement during the last days finally shows also in her physical health. All doctors we are calling, however, have a waiting list of three months or more. How can it be that in a civilised country like ours, you have to wait for an appointment with a medical speciaist for months?

Finally we succeeded. The diagnosis is evident. Asthma. Ruth now has to stay under constant surveillance. All exciting situations are problematic for her health.

Second search. We decided to finally tackle the problem from the very basics. Janet is refusing to begin with a therapy. She needs our help and support when being confronted with a therapist; no chance for a male therapist. So I am trying to find a family therapist.

An enquiry at the health insurance turned out that systemic family therapies wouldn´t be paid for for what reason whatever. No chance to get costs reimbursed by the youth welfare office.

So I looked for welfare organisations who offer this sort of coaching for free. After a while I found out that again, there are responsibilities according to areas of service. Finally, I found a social welfare organsiation which was willing to make an appointment.

Unfortunately, we had to discover that this sort of assistance was not sufficient. Ruth and Janet were calling it a “tea-time small talk”. Both ladies really did their very best, but we had to notice that they hardly had an insight into our problems.

Many specialists had already told us that our situation was extremely difficult and complicated. Still, what´s that good for if we don´t get any assistance?

Besides, there are lots of foster families fighting just the same as we do to obtain the best results for the kids for whom they are responsible. We know some of them. It is only that far to few people know what ist means to bear responsibility for children who had to endure such a lot during their shot lives.

I still remember the quote of a well-known psychiatrist during a coaching for foster parents:

Foster parents are obliged to stand for the interests of their traumatised foster children. Who else will do that if not them? They have to show their foster children full solidarity by unconditionally taking their part.

When will authorities, therapists and clinics finally accept this fact and begin helping foster parents and their traumatised foster children, regardless of specialist discussions and responsibilities?

So Amy gave Kerri some Blog Food, and now I am stealing this Blog Food and writing about it. It’s a good topic, and hopefully it will be helping Amy out (and any others parenting little lungers). The topic in question is:

what you find hardest about taking care of your own lung health, what’s most challenging as a hs student? College? What your parents still help with/what you wish they’d help with more—can you sense my ulterior motive here

I’ll tackle these systematically.

Hardest about taking care of my lung health: deciding which step in my action plan to step to. It’s not that I don’t have a well-defined action plan, or that I haven’t discussed this endlessly with my doctors, it’s just that I have a hard time perceiving whether or not I’m “bad enough” to take a certain action.

In high school the hardest part was: seeming normal and cool. I kid you not. I went to an extremely small high school, where teachers knew everything about you and you knew everything about them. My class (14 kids) was extremely tight. I felt pretty self-conscious that every last person in the school could recognize me by my cough alone, although I dealt with this by laughing it off and letting a joke be made of it. I didn’t like slipping in late to class after my 10th appointment in a row, or explaining why I had been absent for a week. Although it’s not rational, these things WILL bother a teenager. I think it’s important to validate the feeling a little if your kid is struggling with their asthma image.

In university the hardest part is: Getting enough study time when I’m flaring is a big one. I deal with this by allowing for more study time than I need so that I can afford to flare (wow that sounds sad). Like I mentioned above, just learning to perceive how I’m breathing, what I need to do, and then convincing myself to actually do it.

What do my parents still help me with: Well, I don’t live with my parents 8 months out of the year, so they don’t do a whole lot at this point. I know I can always call my mom if I’m worried about my breathing and need to discuss what to do. Usually she’ll just tell me that it’s OK to start pred/go to the clinic/hospital etc and this is just the nudge I need to take action. When I’m at home during breaks, my mom helps me out just by doing supportive things if I’m flaring (from getting me a glass of water, to picking me up from work, to driving me to the ER, you get the idea). Although my dad is a supportive guy and interested in my health, my mom got stuck on asthma duty at some point in time and it’s never changed.

What I wish they’d help me with more: Umm, I wouldn’t mind if they took care of my medication co-pay. Even with my student insurance, asthma meds can add up. Oh, adulthood… Other than that I’m at a point where I’m perfectly happy managing my own health. Not that I like it, but it makes me feel like responsible and I’d probably despise it if I had someone looking over my shoulder.

Another note: I acquired the responsibility of scheduling doctor’s appointments and noticing when I needed refills in about 10th grade. When I learned to drive, I was allowed to go to my “minor” appointments alone. I think this is a perfect time to start doing these things as you’ve still got your parents around as a backup.

Soooo, as another young adult, I think Elisheva should tackle this one next!!

(This is entry nine in a series of Sunday postings known as Blog Food. Blog Food entry ideas are suggested by you, the readers of this blog. If you have an idea, please leave a comment below!)

Awhile back, at the beginning of NaBloPoMo, I asked for suggestions on what to blog about.  Seeing as I did all kinds of craziness like ending up on prednisone and going for allergy tests, some of the suggestions didn’t break it out during November.

However, Amy made a great post suggestion:

what you find hardest about taking care of your own lung health, what’s most challenging as a hs student? College? What your parents still help with/what you wish they’d help with more—can you sense my ulterior motive here

Yes, Amy, I can see your motive .  And first off, let me say how happy it makes me that you still plan to be involved in AG’s asthma care as she gets older—because at times, it would make my life a LOT easier to have my parents more involved in helping me out with my asthma, even if I’m an adult now . . . using specific examples! (In addition, here is a previous post about how my diagnosis affected my parents, through my eyes).

• I still need reminders.  Because sometimes I do dumb things, or forget to call the pharmacy for refills of my medication.  I don’t want to be pestered, of course, but balancing school and asthma?  Sometimes my brain forgets stuff.  Ditto for scheduling doctor’s appointments.
• I can’t drive.  So when stuff like this happens, and I realize at 9:30 PM that my medicine is sitting at the pharmacy (which is open until ten), I feel bad enough.  So please don’t yell at me . . . Because as bad as I feel now emotionally, I’ll feel bad physically by tomorrow when my Symbicort wears off.
• I understand my asthma, and I think you should have at least a basic understanding, too.  Amy, I am aware this is definitely no problem for you, but I think with the timing of my diagnosis my asthma has always been my responsibility for the most part.  Parents, if your kid is diagnosed later in their teen years like I was, it’s helpful if you, too, understand what this disease is doing to my lungs.
• Most parents wouldn’t do this . . . but my dad did.  Don’t make stupid comments about the amount of medication I take.  I don’t really have a choice about taking all this medication, and I don’t want to be taking it.  But, it’s something I need to do.  Ditto making stupid comments about my coughing.
• There will be days when it seems the world is demanding too much from me at once.  These don’t happen often, but when they do, it’s really tough . . . When you notice I’m off, please be sensitive about it.
• Continue to watch for warning signs of when I’m feeling bad.  I can handle it most of the time, but if my usual plan of action isn’t working, I’ll be getting worried . . . and, I probably won’t tell you because I don’t want you to be worried, too, or for you to think I’m overreacting.  It’s stupid on my part, but I know I’m not the only one who does this . . . I won’t always ask for help when I need it.  And it’s stupid, but true.
• Rewind: when your kid is twelve (sorry to scare you, Amy, but that’s coming up faster than you think! ), make sure she still carries her inhaler with her.

At the current time, that is all the wisdom I can pass on.  But, if I think of anything else, I’ll be sure to let you know!

EDIT: Also, if you have other suggestions for the independence/asthma issue, leave ‘em for Amy [and other asthma parents] in the comments

EDIT 2:

My fellow bloggers Danielle and Elisheva have also written posts focused on this question–for Amy and all the other asthma parents out there!

Do You Have Indoor Allergies Or Asthma In Rochester?

No doubt it can affect how you live your every day life. These is so much misleading information out there on dust mites, dirt, fungus, allergies, mold, pets, carpet and how to control or treat allergies. So we dedicated this page:

• to helping you understand why indoor air quality is so important to your health.
• to offer tips on how to improve your indoor air quality and reduce indoor allergens to remove the source of your symptoms.
• to educate you on the professional services we offer to keep your home clean, healthy, comfortable and happy.

When we think of air pollution, we usually associate it with outdoor air. But with the growing concerns of allergies and asthma more attention has been give to indoor air. In fact, in 1990 the United States Environmental Protection Agency EPA ranked indoor air pollution as “a high priority public health risk.” Indoor air quality in the home plays a major role in your respiratory health, particularly if you suffer from asthma or allergies. Research by the American Lung Association and the Environmental Protection Agency has determined that the inside of most American homes contains two to five times more pollutants than outside air. What is the cause of this?

During the 1960’s and 1970’s much of our nation’s focus was on the pollution of our outdoor environment. Concern for fuel economy in the early 1970’s led to changes in construction techniques and building design to prevent the loss of temperature-controlled air from buildings. Airtight structures keep air inside, but they also prevent the flow of fresh air from outside. The Indoor Air Quality Association says studies have shown we spend 90 percent of our lives inside a closed structure. Many people with allergies stay indoors when outdoor air is full of pollen and spores. But dust mites, animal dander and even cockroaches can cause problems indoors. According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, Eight out of 10 people in the United States are exposed to house dust mites, and six out of 10 are exposed to cat or dog dander. Cockroaches cause allergic reactions among people who live in the inner cities or southern parts of the United States.

There is a growing amount of scientific data that reveals better environmental hygiene improves health. The Environmental Protection Agency has consistently ranked indoor air pollution among the top five environmental risks to public health, and according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology “50 percent of all illnesses are caused by or aggravated by polluted indoor air.” If you are ready for a healthy home, call 585-924-8440, you can count on the professionals at Clean Your Carpets to make your home a healthy one.

So you may wonder “How can I improve my indoor air quality and reduce indoor allergens?”

Here are some tips to help keep your “home sweet home” a healthy one for you and your family.

• Vacuum, Vacuum, Vacuum.
  This cannot be stressed enough. You should vacuum at least twice a week, more often if you have pets. Vacuuming helps rid your carpet of dust, dust mite feces, animal hair and dander, human hair and dead skin, mold spores, dead bugs, abrasive sand and soil that shortens a carpets life. Make sure that you use a vacuum cleaner that has a high efficiency HEPA filtering system.
  Dust mites love their home and no big, bad, ugly vacuum cleaner is going to stop them from clinging to carpets. Sad to say, vacuuming doesn’t remove mites. It does, however, help remove their dead bodies (which can’t cling) and fecal pellets as well as some dust-mite foods such as skin flakes, hair, pet dander, etc. Selecting the proper vacuum is of utmost importance. Look for models with tight connections to prevent allergens from blowing out and built-in HEPA filters, which are designed to absorb and contain up to 99.97 percent of airborne contaminants as small as 0.3 micron. HEPA vacuum cleaners are more expensive, but inexpensive vacuums often have porous bags and loose connections, allowing allergens to escape. If possible the best bet is to install a central vacuum system with the collection bag and motor in the garage. A vacuum cleaner with a high efficiency filtration bag removes soils and bio-contaminants from carpet and upholstery reducing the release of repairable particles into the air. These bags are now available for most models of vacuum cleaners at retail stores that carry vacuum cleaners and accessories. If you need suggestions for choosing a new vacuum or yours needs repaired call

• Don’t sweep your hard surface flooring.
  Sweeping redistributes allergens to the air and leaves them airborne. Vacuuming your floors, followed by a damp mop, will help keep the air your family breathes cleaner.

• Adopt a no shoes policy in your home.
  Many cultures around the world do this to prevent outside grime and pollutants from entering their tidy homes via the bottom of someone’s shoe. Taking your shoes off may help reduce the number of allergens entering the home. Your carpet will not wear out as soon and it will stay cleaner longer.

• Clean your air ducts.
  The air conditioning and heating system in your home collects and circulates contaminants throughout your home contributing to indoor allergies.  Reducing the amount of the allergens circulating through your ventilation system can help to improve the Indoor Air Quality of your home. Air duct cleaning even makes sense to extend the life and maximize efficiency of your HVAC system. A build up of 0.42 inches of dirt on a heating or cooling coil can result in a decrease in efficiency of 21%. In addition 9 out of 10 heating, ventilating, air conditioning systems failures are caused by dust and dirt. Read Angie’s List Article on “Is Air Duct Cleaning Worth It? Watch Angie’s List consumer awareness video on tips to find the air duct cleaning. Make sure your clothes dryer is vented to the outdoors. This will prevent odors and high humidity indoors that can cause allergic reactions.

• Avoid smoke and combustion products.
  Smoke is a major asthma trigger so do not allow smoking in your home or car. Avoid burning candles as they release smoke, soot, and small amounts of chemicals into the air. If you do burn candles make sure the wicks are short. Burning a long wick can result in a larger flame and produce more soot. Avoid using scented or slow burning candles because they may contain additional additives. Wood-burning stoves and fireplaces also can be a source of smoke that trigger asthma or allergy symptoms. Avoid using a wood-burning stove or fireplace. Make sure it is airtight if you do use one. If you must use a wood burning stove or fireplace, use dried or cured wood instead of pressure-treated wood because fewer fumes are given off. The optimal heating system for someone with allergies or asthma would limit exposure to the by-products of burning wood or fossil fuels. Heat pumps, electric baseboard heaters, geothermal heating, or sealed combustion heating are good examples. Do not allow smoking in the house. Other fuel-burning appliances, like gas ranges, oil furnaces, water heaters, and space heaters, release combustion by-products that can pollute indoor air significantly and trigger asthma symptoms in some people. Have these appliances inspected and maintained regularly to identify leaks or damage. Back drafting (downward air flow in a chimney) can allow soot or smoke to enter the living space. Ask a chimney specialist to check the air pressure inside and outside the chimney to prevent back drafting. It’s a good idea to have your chimney or flue cleaned and inspected regularly.

• Avoid using perfumes or scented cleaning sprays. Use trigger sprays instead of aerosols.

• Should I rip the carpet out or clean it? The TRUTH!
  A carpet and allergies are like best friends. Your carpet soaks up anything that touches it and won’t release it until it is thoroughly washed. You wouldn’t wear a T-shirt for a year without washing it, and carpet is fibrous material just like your clothes, it needs regular cleaning. The link between your carpet and allergies is indisputable. But it is made better or worse depending on how old the carpet is, how thick it is, its quality and of course how often you clean it and with what method of cleaning. Carpet is the largest filter in a home. Carpet filters soils, gases, dust, spills and other pollutants. Most soils encountered are of microscopic size and are invisible to the naked eye. The smaller the particle size the easier it becomes airborne. Particles of one micron size can stay airborne for more than eight hours. These particles are repairable and can trigger allergic reactions. Carpet acts as a trap for airborne particles grounded through natural gravity until they can be safely removed during vacuuming.

  It is rare for a person to be allergic to carpet as carpet is usually made from the same sort of fabric types as your clothing. Of course if you know that you get a horrible rash from that wool sweater you got from Aunt Barb last Christmas; make sure you talk to your carpeting specialist to avoid inadvertently buying a wool or wool-blend carpet. There are individuals who are allergic to certain types of carpet or the fumes that are released from new carpet but they are a small percentage. The majority of people will have no trouble with the carpet in their home as long as it is well maintained. The EPA and carpet industry findings indicate that with proper ventilation of new carpet, carpet itself does not contribute negatively to indoor air quality.

Many people think that carpets and allergies are a bad combination. Even some allergists will encourage their patients to remove carpeting in favor of hardwood or tile floors. However, carpets can actually help to reduce the allergens in your home by trapping them, as long as they are properly cleaned on a regular schedule. Health professionals sometimes recommend that allergy and asthma patients remove carpet from their homes. But those recommendations are generally based on faulty assumptions. In fact, clean, dry, well-maintained carpet actually improves air quality.
In 1975 Sweden claimed that textile floor coverings were causing allergic reactions and subsequently carpet’s share of the floor covering market shrank from 40 percent to 2 percent in less than 20 years. Interestingly, a study done in Sweden found that while carpet had steadily decreased, the occurrences of allergic reactions had increased just as steadily. The Swedish people realized their error and carpet is once again a popular floor covering. In fact, in Sweden where health hysteria led to a 77% reduction in carpet use between 1975 and 1990, there was an increase of more than 300% in allergic disease over the same period.
Still want more? Read these articles and study results from the Carpet & Rug Institute on the relationship between carpet and allergy symptoms.

Professional Testing Labs studied the distribution of airborne dust associated with normal activities on hard and soft flooring surfaces. Their findings showed that walking on hard surfaces disturbed more particles because with each footstep the allergens become airborne and enter the breathing zone. In contrast, carpeted surfaces trapped more particles so that walking disturbed fewer particles. The result is less dust in the breathing zone over carpeted floors.

According to Michael A. Berry, Ph.d., former Deputy Director for the EPA Environmental Criteria and Assessment Office, the single leading cause of poor indoor air quality in built environments today is poor maintenance. Carpet and upholstery must be cleaned to remove trapped contaminants before they overflow and are released back into the indoor air. For a healthier indoor environment, the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) recommends: Have your carpet cleaned professionally at least once a year by a certified firm to ensure the use of proper extraction procedures, to make certain that the carpet is not over wet and that the soil is not just redistributed, but removed. Learn more about the hot water extraction carpet cleaning method we use and learn why Clean Your Carpets is the best choice to keep your home clean and healthy.

• Use the proper cleaning method – Hot Water Extraction / Steam Cleaning
  Some people believe that if the carpet is steam cleaned or the hot water extraction method is used mold and mildew will grow in the carpet therefore causing allergies. This is not true. Carpet manufactures require the hot water extraction cleaning method to maintain warranties because it is the best system… IF it is done properly. Many cleaning companies have a reputation of leaving the carpet saturated. Clean Your Carpets cleaning technique is different than many companies. By using powerful equipment, keeping the filters clean, using a through cleaning technique, performing dry vacuum strokes and using fans allows the carpet Clean Your Carpets cleans to dry quickly. Learn more about the hot water extraction carpet cleaning method we use and learn why Clean Your Carpets is the best choice to keep your home clean and healthy.

• Clean for health.
  Carpet and upholstery fabric hide soil. Don’t just clean for appearance when the accumulation of soil becomes visible. Clean your carpet and all fabric surfaces in your home including mattresses, rugs and upholstered furniture. Our powerful steam cleaning process uses hot water that effectively kills and remove dust mites and other allergens. Follow the above simple tips, and not only will you have a healthier home, but your carpeting will last longer also.
  Enjoy significantly reduced allergen levels with Clean Your Carpets many solutions to provide you with relief from allergies. Thorough cleaning removes soil and pollutants to improve indoor air quality. Our expert technicians use the hot water extraction method also known as steam cleaning, the preferred carpet cleaning method recommended by carpet manufactures to remove pollutants and allergens for carpet and upholstery. All of our cleaning products are hypoallergenic, non-toxic, dye and perfume free, contain no volatile organic compounds (VOC’s), phosphates or other hazardous materials and are biodegradable and environmentally safe. They are safe and effective for you, your children, your pets and the environment. If you are ready for a healthy home, call 585-924-8440, you can count on the professionals at Clean Your Carpets to make your home a healthy one with these cleaning services Carpet Cleaning Upholstery Cleaning Ceramic Tile & Grout Cleaning Water Damage Restoration Oriental and Area Rug Cleaning Auto, Boat & RV Cleaning Pet Stains & Odor Removal Commercial Cleaning

• Control temperature and humidity.
  Maintain a comfortable temperature and relative humidity of 35% – 50 % If you can cut down on the amount of humidity, you can decrease mold growth and dust mite population. Hygrometers can be used to measure humidity accurately. Air-conditioning often helps because it allows you to keep the windows closed on high-pollen days and keeps mold growth and dust mites to a minimum. A centralized heating and cooling system helps to maintain the same temperature and control humidity throughout the house. As a second choice, a single-room, window air-conditioning unit can provide adequate cooling, this is particularly important in the bedroom. Be sure to clean the filters regularly.
  Use a dehumidifier to keep the level of moisture in the house to a relative humidity of 35-50%. Keeping the house cool and dry helps reduce mold, dust mites, and cockroaches. However, this may be a difficult task depending on where you live. According to Dr. Elaine Gonsior, Director of the Allergy Clinic at Kansas State University, it is very difficult to get humidity levels below 50% in many areas of the United States, even with air conditioning and dehumidifying. “Levels as low as 35% can only be achieved in standard homes in cold, dry climates unless the insulation and ventilation are hi-tech, and that is beyond the reach of the average homeowner,” Gonsior says. A basement can also be a source of high moisture which can result in mold. Visit our water damage restoration page to learn how to keep your home dry, clean and healthy.

• Improve air filtration.
  Be sure to regularly clean or replace your furnace’s air filter. Consider using high-efficiency HEPA air filters. Although the EPA recommends air filtration, controlling the sources of allergy-causing pollution and ventilation are more important. Air filters are worth considering, but not as a solution to your asthma or allergy problems by themselves. In fact, research studies disagree on whether or not filters give much added relief in a clean and well-ventilated home. To improve your existing forced air heating/cooling system, consider installing an electrostatic filter. These filters, which work 3-4 times better than a standard foam filter, can be easily installed on your system to minimize small airborne particles that are potential allergens. An alternative to the electrostatic filter is the extended-surface air filter. This accordion-like filter, which is usually 2 to 6 inches thick, requires installation by a professional heating/cooling contractor. The extended-surface filter can last up to 2 years and can capture more airborne allergens than an electrostatic filter.
  After taking these steps to remove obvious sources of indoor air pollution, consider purchasing an air cleaner to eliminate any airborne particles that remain. Air cleaners range in size, type, and efficiency. You can choose from an inexpensive, stand-alone, tabletop unit to more involved and expensive whole-house systems. The standard measure to rate the efficiency of an air cleaner is the Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR), measured in cubic feet per minute. A higher CADR indicates greater ability for the air cleaner to return clean air to the room. Some models are designed with a higher CADR for one type of particle than another. Desktop models are generally too small to be effective, but a stand-alone, single-room High Efficiency Particulate Accumulator (HEPA) air cleaner can help filter out airborne particles like smoke, dust mite allergens, and pet allergens. Electronic air cleaners (also called electrostatic precipitators) are quite efficient, but they release a small amount of ozone while they’re running. In general, air cleaners do not remove irritating gases, such as radon, carbon monoxide, or formaldehyde. However, if they contain activated carbon or a similar material they can remove some types of gases.

• Increase ventilation.
  If you have forced air heating and cooling systems, leave the fan switched to on at all times. This will continually circulate the air in your home through the air filters, removing airborne particulates. Make sure that you change your filters monthly.
  Proper ventilation in certain areas of the home is essential for improving your indoor air quality. An everyday task like cooking can produce odors, water vapor, and other potential irritants like grease and smoke. Avoid using standard window fans for ventilation, because they allow pollen and outdoor mold spores to enter the house. Use exhaust fans in the kitchen and bathroom to remove moisture and indoor pollutants.

• Keep the house clean.
  Since many irritants can be trapped in dust, try to keep your house dust-free. Once a week, use a damp cloth to wipe all flat surfaces. Be careful with the cleaning agents you use. Some scented or aerosol sprays and other cleaners can be irritants for people with asthma and allergies. To be on the safe side, use trigger sprays and a face mask, and increase ventilation while cleaning to minimize your exposure to irritating chemicals. While many allergens and irritants are suspended in household air, there are far more resting on surfaces like rugs, furniture and countertops. Keeping these areas clean is an important step in controlling your allergy and asthma triggers.

• Don’t forget pets. Proteins in a pet’s dander, saliva and urine cause pet allergies. Grooming by cats cause the saliva on fur to become airborne, which in turn triggers the allergic reaction. Allergy sufferers should not have pets, but of course many do. We can help by introducing regular cleaning and treatment of their home furnishings.
  Dogs, cats and many other animals secrete fluids and shed dander (dead skin) that contains allergens. The allergens stick to the animal’s fur or feathers as well as carpet, furniture, bedding, clothing, and many other surfaces. Animal hair or fur is not an allergen itself, but can collect dander and harbor other allergens such as dust or pollen.
  Animal allergens can be found everywhere including schools. Pet dander is even present in homes without pets because the dander is carried around on people’s clothing. The allergens get in the air with petting, grooming, or stirring of the air where the allergens have settled. Once airborne, the particles can stay suspended in the air for long periods of time.
  The best treatment for allergies to animals is to avoid contact altogether, which may make it impossible for you to have pets with fur or feathers at home. If this is unacceptable, make sure you have a treatment plan for your asthma/allergies, keep pets out of the bedroom, keep the animals clean and follow the tips on this page.
  Are you allergic to your pet? Visit the Humane Society’s Web Site to learn how to live with your pet in harmony, even in you’re allergic to them.
  Download your guide to your allergies and your pet here.

If you are ready for a healthy home, call 585-924-8440, you can count on the professionals at Clean Your Carpets to make your home a healthy one.

http://www.rochesterscarpetcleaner.com

http://www.cleanyourcarpets.com

Hello! C’est moi! I thought I’d post a little running update for those interested. Recently, it became winter, which has meant I’ve done some adjusting.

First of all, I’d say I run about three days a week now, as opposed to the five days I did during the fall. This kind of sucks and I should try and get myself out more, despite the lack of sunlight and the colder temperatures.

The cold air is an issue. I’ve discovered that around -10 C is about the coldest I can run at. I have an awesome lycra neckwarmer thing that I pull up to my eyeballs and it really helps. It does get a little hot and moist in there though. I’ve been running 3 km at a time, which considerably less than I had worked up to in the fall, but is about as far as I can go without my lungs protesting and burning.

The snow is not an issue. The sidewalks are either plowed or salted and so far there’s rarely ice on them. I do need to pay a little more attention to my footing these days though.

Rather than being disappointed with my reduced running frequency and distance, I’m just happy that I’m getting outside and exercising rather than staying inside in my pyjamas all day (which is quite easy to do during winter exam period). Also, I’m super stoked that my lungs have actually been extremely cooperative lately. So yay for running.

My dad and I are looking forward to running together when I go home, but the weather there is extremely cold and dry out there (think -35 C) so we’re just going to have to see.

Image : http://www.flickr.com

Asthma is a lung disease very common in children. This disease attacks following a trigger or an allergen. If this swelling is the case, the small airways in the lungs, and narrow. Asthma attacks can be anywhere from mild to life threatening. It 'very important for people suffering from this disease always take their medications and not ignore their condition, if you feel difficulty in breathing.

But more than medical treatment, prevention is the best medicine for the treatment of asthma. DuringDoctors can prescribe millions of drugs to treat this disease, you are fighting a natural way. And it would with vitamins.

Vitamins are essential substances that the body needs. And all kinds of vitamins, vitamin C is the best candidate for the treatment of this disease.

Asthma Cure with vitamin C:

Vitamin C is considered long, the vitamin that the body provides a healthier immune system.
This vitamin is very helpful if the cause of asthma is allergens.But apart from strengthening the body's immune system, vitamin C is also a good antioxidant.
It helps the body free of harmful toxins that asthma not only increase, but could be a myriad of other diseases as well.

Besides vitamin C, there are other vitamins that may be important in the treatment of asthma. Beta-carotene and vitamin A may, for example, the protection of the lung. It ensures that the mucous membranes of the lungs are well intact. Membranes ensure the health ofthis vital organ.

Vitamin B6 for asthma:

Intensive research and studies by experts to conclude that this lack of vitamin B can cause asthma.
They found that patients with asthma are often high Kynurenic acid and xanthurenic acid in urine.
These two acids are produced when you change the metabolism of serotonin and tryptophan, which is a direct consequence of the lack of vitamin B6.

Vitamin B3 To prevent asthmaAttacks:

Role of vitamin B3 in the body, with regard to asthma, is somewhat similar to vitamin C.
This vitamin is believed that asthma attacks caused by allergens.
This is because vitamin B3, an antihistamine effect is produced in the body.

Vitamin D and vitamin E can also be used to treat asthma, because it can help strengthen your immune system. Asthma is a major health problem since 17THE century. Thanks to these two vitamins, people wereable to establish more who are fighting the development of the adverse effects of the disease altogether.

Vitamins can be found, of course you eat or specialized chemical additives in food. To ensure that your body is the recommended daily dose of essential vitamins, make sure you get fruit and vegetables in them. Citrus fruits are good sources of vitamin C. yellow and orange vegetables are rich in Vitamin A. Add these foods to your dailyFood and will certainly be cured of asthma in no time.

For vitamins, which are not directly obtained from foods, there are many over-the-counter supplements available today. B vitamins are good examples of vitamins that are not readily available, as the food produced in the body. For these types of vitamins you can take the pills and capsules are specially formulated to ensure that your body is not bad with them.

Earlier today I was so unlucky to get stung by a Bluebottle (Portuguese an O’ War). It got me really good. I was stung on both my thighs, back and front, my right arm and on my lower abdominal. It was a really intense pain. Half way up from the water I could barely walk as the pain was so intense.

The pain had kind of three “ingredients”. It felt like someone had grabbed my thigh and just squeezed as hard as possible, also I had a tingling sensation and a really intense itching.
I think that whole ordeal lasted for about 15 minutes.

As we came home I noticed I was slightly short of breath, but nothing I took real notice too as I had problems with asthma at a young age; but have not had any asthma attack for at least half a decade.
Two hours before midnight I started to get more short breathed and got slightly worried.

I did a search online and found out that you can have an allergic reaction if you get stung by a Bluebottle. One of the symptoms is difficulty of breathing; also explained as shortness of breath, depends who you ask.

As an anaphylactic shock can suddenly get really serious we decided to go to the ER and have them check me out. They spent a good few hours analysing me, prodding me and giving me some ventolin.
The ventolin helped, x-ray and blood samples looked fine, so they decided to send me home.

I had mentioned and emphasised I suffered from asthma at a young age and have had no episodes for several years now; and I have had only two panic attacks in my life, one several months ago.
As they did not find anything wrong with the x-rays or blood samples the intern doctor gave me the following diagnosis:

Panic Attack

Let me briefly recap here. I went to the beach, got severely stung by a Bluebottle, experienced shortness of breath a bit later on, relaxing at home and not stressing or worried about anything at all today.
Apparently it is more likely that I have a panic attack than an allergic reaction to the Bluebottle venom.

I am sure I will be fine, but I do not feel like going to bed.
If it were not so late, I would probably go to another ER to get a second opinion.

What do you think? As in, what is more likely; an allergic reaction to the Bluebottle venom or a panic attack just out of the blue for no reason at all?

Live long and prosper.
Hopefully.

.update

It is past 4 am; and I am extremely sleepy. I chose to stay up late as I suddenly got shortness of breath again. Now it is diminishing, so I see no reason why I should not be fine. I will be heading off to bed now and I will for sure continue my antics tomorrow again; but avoiding anything poisonous from now on.
I did not get a second opinion from a doctor, but I did get a few good opinions from a few redditors.

Tata…

5 Warning Signs That Could Keep You Out of ER

Aloe was used to great effect by Greek and Roman physicians. Researchers have found that both the ancient Chinese and Indian used Aloe Vera.

In the Philippines it is used with milk for kidney infections.

Aloes are referred to in the Bible, and legend suggests that Alexander the Great conquered the island of Socotra in the Indian Ocean to secure supplies of Aloes to treat the battle wounds of his soldiers.

Aloe vera, being one of the most healing herbs, contains strong anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties. It is bactericidal, fungicidal, and virucidal. Aloe vera promotes cell growth and is strengthening to the whole immune-system. It is neurologically calming, acting also as a powerful detoxifying agent that helps to clean the morbid matter from the stomach, liver, kidneys, spleen, bladder, and colon. Aloe vera is very beneficial in case of coughs, ulcers, lesions, hemorrhoids, diabetes, cancer, headaches, arthritis, constipation, indigestion, asthma, IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome), and radiation. Being one of the best herbs to clean out the colon, it soothes all kinds of stomach disorders. Aloe vera promotes menstruation when it is suppressed. It expels pinworms after several doses. It helps reduce the effects of aging and increases the quality of life of the elderly. It is recommended for smokers and ex-smokers as it helps heal the chronic catarrh.

External use: Aloe gel is used for topical treatment of wounds, burns, cuts, sores, skin irritations, skin ulcers, itchy skin, eczema, acne, stings, insect bites, and joint problems. It helps prevent the formation of liver spots in aging skins. If aloe vera is applied regularly and for long enough it will often cause established spots to disappear. Aloe vera is one of the best anti-aging herbs available, helping to rejuvenate aging skin and combat wrinkles.