I’ve written before about how biking is my main mode of transportation. It’s my thing, and it’s how I travel the 8 mile round trip to my job. And I’ve learned that unless I wear a really thick scarf, sometimes two, breathing is going to be an extremely painful thing. You have asthma David said insistently and repeatedly. I just need to drink some warm tea I would wheeze back as I thoroughly ignored the problem.
People who know me in real life know that I get a little obsessive when it comes to worrying. I worry about a lot of things, many of which deserve not even half an iota of my brain space. Asthma, though? I ignored the problem. I wrote it off as me being out of shape, despite several signs to the contrary. Despite having had asthma attacks in the past (they ended when my sister or a friend with an inhaler handed me it, said oh my god just try this). Cue last Thursday night, when I couldn’t breathe. The fog has been particularly bad around these here parts and have led to a build up of some nasty air pollution. It felt like I was having a panic attack, but no matter how calm I tried to be, it wouldn’t go away. I fell asleep breathing shallowly and refusing to let myself panic and assumed it would be over when I woke up.
This scarf has become one of the only scarves thick enough to help me breathe.
My morning plans with my mom were promptly rerouted when I mentioned I was still having a hard time taking deep breaths and she asked why I was being so damn stubborn about not seeing a doctor. One (surprisingly pleasant) trip to the nearby walk in clinic later, and it’s official.
David gets his I Told You So card and I get two inhalers. You think I would have learned my lesson about ignoring signs from my body at this point, but yesterday proved otherwise when I ignored the oncoming migraine, to the point of going grocery shopping. It took me sitting on the couch and wondering why I felt like throwing up before my brain finally connected the pieces that it was because I was in so much pain and maybe it was time for me to turn off the lights, put the book away, and go lay down.
Baby steps, people. Baby steps.
Dude! Take care of yourself, you silly goose. Asthma isn’t something to screw around with. Eeep. I’m glad you’ve got it all under control now. xx
Quite right, what ^GypsyinJasper said. Although I am also guilty of this, especially with headaches and eating food my body doesn’t agree with. Like you said – baby steps.
I’m glad you got an inhaler! Biking is also my main mode of transportation, and biking in the cold is no joke! I have problems breathing when I get to my destination and I am asthma free.