Comments on: If I’m not writing a lot lately.

By: Justthisguy

Justthisguy — Sun, 07 Jan 2007 04:01:38 +0000

What J said, exactly. As in, you look out for yerself first, and only communicate with us second, as and when you want to.

By: Tophet

Tophet — Sat, 06 Jan 2007 12:16:53 +0000

I have been ill almost continuously since just before Thanksgiving, and it evolved into bronchitis around Dec. 12. I am still ill, given it typically lasts three to six weeks, so I may be better in a few days or a few more weeks (I just can’t tell right now). I could say I know how you feel but, honestly, I couldn’t. I haven’t suffered from something like this since (from what Grandpa once told me) the age of four (over 30 years now) and had no idea what a bronchial spasm felt like. I can’t know what it’s like because my condition is acute (even if it feels like forever) and not chronic (like typical asthma, or chronic bronchitis which is usually indicative of some lung damage from smoking or whatnot). I may have AS and not be a great listener, but I also know what it is like to face paternalistic hypocrites.

Just take good care of yourself. I want to read more of your blogs. You can blame Phil Schwartz for putting me onto you. ;-)

By: wolly

wolly — Fri, 05 Jan 2007 01:22:01 +0000

Hey, I know you will get thru this. It is (forgive me) a *bitch* that we have to learn all this stuff ourselves and then when we try to advocate for ourselves we get a WTF reaction or worse from the MD. At a recent appointment with an allergist, I expressed that I’d prefer not to have to take any meds, even my albuterol, mentioning the “paradoxical bronchospasm” thingie you said but not by name but by symptom. Doc said “oh that’s so rare”. Ugh, so’s a lotta things.

My (well I guess gonna type sympathy but I guess it’s empathy) thoughts are with you Amanda. I’ve never had what I’d call an asthma attack, though I spent about 7 years on a daily inhaled med like Pulmicort. Got off of that 3 months ago and have been having a heck of a time lately mornings/nights. It’s allergy related. I believe this loratadine stuff might do it for me. I was taking albuterol 2-3 times a day for days and even I know that’s not good.

Good for you for knowing what to do for yourself, though it has to be exhausting.

It need not go without saying that doctors a a-holes sometimes. Makes no sense that you should be educating them and they go home with the quarter mil a year salary. I don’t understand how MDs, some of them, have the *nerve* to bill after showing their lack of knowledge.

As someone who has been making funky inhale/exhale noises myself lately, I wish you a speedy recovery and all the rest you need. Take care of yourself.

By: lordalfredhenry

lordalfredhenry — Fri, 05 Jan 2007 00:43:49 +0000

I have a high respect for EMTs too. ;) (Oh, btw, I have EMT-B badge somewhere here still. Was an automatic for the med training I got.) I’ve seen EMTs save much more lives than doctors have. Doctors can get “analysis paralysis” sometimes. The series “House” is one series too that kinda shows some of that albeit, Dr. House doesn’t get quite so much “paralysis” as he’s pretty smart/genius etc.(on the show that is)

By: Laura

Laura — Thu, 04 Jan 2007 13:17:59 +0000

Hope you are feeling bettwer soon!!!

By: sly civilian

sly civilian — Thu, 04 Jan 2007 12:13:52 +0000

take care…

By: J

Wed, 03 Jan 2007 23:38:30 +0000

Sorry about that. Good luck with everything. And don’t worry about the blog until you feel up for it; it’s interesting, but less important than your health.

By: ballastexistenz

ballastexistenz — Wed, 03 Jan 2007 22:14:20 +0000

Yeah — laurentius — it was salbutamol or something like that that they were trying to push on me and that we were refusing, because I’d already just pushed my heart (I’m prone to tachycardia already) to as far as I was willing to push it with Albuterol. I’m glad I refused it.

Having just come out of a Prednisone-induced delirium that passed as sleep, though, I’m going to be really glad when I’m off this stuff too.

By: observer

observer — Wed, 03 Jan 2007 20:01:11 +0000

Prednisone = hell

By: laurentius-rex

laurentius-rex — Wed, 03 Jan 2007 17:47:43 +0000

ER is well familiar with me I think. though I have never been for an asthma attack yet as fortunately my asthma seems largely in abeyance which is just as well because the asthma inhaler is something to avoid so far as my heart arrhythmias are concerned.

I think personally that it was salbutamol that contributed to the hastening of my mums ultimate death, I could see what it was doing to her heart rate, yet a nurse insisted on her being nebulised at the appropriate interval, when it was clear it was not helping.

I only obtained the notes however, on a proviso that I would not sue.
Technically that should make no difference, but being pragmatic, I realised that the notes were likely to “dissapear” if I had not made that promise. Anyway there was not any point in being vindictive so far as the hospital was concerned, shit happens.