ASTHMA DIARY NOTES

Thursday February 24, 2005

Any amount of walking at any speed for any length of time makes me feel
shortness of breath, wheezing, dizziness, chest tightness. Going up any
hill for me puts this even worse as I cough more often and I can taste
the blood in my lungs. As well, it is worse for me when I walk for more
than 10 min-30 min as my chest can get so tight and painful I can
hardly breathe and when I do it's very painful for me. This has been
like this for me since childhood. If I'm like this on a daily basis,
how do I manage this aspect of my life so I can exercise and lose this
excess weight I have on me (being 248.5 pounds)? Is there a correlation
between my weight & asthma making my asthma worse? Because I am unable
to do any sport but swimming and downhill skiing without feeling dizzy,
sick to my stomach (ESPECIALLY in the hot summer) I am (LIMITED) to
what I can do. I could NEVER run or hold my breath for long. Even since
childhood I could only breathe shallow and whenever I breathed deep I
would experience pain in my lungs and chest. I still experience this on
a daily basis. Very often (even in childhood) I am out of breath when
talking and do a lot of yawning when I talk. Is this a sign of an
asthma attack if I feel like this all of the time? Cigarette smoke,
perfume, heavy soaps, dyes, hairspray, ammonia (not bleach), laundry
detergent, freshly cut grass, deodorant, some strong shampoos &
conditioners with sweet scents, scented candles, incense, air
fresheners  really bother me - to the point of getting a sick headache
and being really sick to my stomach. I literally can't breathe and
cough a lot around such substances. Is this an allergic reaction? Does
this cause asthma symptoms? If so, how do I control this in my
environment if it is present around me all of the time? I'm supposed
to be mildly allergic to corn an alder. I've eaten corn my whole
life, but have never experienced an allergic reaction. What should I be
looking for if I'm allergic to corn? How do I know I'm having an
allergic reaction to corn? What should I be looking for? Should I keep
on eating corn if it is a mild allergy or should I avoid eating corn
altogether? If I'm mildly allergic to alder how do I know I'm
reacting to it? What would I be looking for? Should this be a concern
for me or not? How do I know when to go to the hospital or not? Should
I be keeping my peak flow monitor with me at all times to check if I am
having a severe asthma attack? Is it normal to feel pain when I breathe
all the time? Should I always be feeling so short of breath? If not
should I be using my reliever medication for that? And what happens (as
of late from the last few days) when I have a chest tightness from
exercising, take my reliever medication but in less than 4 hrs I need
to take it again? Should I take it again or should I wait for 4 hrs
before I take it and suffer for that duration of time? How do I know
when I am having a severe asthma attack? Right now I feel very short of
breath and my heart is beating so fast it is making me light headed and
slightly dizzy. I can recall many times when I can't sleep at night
because of this feeling. Should I be concerned? Since childhood I
remember whenever I ran too fast or hard I would have severe chest
pains, wheeze hard and it would be at least 1hr or more before my
breath returned to normal again. Is this a concern if I am like this?
If I want to find out if I am triggered by hot or cold days what should
I be looking out for? How would I know? And what if both extremes cause
my asthma symptoms? I've always had colds lasting a month with bad
coughs (even thought I only get sick every 2 years-REALLY sick). Is
this normal? If dark circles under the eyes are signs of allergies, how
can I tell if the circles under my eyes are a sign of allergies and how
can I get rid of those circles permanently? And why didn't somebody
notice my asthma signs in my childhood?

Friday February 25, 2005

This morning I woke up with shortness of breath & a heavy chest. I took
my flovent which took care of the heavy chest but I still feel short of
breath. After having my hot bath I felt a bit dizzy, lightheaded and
short of breath. All day long I've been feeling short of breath even
when I went out for some errands close by. I get easily out of breath
going up and down stairs like I've been doing today. My heart has
been beating so fast all day making me feel a bit dizzy and unable to
do the vacuuming for the house. The only thing I could do was work on
housing applications sitting down in the living room. I am not sure if
I am experiencing a severe asthma attach but I am not feeling all that
well today. I have been coughing a bit throughout the day but I am
unsure if t his is because of a cold I've been skirting since
December. I've had a stuffy nose today for a bit making it a bit hard
to breathe through my nose. I haven't been able to take DEEP breaths
at all today-at least not without some pain in my chest. All I've
managed to do today was take short shallow breaths and even then when
sitting down I've felt so out of breath throughout the day. The only
way I could keep deep breaths going is when I would regularly use my
blue puffer 4x day and then I would not get the symptoms I am
experiencing now. It's the only way I know not to be so out of breath
all the time. Right now (at 8:11pm) I'm feeling so dizzy I feel sick
to my stomach-I feel like throwing up. What does that mean? Is it a
sign of an asthma attack? I've had heart burn in the past and I took
tums to relieve it. Could this also be a sign of an asthma attack? Last
night I also went to bed dizzy, light headed and with fast heart beats.
It took me awhile to get to bed and get a good sleep. I drank tea all
throughout the day which helped to keep me calm but now I am not sure
if tea has contributed to the way I am feeling now. I hope this
question can be answered. I have just realized that I had past for
supper at 6:41pm. Even though I was only slightly not feeling well I
felt much worse shortly after I finished my supper. I think if I go to
bed early and rest quietly this incredible dizziness will go away on
its own. I should take a second dose of reliever today to help this
feeling of sickness I'm having go away.

Saturday February 26, 2005

It's 2:40 am and I was woken up by my rapid, shallow breathing and
rapid heart beats. Each breath I take is a new adventure in pain,
lightheadedness and shortness of breath. On the inside of me I feel
very jittery and slightly sick to my stomach. It's hard for me to
breath right now and I just took my reliever medicine a few minutes ago
hoping this will relieve those symptoms of mine. At least I don't
feel as sick to my stomach and as dizzy as when I went to bed last
night between 9:30-10pm. I was so dizzy that I could feel my world
spinning even with my eyes closed. I took my puffer last night before
going to bed and that's what helped me get through until this very
moment. I don't know if this is a sign of an asthma attack but I know
I've felt like this on many occasions before in the past before I was
diagnosed with asthma. The only way to deal with it is to rest, sit
still and do something quiet until this past. This is the first time
though I awoke at this time in the middle of the night to use my
reliever medicine. I am unsure what to do if this persists for any
further length of time. I guess if I'm like this after the play today
I will have to go to VGH to get checked out at emergency. But my rapid
heart beats make me breathe shallow, thus in turn making me feel dizzy
and lightheadedness. I have to admit that in public I feel
self-conscious about using my reliever medicine. I feel as though
people are watching me, wondering what on earth am I doing. How do I
get over this feeling so I can feel more confident about using my
reliever medicine in public when I need it? I don't know if I'll
ever get back to sleep again tonight so I think I'm going to do some
reading quietly until the official time to get up. I've promised to
vacuum yet I wasn't feeling well yesterday because of these symptoms.
Should I vacuum in the morning even though I am feeling like this? Will
it make my symptoms worse? I don't know what to do. I want my asthma
to be under control so I can stop feeling like this the majority of the
time. 7:07 am - I went back to sleep between 4-5 am and tried to sleep
some more with the trembly feeling I was experiencing. I don't feel
as trembly but breathing is painful for me now and I can only breathe
short shallow breaths - like a dog panting. And when I do breath like
that I can feel my breath trembly and faint. Trying to breathe deep is
out of the question as that is too painful and hard for me to do. I'd
have to do several shallow breaths just to breathe deep and I don't
feel it's worth it right now. 10:31am - I did the vacuuming this
morning between 9-10am. Even though I was still not feeling well (but
starting to get my breath back to normal "short breaths") I still
vacuumed because I promised to do so because mommy has to work today.
Since doing the vacuuming I feel very jittery on the inside and I'm
back to the breaths I was experiencing when I went to bed last night
and when I woke up around 1:30am this morning. If I just keep low and
quiet hopefully this will pass. I won't take my blue puffer yet-until
I know it will get worse. 7:04pm - I went out to see a play today and
by the time the play started at two pm I was gasping and wheezing for
air. I took more reliever at 1:54pm but still am gasping and wheezing
for air. It is hard for me to catch my breath with me also having pain
when I breathe. I also take Effexor XR 75mg a day and don't know if
this is a reaction I am having. I'll call Dr. Chernick today and
leave a message to let him know about this. I have to rule this of act
or out. When I told mommy I couldn't breathe when I came home from
the play she said I should stop taking my medicines because I'm over
using them. What do I say to that?

Sunday February 27, 2005

This morning when I woke up I had some chest tightness which went away
after taking Flovent. I was feeling much better. I was doing the
breathing I was experiencing yesterday and the day before. I was back
to my usual shallow breathing/pain when breathing deep. So everything
was back to the normal I was used to. I am not sure if I should have
gone to the hospital with the way I was feeling. I didn't go after
the play because I didn't want mommy to be angry or suspicious of me
going to the hospital. She would have wanted to know why I was going to
the hospital, I was only looking for attention, sickness, doctors when
there is nothing wrong with me (and I'm gasping/wheezing for air
because....? For no reason?) etc. So I decided that it was prudent to
go home and act like there was nothing with me (while I feel dizzy,
quivery, trembly breathing, wheezing, gasping for air....). Anyway I
also called Dr. Chernick my psychiatrist and told him of my symptoms
because these same symptoms are also reactions for Effexor XR 75
mg/day. I've been on it since December 2004 and I haven't
experienced a reaction before so I'm covering ground by ruling out
any side effects to my anti-depressant I'm currently taking. I was
going to walk all the way to the main Vancouver Public Library for
exercise. That's a long walk from Victoria & 40th. I walked all the
way up 41st to Cambie (about 1hr walk) with some hills along the way
(not steep) which made me wheeze and cough a bit (though I'm still
skirting a cold so.......). Then after passing Fraser & 41st I started
to feel dizzy and slightly disoriented a bit. I didn't stop and take
the bus but kept on walking slower and slower, staggering a bit when
reaching my final destination. My fingers on my right hand started to
swell up to the point I could not move them without great effort. This
is VERY normal for me to be like this when I do this amount of walking.
I could feel my face get red and hot and was starting to sweat like a
pig. I'm not sure if I should be concerned about this or not so I'm
hoping my queries can FINALLY be answered. I finally got to sit down on
the # 5 Robson bus on Cambie and rested until I got to the library.
Still dizzy, I took my time getting up the steps to the Blenz (inside
the main Vancouver Public Library) and ordered a steamed milk to drink.
I took my puffer at 9:35am and it's now 9:58am. I'm feeling a bit
better and I hope this doesn't get worse for me again. After seeing
the movie Hitch I took the Cambie bus to 41st and I walked all the way
home. Though I was fine with my out of breath I usually experience I
wheezed whenever I encountered any slight hills. Even walking long
distances makes me wheeze and become out of breath. The more out of
breath I become, the more dizzy I become, making each step I make
harder and harder. I become trembly, weak, making me collapse on the
spot if I stop before I reach my destination. But this is very normal
for me-when walking long distances getting dizzy, weak, trembly,
wheezing, out of breath, shortness of breath, chest tightness. I've
become so used to this I barely notice it all. But here is my dilemma:
I don't exercise because of these symptoms I just described. So how
do I manage those symptoms so I can exercise and lead a normal life?
Should I be concerned if I am dizzy and weak every single time I
exercise for long periods of time? At least now I am feeling better
with my breathing being back to its usual shortness of breath and pain
when I breathe.

Monday February 28, 2005

This morning I woke up feeling fine. I went to bed last night with a
headache and was feeling dizzy and lightheaded. I did walk all the way
to Main & 33rd from Victoria & 20th before taking the bust to Main &
25th. While walking I wheezed, was short of breath, had chest
tightness, was feeling dizzy and light headed. I walked slower and
slower, staggering almost like a drunk person or an old lady shuffling
along the way. I did not feel the need to take my blue puffer medicine
as I was unsure if this was the right circumstance to take it. For the
rest of the day I've been feeling dizzy and light headed. I feel as
if the room is spinning all around me. Even when sitting down I feel
dizzy and lightheaded. I don't know if this is asthma related or not
or of a concern but I sure would like to know. If my asthma is out of
control then is there any other meds I should be taking to get it under
control? Do I have any options available to me? I'm also experiencing
a slight sore throat which I woke up with today and took a halls to
calm my sore throat down. Is this a concern for asthma? Are there other
ways to make sure I am using my blue puffer correctly? I am using the
technique I was taught but I feel at times I miss by getting the
medication at the side of the mouth. At least I'm using the spacer
daily for my Flovent which I always take. Does my medication need to be
adjusted to help better control my asthma? I hope my questions can be
answered.

Tuesday March 1, 2005

Today I woke up with a slight heaviness in my chest. Taking my Flovent
twice daily with my spacer does help with the heaviness of my chest. I
also still have a sore throat and am trying to keep it at a minimum by
taking a cherry halls. I'm feeling somewhat dizzy right now (since
the moment I woke up) and I feel like the room is spinning all around
me. I still feel shortness of breath-going up and down the stairs,
moving about the house but have not taken my blue reliever medication
as I am unsure if this is the right time for me to use it. What if I
use it when I have shortness of breath then 1hr later I feel shortness
of breath again? If I have shortness of breath when sitting down should
this be a concern for me or not? I hope I can get some answers because
I want to get my asthma under control and live a normal health life. I
am coughing a bit today but it could be from the cold I'm skirting
since December 2004. Throughout the day I've felt dizzy, lightheaded.
I've also experienced some chest tightness for a few hours in while
in class. I had a bit of trouble breathing-shortness of breath even
when sitting down. I did not take my blue reliever puffer but I waited
it out which passed after a bit. I'm starting to cough up a storm
today along with my sore throat which gets more noticeable throughout
the day. I've got a headache now (9:16pm) and still feel dizzy.
Should I be concerned? I talked to Dr. Chernick yesterday who told me
the Effexor is not a problem for me to take (i.e. I'm not having an
allergy reaction to it). I also picked up my last refill for Flovent
today which means I have to see Dr. Loubert for a new prescription.
Should I evaluate my meds more carefully to see if there are other
asthma meds I could be taking to better control my asthma? Which course
of action should I take?

Wednesday March 2, 2005

This morning I woke up with a sore throat like you wouldn't believe.
I'm coughing a lot more now - could be I'm catching that cold
I've been skirting since December 2004? Well, who knows. I felt a bit
dizzy and lightheaded when I woke up. Walking around the house, going
up and down the stairs in the basement made me short of breath-huffing,
puffing, gulping/gasping for air. I wheezed slightly with the walking.
I met with the asthma educator today who said my asthma is DEFINITELY
out of control. The meds I'm using are not the right dosage for me or
right kind for me. So she told me to double up on the Flovent puffs to
two puffs/day and I'm also prescribed a medication called SereVent
salmeterol xinafoate inhalation aerosol in which I take 2 puffs 2 times
daily. I took it already once at 11:44am this morning with my spacer
and boy is that stuff strong. I could feel it rushing to my head when I
inhaled it. This is supposed to help with the inflammation of my lungs
(which are quite inflamed already) and help me not to be so out of
breath. It is a bronchodilator for oral inhalation and using this will
help me not use my blue puffer as often. It is a tricky process
managing my asthma. To know which dosage and which medication is right
for me is something that seems to take a long time and when to use my
blue reliever puffer is tricky - should I use it every time I wheeze or
am out of breath? Should it be for chest tightness only? How do I know
when I am having an asthma attack? What are my personal triggers?
Because my peak flow meter readings are very wide range, I have to wait
another 2 weeks to get my peak flow readings closer before I can get an
asthma action plan done. So another two weeks of waiting with loads of
questions that need answering still. At 6:54pm I am noticing already
what a difference the SereVent has made in me. Even though I still have
trouble breathing and pain breathing I don't feel as breathless any
longer. I don't feel the wheezing and I'm not dizzy or lightheaded
any longer. It's as if a cloud has been lifted over me making me more
able to walk without getting so out of breath all of the time. GOD
BLESS SereVent! I still have a sore throat and am coughing more and
more.

Thursday March 3, 2005

Last night when I went to sleep I had a mini coughing up storm before
finally getting to sleep for good. But I had a great sleep thanks to
the SereVent. I don't have that heavy chest feeling in the morning
nor do I feel dizzy, light-headed or wheezing & shortness of breath by
simple walking. I can feel my breathing become clearer and it is a bit
easier to take breaths. I thank God SereVent saved my life in terms of
breathing. Now I feel I can take up the task of walking farther
distances without feeling so wheezy and out of breath. I'm still
coughing today but it is more of a wet cough than anything else. There
is still some pain when I breathe but not as bad as before. I get a bit
out of breath when walking and have trouble breathing when walking fast
but at least I don't feel so wheezy and a tightness in my chest like
I used to always experience when walking or doing any exercise. And for
the first time ever my peak flow reached 500 last night and this
morning-YAY! Well at 2:53pm I can say I managed to walk to school with
no huffing puffing, wheezing or chest tightness. I was out of breath
but that was very short lived as well as the gulping for air. When I
got to my TOPS meeting at 51st Avenue I arrived with a regular breath.
I had some chest tightness and had some trouble breathing at the TOPS
(Taking Off Pounds Sensibly) meeting but there were women wearing
perfume (very heavy perfume) which I think could be a trigger for me.
Should I use my blue puffer for that or now? My mommy smokes in the
house which makes me can't breath and I can feel my throat close and
I start to cough. Is this a trigger for an attack? Should I use my blue
puffer for this instance? I get the same feeling for hairspray which my
mommy uses on her hair on a daily basis. The strong smell also makes me
choke, cough, not breathe and I get headaches from the smell. I live
with that on a daily basis. My room has a new carpet (installed Aug.
2004  before we moved in on Sept. 2, 2004). I can't take it out since
it is not my house so how should I deal with the carpet? Is this a
concern for me? I'm told I should keep the house in a very clean
condition. I'm very busy with school and a social life so how do I
keep a dust free place with the current schedule I keep? I'm told I
should take a lung test on a yearly basis to test that my lungs or in
working order. Should I do this for myself? And what about talking to
my doctor every 6 months even if I'm well? Is that a good idea?
I've got loads of questions and concerns about asthma and asthma
management that need answering. I hope I can get answers for my
questions & concerns about asthma & asthma management. 6:33 pm - I'm
coughing more and more now. The cough is in my throat - I can feel it
but I have a hard time getting the cough out so it is clear from my
throat. I feel the phlegm in my throat which just won't clear. I hope
I'm not worrying too much abut this in regards to my asthma.

Friday March 4, 2005

Last night when going to bed I coughed up a storm. It took awhile
before my coughing calmed down and I was able to sleep. It is now
official that I've started a cold. I've been coughing on and off
all day, at times to the point where my throat becomes raw and I'm
short of breath. I had toast w. crunchy Skippy Peanut Butter & homemade
freezer bing cherry jam for breakfast. I sort of did a hiccup where
part of my breakfast came up where I could see my breakfast bits
clearly in the sink when I spit it out. this is frequent for me. I get
this on a weekly basis for as long as I can remember. As well I do get
frequent heartburn where I am awakened at night by it and I have to
take Tums for it. Mommy says if I lost weight and stop eating so much
the heartburn would stop. Al day long I cleaned the entire house -
dusting, vacuuming, changing my  bed sheets, dusting my closet. I used
London glass cleaner and dishwashing soap & water for dusting. I've
noticed how easily I got a tight chest when cleaning and dusting the
house. The glass cleaner stung my eyes a bit and I had a hard time
breathing when dusting out my closet and cleaning my closet window (it
was covered in dust & cobwebs & had not been cleaned since before Sept.
2004). I kept rubbing my eyes a lot-they seemed to be itchy and I also
kept rubbing my nose which became runny.  The more I dusted and cleaned
the tighter my chest became and the harder it became for me to breathe
properly. I didn't take my blue puffer because I am unsure if this is
the right circumstance to take it. The chest tightness became a sharp,
stabbing pain as I continued to clean and dust. I also got a bad
headache - after cleaning mommy's room which smelled of perfume and
hairspray. It was hard to breathe in that room and I coughed a lot in
that room. Later on I was using white out on my stuff and the smell
gave me a violent headache, I coughed a lot and had trouble breathing.
The smell made me a bit dizzy. I was not out of breath today and I
found going up and down the stairs easier to do. No wheeziness or
shortness of breath so I think that is a result of me taking SereVent.
When I was cleaning the washroom I noticed my cheeks getting a bright
shade of red - almost like a rash. Is that normal to do that?

Saturday March 5, 2005

It's about 4:14 am and I had to use my blue puffer reliever
medication. I woke up at about 1 am to go to the washroom and to get a
class of milk to drink because of my thirstiness. All night long I've
had chest & lung pains making it hard for me to sleep. After getting up
at 1 am I didn't get back to sleep because the pain became too
unbearable for me. Even trying to sleep upward didn't help at all. My
whole chest, sides & lungs feel as if somebody doused them in lighter
fluid and lit them on fire. That's how painful my breathing has
become for me right now. Looking back on my past I now realize I have
woken up on many occasions because of this pain. In fact this pain at
night time is quite frequent. I get this at least once a week at night
time. But I can sleep through it most of the time. I started my "P'
on Wednesday march 2, 2005 but I'm not sure if it contributes to this
pain. I have 2 feather pillows on my  bed that I sleep with. One is a
baby pillow that belonged to my Great-Grandmother when she was alive.
The other a regular sized pillow mommy bought used awhile back. Our
vacuum cleaner is an old reconditioned Electrolux vacuum cleaner. The
only two rooms with carpets are my bedroom and mommy's bedroom. I
have one no  cat zone-my office in the basement. It's very toasty
there and I feel fine in my office with linoleum tiling down there.
4:24 am - I feel better from the chest pains. The reliever medication
really helped me a lot. I guess I was having an asthma attack at this
time in the morning. I write everything down here to help with what is
triggering my attacks and to help better manage my asthma. I'm not
going to bed now since I have to get up soon anyway. I'll get rest
later day. I have been coughing on and off all night. I think it's
because of my cold I have now. When I was a child getting ear
infections were the norm for me. I would get 2-3 ear infections when I
was a child. I don't know if this is relevant to asthma or not but I
am putting it down in case it is important to my personal medical
history.  The allergies my aunt Baiba had when she was alive were
deadly (makeup, bees eventually milk after a trip to Egypt etc.).
mommy's allergy to scallops are also deadly. She's also allergic to
sulfur. She also gets colds that last a long time just like me. When
she was younger she had trouble running (pains) but when she had bypass
surgery in 1994, it turned out she was born with very small arteries.
I've been walking from 40th & Victoria to below Main & Broadway (a
good 2 hr walk w. some hills on Broadway along the way). I'm at
Broadway & Carolina at Subway getting something to eat because I was
hungry. While walking I noticed I had normal breath - no huffing, no
puffing, no wheezing, no chest tightness at all. I was able to do the
hills with great east with a tiny bit of heavy breathing - but that
was slight compared to how I would really get out of breath on hills. I
still experience pain when I breath as always and I'm still coughing
on and off during my walk. But I feel really great for a change. It's
so nice to walk and not huff and puff and get shortness of breath so
easily like I have in the past. The SereVent really helps me - I see
a great improvement in my breathing capacity. I can finally walk long
distances with no problem at all. The only thing which bothered me when
walking were the care fumes and fumes from commercial vehicles as well
as the fumes coming from professional cleaners. That always bothers me
greatly, making me unable to breathe properly. I have noticed when I
walk a lot for long distances my cheeks get a really bright red
covering most of my face - almost like a rash. Is that normal?
Another thing to note when walking my chest felt a bit funny but I
don't know what it could have been. It felt a bit quivery & trembly
when I was breathing in & out but it went away after a bit. I've
always had red cheeks on me - permanent blush that when as a child &
teenager my classmates would always ask what was wrong with my cheeks
- why are they so red? Even mommy said that and thought my red cheeks
to be abnormal. They get really red after a very hot and steamy bath. I
blush really easily. I have a deep sharp stabbing pain in my right lung
that goes up the back of my right ear whenever I breathe. I get this
almost all the time. It's normal for me to experience pain when I
breathe - not exercise related. Yesterday while I was cleaning and
dusting I could feel my eyes get tired &  sleepy & I kept rubbing them
to get the sleep out of my eyes. On the buses on the way home there
were some very strong smells including perfume and other unidentified
stuff that gave me a violent headache and made it hard for me to
breathe properly.

Sunday March 6, 2005

This morning (as usual) I woke up with really red hot cheeks. They were
flushed - like a rash - going all across my entire face and nose.
I've been coughing on and off all day long. My eyes have been feeling
itchy as well as my nose and I've been rubbing them all day long -
almost non stop to take away the itchiness. As well my nose has been
feeling slightly runny whenever I would rub it. When I went out to
London Drugs today there was some strong smell of car soap (somebody
had been washing their car next door) and made me feel ill to my
stomach. It was hard to breathe but that was short lived once I came
indoors. I bought myself a medical alert bracelet for $8 at London
Drugs today in which I will fill out and send it in for the $12 fee to
get myself registered. My instinct says to do this for myself. When I
was a child I remember once with my Omit & Opa eating some raw corn
(this was in the summer time when I would visit them in Toronto) and
throwing up and feeling ill after that. It only happened once and from
then on I only touched cooked corn. It was a good day asthma wise -
I've been feeling good with no pain breathing today.

Monday March 7, 2005

Last night I coughed up a mini storm before going to bed. While trying
to get to sleep I kept rubbing my eyes and nose quite frequently. They
felt a tiny bit itchy and no matter what I was doing I couldn't make
the itchiness go away. My nose felt a bit runny as well when I kept
rubbing it. I had a sore throat when I went to bed so I took a halls to
calm it down a bit. I woke up again with a sore throat and took a halls
before leaving for my nutritionist (I lost 3.5 pounds in the last week
- YAY!!!!!!!!) by foot. When walking I only experienced the slightest
bit of heavy breathing with my heart feeling a bit funny - quivery,
trembly. I've had this feeling before when walking & doing other
exercises - it doesn't happen often but it's normal for me. I
kept rubbing my eyes and nose while walking along 41st to Main & 25th
along a busy road of traffic. The car fumes and other gas fumes made it
hard for me to breathe properly though I did not use my blue puffer
reliever medication. I drank water to keep me hydrated. My face became
really hot and flushed while walking and twice I took a short break to
have some water. I ordered a medical pendant online today for my asthma
so I can have it for an emergency in case I have to go to the hospital
for any reason. Right now my chest feels tight with a tiny bit of pain
but I am unsure what this is from. On my bed I have an Afghan blanket
which the cats sleep on. This is situated on top of my regular blanked.
I also have an old My Little Pony Sleeping Bag I put in between my
sheets and blanket cover to keep warm at night. I have 7 bears on my
bed I sleep with. Two bears belong strictly to my cats which they sleep
on all the time. They are situated at the edge of my bed and get washed
ever couple months. Then I have 5 bears I sleep with - one of them is
my Musical Teddy - Bear whom I've had since the day I was born. He
gets washed every couple months but the other bears I don't remember
if they have ever been washed or not since getting them as a gift. My
mommy is a chain smoker and refuses to stop smoking - even for me.
The smoke bothers me greatly and even when I tell her this she just
says for me to move out of the way. She doesn't care at all about me
or my health. This morning I went to the washroom to brush my teeth and
I could smell the perfume and other strong cosmetic stuff mommy uses on
herself. It was hard for me to breathe and I started to cough and get a
headache from it. The phlegm I cough up has always been a corn yellow
color - from as far as I can remember. It has never been white or the
"normal" color. It is normal for me to cough up corn yellow phlegm
on a regular basis.

Tuesday March 8, 2005

Today I have been coughing a lot on and off - even at night. Last
night before going to bed I coughed up a mini storm and I was rubbing
my eyes & nose before finally going off to bed for a restful sleep. I
slept in until 10:07am (I went to bed after 12am) and I took the bus to
Oakridge to engrave my medical alert bracelet. I put down Asthma,
Asperger Syndrome and my BC care card # so it is handy in case of a
medical emergency. At the mall there were lots of strong smells such as
perfume and other unidentified strong odors which made me cough and
feel sick to my stomach. Later on in the evening I felt tight chested
with a similar feeling I was experiencing on Saturday morning so I used
my blue puffer to ease my asthma attack. Basically I've been coughing
lots more today.

Wednesday March 9, 2005

Last night I coughed a bit before going to bed. I woke up at 4:30am to
let my cats out (Spot came and woke me up by meowing loudly in my ear,
purring loudly in my ear) and then when going to bed again I coughed a
mini storm before settling back to sleep. I felt a bit tight chested
this morning when sleeping, along with some pain breathing but when I
took my SereVent and Flovent I felt better afterwards. I also woke up
with a sore throat this morning and I still have a touch of it. When I
woke up this morning I could smell the perfume & hair spray mommy was
using on herself, making me cough slightly. I had some trouble
breathing as the smell was really strong making me ill to my stomach. I
called back the medical alert people (the sent me an email) who told me
because I live in Canada I should register with them instead of the US
based one. So they cancelled my order and I called the Canadian medical
alert people and gave them all my contact information and medications I
currently take. I got the basic stainless steel pendant for now since I
can't afford anything else on my limited budget. But my instinct told
me to register my medical condition in case of a medical emergency.
I'll be getting my pendant in the mail in 10 to 14 days from now. I
walked all the way to 41st & Cambie from Victoria & 40th where there
were some hills along the way. Hills are still a problem for me as I
still experience a bit of heavy breathing and huffing & puffing when
going up them. My breathing turns to normal faster now thanks to the
SereVent I am currently taking. Along the route I was walking I kept
rubbing my nose & eyes as they felt itchy. I encountered a strong smell
which made my eyes water a bit. Arriving at Cambie & 41st I encountered
a woman wearing perfume which made it difficult for me to breathe while
in the vicinity of her. The smells at Oakridge are not so strong or bad
today. They are at least tolerable for me. I picked up my medical alert
bracelet today at Oakridge which has the information of Asthma,
Asperger Syndrome and my BC Care Card #. I put my health number down so
in case of a medical emergency I can flip it over for faster hospital
administration. At least for most of my walking (not including hills)
my breathing was regular and normal for a change. When walking I could
feel my face get hot & flushed. I stopped at all the major
intersections to drink frozen water which helped with my feeling hot a
bit. Ever since I can remember anything to do with mint - the smell,
test - etc; makes me violently ill to my stomach (to the point of
nearly throwing up) and gives me the worst headaches possible. It's
hard to breathe around mint and I know I cough a lot when I'm near
mint. The only way I will tolerate mint (but barely, mind you) is in
chocolate - After Eights, etc. It has to be the good expensive
chocolate mint or I won't be able to eat it. I don't know if this
is an allergy, asthma trigger or what but I sure would love to find out
ASAP regarding this. 11:41pm - I have some heartburn that just burns
in the back of my throat to my ears. I took 2 Tums a few minutes ago in
the hopes it will make my heartburn go away. I don't know if it's
asthma related - a sign of an upcoming asthma attach or not but I am
hoping I will find out soon for myself so my mind can be at rest once
and for all.

Thursday March 10, 2005

Last night before going to bed I coughed up a mini storm. I've
noticed of late I keep on rubbing my eyes and nose a lot and my nose
seems runny whenever I rub it. Whether this is an allergy or cold I
don't know. I do know my eyes & nose felt funny when walking along
51st Ave. fr. Victoria Drive - Main where I encountered 3 people who
had freshly cut the grass. I usually feel sick to my stomach, get
violently ill and get violent headaches whenever I encounter freshly
cut grass. This has always been like that for me since I was young. I
don't know if this an allergy if I react so strongly to it but it is
normal for me to be like that when I'm around freshly cut grass. I
cough a lot around it. I have been coughing a lot on & off - more
like hacking away at my cough. I did a lot of walking today and I
didn't wheeze or huff or puff (I was walking around a flat route w.
no hills at all). My face became really red and hot and flushed (like
always when walking) and I made sure to stop every so often to drink
water. As well I ate grapes along the way to keep hydrated. Right now
I've got heartburn and a very bad headache making it hard for me to
write any longer. I'm told because of my corn allergy  I should avoid
it altogether because of my sensitivity to it. How do I do that? Should
I see a naturopathic doctor to run tests to see what my other
sensitivities are? Are there other allergy tests that could be
performed that would show allergies not show up on a regular allergy
test? Should I see some lung specialists for my asthma? Do I need a
referral for that? Is there a way to see how inflamed my lungs are?
What is the next step to take in my asthma management/treatment? I hope
to find out soon.

Friday March 11, 2005

Last night I coughed up a mini storm before going to bed. As well I
kept on rubbing my nose a lot which felt slight runny whenever I kept
rubbing it. It was a sound sleep until this morning when I felt a
tightness in my chest and had some pain breathing. After taking the
SereVent and Flovent I felt a bit better but spent most of the morning
and early afternoon being quiet and doing embroidery. Mommy's
hairspray and perfume wafted through the whole house with the smell
being its strongest by the bathroom. It made me feel sick to my stomach
and gave me a minor headache. Once my mommy left, the smell left and I
was able to breathe once again when I took the bus to Dr. Chernick (two
buses). There were strong smells of perfume and other strong smells
which made it difficult for me to breathe, giving me a headache. A
woman with perfume left the elevator I was taking to Dr. Chernick and
again I felt sick to my stomach and had difficulty breathing. The buses
coming to Blenz were tolerable but there were again strong smells which
made me feel sick to my stomach. I ran to catch the Beeline and I did
not wheeze at all. I got a bit out of breath but that returned to
normal shortly. So I'm happy about that. I've been rubbing my nose
a lot today which feels runny & itchy. Another note to mention is
I've always had trouble breathing around a lot of plants -
especially in a greenhouse where the breathing gets very difficult for
me and I get tight chested. Mommy always plants in the house which
could be a reason why I have a hard time breathing in this house. Right
now I feel a bit tight chested. I could feel some of my food come up my
throat earlier tonight. I'm going to take my nightly asthma meds in
the hopes it will help me sleep tonight.

Saturday March 12, 2005

Last night when I was feeling tight chested I took my Flovent &
SereVent. I still as feeling a bit tight chested when going to bed but
that went away when I went to sleep. I coughed up a mini storm and was
rubbing my nose before going off to bed and then I was fine until my
cat Spot woke me up at 4:12am this morning to let him out. I went back
to bed again for another couple of hrs and I felt a bit tight chested
when I woke up. I also had really red flushed hot cheeks when I woke up
which is very normal for me. I've  been coughing more and more when I
was walking along 41st from Victoria & 40th & Cambie & 41st (a good hr
walk). I kept on rubbing my nose a lot which felt really runny. My
cheeks were also quite hot & flushed when I was walking and the hills
along with my heavy schoolbag made me slightly out of breath for a
short period of time. I took regular stops at Knight, Fraser, Main &
Cambie to drink water and to take a very short break before going on.
This seemed to help me gain my second wind again and I was able to
continue along with no problem at all. No wheezing when walking which
is a good sign in my mind. The car and other vehicle fumes along the
route were bothersome for me as was the smell of perfume on the bus on
Cambie on the way to the Main Vancouver Public Library. When I took my
Flovent & SereVent this morning my chest tightness went away and I've
been feeling fine ever since. At the Main Vancouver Public Library
there were many strong smells of perfume and other stuff which made it
difficult for me to breathe. The same thing happened on the two buses
that I took home. Mommy is sick with the flue yet she is smoking which
is making it difficult for me to even breathe right now at 8:43pm. She
also coughs a lot of phlegm every single morning and night. All she
does is cough and cough and cough and cough. She spits out a lot of
phlegm from what I can tell on a daily basis yet she also smokes like a
chimney. She won't take any medications for her heart condition and
reacts violently to the thought & suggestion of taking medication for
life. It is her opinion that you don't need medication for life
because it's bad for you with all the side effects.

Sunday March 13, 2005

Last night before going to bed I coughed up a mini storm & rubbed my
nose a lot. Then I slept calmly until my cat Spot woke me up at 3:58 am
to go out and again I coughed up a mini storm & rubbed my nose before
going back to sleep. I went to bed before 10pm last night because I was
feeling tired. I helped to clean house today by dusting my room, using
the London Glass cleaner for the windows & other glass surfaces. I also
did the vacuuming including partially the basement. I felt fine when
doing this - maybe because the windows were wide open when doing the
cleaning. Mommy used the Mr. Clean on the floors in the kitchen & the
bathroom and the smell made me ill to my stomach, giving me a headache
and making it hard to breathe. When she finished I was fine until she
started to smoke all afternoon which was making me sick to my stomach.
Now I have a severe tight chest and at 5:19pm I took 2 puffs of my blue
reliever medication because I suspect it's an asthma attack I'm
experiencing. All day long I have been coughing, sneezing and a few
times coughing up phlegm. I couldn't tell the color but I suspect
it's that usual corn yellow I'm used to. I definitely have a cold
now (I think). I've noticed before I have an asthma attack (i.e.
chest tightness) I don't feel very hungry at all. That's my
observation so far. I've had red cheeks that were flushed all day
long. In mommy's opinion she feels if you clean the house properly
then you don't need to take puffs of asthma medication because that
is stupid and you don't need it at all.