You are currently browsing the monthly archive for December 2008.
Yes, it will! I’ve been laying very low for the past couple of days. I have, however, been busy in the kitchen. My favourite concoction would be my curried peanut soup. It was truly delicious!
Today my sister and I are venturing out to our favourite teahouse. I’m sure we will be coming back with several tins of loose tea. We are fanatics when it comes to tea. All the guests are finally leaving and things are quieting down. I’ve enjoyed having my relatives here, but I could use a more peaceful household.
I would looooove to go skating on the lagoon on New Year’s eve with my best friend. If I’m in good shape I will do it, otherwise, maybe we can go for a pot of tea somewhere! I don’t have any party plans for New Year’s eve, but I think my nice quiet evening will be just as great!
Now before you judge me, you must understand this: I only have the chance to ski in my beloved Rocky Mountains for two weeks out of the year. Second, the love of skiing is deep in my bones. What can I say, it is in my genes!
So yesterday, the weather warmed up enough that people were game to go out there. My cousin was offering to drive, and I couldn’t refuse. When I woke up, however, I knew that I was having a problem before I had finished my breakfast. My chest was so tight. I decided to up the Pulmicort and Symbicort and took some ventolin through my spacer (more than I should have). I was feeling ok-ish by the time my ride got here, but I still knew that skiing wasn’t a good idea. I hopped in anyway.
I kept my puffer in my breast pocket in an attempt to keep it warm and used it often. I was struggling, but somehow I still managed to ski hard. We skiied until the last chair at 4:00.
The trip home, which is an hour and a half, was very uncomfortable. I was hunched over the dashboard and not doing so hot. By the time I walked in the door, my lips were blue. Now, blue lips in an asthma attack are a sure sign of danger and normally I would be zipping to the emergency room by that time. But since I could still talk, my mother and I decided to try what we could at home. Ten puffs of ventolin through a spacer is roughly equivalent to 1 nebulizer. I did 3 of those and finally things started to loosen up. I thought I was in for a rough night but I was so zonked that thankfully I slept like a log.
Usually, I am pretty good and careful about my health, but yesterday I did 3 really stupid things:
1. I went skiing out in the mountains when I knew that I was not well enough.
2. I kept skiing until the end of the day when I was really struggling.
3. I avoided a trip to emerg. when one really was warranted.
Stupid, stupid, stupid!
This morning I am still breathless and uncomfortable. Instead of coughing up nice clear mucus, it is sticky and brown. Ooooh what have I done?
Today I returned to the place where I worked this summer to visit with everybody over lunch. This also happens to be childrens’ hospital I was under in my pre-18 days (Not that long ago!). It’s funny to have made that full circle. The ultimate would be to go back there to work as a pediatrician.
Anywho, the visiting was very fun. The best part, though, was that my boss asked me to forward him my updated resume before the holidays are over. He said he will do his best to find me a project for next summer! That is very nice of him seeing that searching for grants to hire students is very time-consuming. I LOVED my job last summer. I worked in a molecular laboratory and probably learned more doing that than I did in my entire first year of university. Well that’s how it feels, anyway. On the other hand, being a total lab rat, I didn’t even get the tiniest bit of a tan.
In other news, I am still totally enjoying being home. The only thing is that IT IS MINUS 35 DEGREES OUTSIDE. That is cooooooold. I can’t even stick my nose out without having my face all wrapped up, making me look like a bandit. I think that kind of cold takes anybody’s breath away, but I know that my lungs are not appreciating it.
I’m hooooome!! The trip out was pretty awful but I’m ready to forget about that now. I’m lucky my flight even made it out with the crazy weather.
I arrived safe and sound. I slept in my “own” room last night. The house looks absolutely wonderful, but I’m so glad they put the tree decorating off so that I could partake.
I’ve got a crazy busy schedule what with trying to see as many people as possible, but I absolutely have to rest up and get rid of this cold before it’s allowed to get the best of me.
Oh and did I mention I am DONE EXAMS??? Ha, Stats was super easy but I knew it would be. It’s a good thing because my concentration yesterday was minimal. Yaayyyyyyyyyy!
Alrighty, so I am leaving in roughly 34 hours, as long as the impending “snow-mageddon”, as the people on the news are calling it, doesn’t mess with my Christmas joy. So many things to do before then!
Now until 1 PM: Do a final study for stats exam tomorrow. Pfffft nothin’ to it.
1:30 until dinner-time-ish: Christmas baking with my cousin! Oh the joy! Plus, we get to use my aunt’s fully stocked kitchen.
Dinner: Big family dinner, say goodbye to my extended family here before taking off.
Oh right, and sometime before dinner I have to finish up the Christmas gifts I have been crocheting for my family. Ha. When that will happen, I have no idea!!! The unfinished items include a beret and a pair of wrist-warmers.
Après le dinner to bedtime: pack up my stuff and do a final review of stats. That’s if I can pull myself away from the family festivities.
HOPEFULLY: I will sleep tonight, but that is doubtful because of the extreme excitement and also the aforementioned cold.
9:30 – 12:30 tomorrow morning: Stats exam
After that, I pretty much have to get myself organized to get to the airport and all that jazz and then it’s home sweet home!!!! My family have put off putting up the tree so that I will be there to do it with them! I cannot wait.
Lungs = good on the breathlessness but bad on the phlegmy-ness. That, I can deal with
Hahah I think that a person with lung issues can talk about their mucus production like a new mom can talk about her baby’s poo production. Note to self: Do not be too gross.
I am practically guzzling the green tea and seem to have accumulated about 5 mugs in my room. I should probably start bringing them down to the kitchen every once in awhile. Anyway, it’s time to study a bit before the madness starts. Happy end of the week!
I woke up with a cold this morning. You see, that explains a lot of how I have been breathing in the past few days. How did I not see this coming? Anyway, this of course means that the worst of it is yet to come. The timing is bad because I have an exam to write and a plane ride to survive all in the next couple of days.
The worst part is that I was hoping to visit my friend who has been having chemo as soon as I got home (FRIDAY!) That may have to be postponed a few days
Two more solid days of studying for stats. I can do that! The end is in sight and then it’s hoooooooome! I am beyond excited.
If you’ve landed here, then welcome! I have decided to start a blog, and see where it leads me. I have had blogs in the past, but I have come to let them go. I am 19 years old, in my second year of university. I love school and I love to do well in school. My goal is to be a pediatrician someday, maybe specializing in pulmonology, anesthesia, or emergency medicine . I also have asthma, which makes my life a bit wacky and unpredictable! It can make me wacky and unpredictable at times too.
At the moment I’m in a flare-up which I am having trouble getting a handle of. The weather has been a little weird and crazy, going from -20 to +8 in the space of 2 days, so I’m not really surprised. I am flying home in only 3 days though so I need to be in good shape!
Final exams are going well, and I’ve only got one more to go!
By the way, what do you think of the header image? Too creepy? You see, these kinds of things fascinate me, but I’m thinking of changing it
Here’s where I got the image: http://science.nationalgeographic.com/science/wallpaper/lungs-cast.html


