I solemnly swear that for the next two weeks I will not think about cells, DNA, or anything generally smaller than a peppermint candy.

Holy smokes I’m done!!

This has officially been, hands down, the HEALTHIEST exam season so far. No oral steroids, pneumonia, doctors or anything. I am very proud of myself.

Now, I have to madly pack as I haven’t done anything yet and I have to get up at 4:30 tomorrow! It’s totally worth it though. I can’t even tell you how excited I am to be going home to see my family and friends, and to go SKIING in the Rockies.

Warming up to winter running

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.

LWTL is one year old today!

Yep, it’s my one year blogoversary! I remember starting this blog last year during exams, I was in much the same position and frame of mind I am in now. I have no idea why I just decided to start it up one day but I’m glad I did. I can’t believe I kept it up for a year, that I was able to write about breathing for a whole year! Thanks to everyone one who reads and to those who faithfully comment and offer advice!

You know one thing I like about asthma blogging? It makes me accountable, and makes me take better care of myself. I stopped doing really dumb stuff that might cause me to have an asthma attack because I think about how embarrassed I’d be to have to say “oh yeah, I just got back from the hospital because I decided to go to my friend’s horse show”. (Ok, I never was so dumb as to go to a horse show, but you get the picture). 

In other news, it’s only six sleeps until home! Two more exams to go, Saturday and Monday. I’m feeling pretty good about these exams but have lots of studying to do yet. It’s verrry snowy here but when the sun shines I take a break to go running. Running in snow is like running on the beach: although the snow is packed down on the sidewalks, I still feel like I’m going at half speed but getting twice the workout!!

Breathing is still VERY good. I think I mentioned that I increased my inhaled corticosteroids so I’m at two puffs of symbicort and two of pulmicort twice a day. It’s really doing the trick, I think. I feel way less twitchy these days. Whenever I up my inhaled steroids, I get a sore throat. After the last time this happened I improved my routine so that I always brush my teeth after I take my puffers and I’m doing a good job of rinsing, but it’s still happening. Any other suggestions to minimize this? Anyway, I’ll take this scratchy throat over unpredictable breathing any day.

Oh yeah, and it’s six sleeps until home!!

First exam today

I’m kind of relieved to be starting exams, to have one finished, and to have that stressful suspense go away! I’m ready, I think. We had a huge snowstorm yesterday and I stayed inside and studied all day, it was kind of nice. Today I’ve gotta face the elements!

Breathing ok, despite feeling under the weather from this cold. OK, time to get my boots on and go do this!

Classes = done!

Classes are done for the semester, my last lab report is handed in, now all I have to get through is finals. Piece of cake right? NOT, but I’m sure I’ll be fine with some mad studyness.

Despite my best efforts, I can feel a cold coming on. I can tell because my throat is fuzzy and my cough actually hurts. I’m still breathing pretty good, I bet there’s still time to salvage the situation! A little orange juice, a few pots of tea, a few power naps here and there and I should be golden.

I have a doctor’s appt later today and I’m actually nervous about it. It’s funny because when I am well controlled and have good news to report, I look forward to seeing my doctor(s). When I have to tell them that things aren’t working and that I haven’t been well, I get nervous and I find it really hard. To be honest, I would say that my asthma control has declined in the past 6 weeks or so and that’s what we’ll be discussing today. I promised myself I would be honest and not sugar-coat anything but I’m getting butterflies in my stomach just thinking about it! Bah, I should be over this type of thing by now, I’ve been communicating with doctors for years! Well, wish me luck. I hope my favourite nurse is in the clinic at least.

Oh yes, and it is finally snowing and this makes me happy. I know that snow is a hassle but it warms my heart. <3

Danielle’s tried and true tips for working around asthma during exam period

Yikes! I’m headed into my fifth exam period of my university career! I’ve dealt with asthma exacerbations in one form or another at pretty much every exam period so far.  If you are fanatic student like I am, you’re going to want to maximize your time studying, minimize your time spent dealing with your asthma, and NOT miss any exams. Here are some things that have helped me:

1. Study away, but don’t compromise your sleep. The less you sleep, the more susceptible you are to colds and infections, which can create big asthma problems. Sleep is a priority, I mean it.

2. Become a germophobe, especially during this H1N1 outbreak. Avoid your sick friends, wash your hands and use your head. It’s worth it if you can avoid getting sick.

3. Make a study schedule, and arrange it so that you are pretty much prepared for your exam the day before you actually need to be. This way, if you are suddenly flaring the day before your exam, you won’t be in trouble. Less stress for you. I bet it’ll improve your mark too.

4. Know your school’s policy on absenteeism from final examinations. Know what kind of documentation you need if you are to miss an exam.

5. If, 24 hours before your exam you are flaring and are unsure whether or not you’ll be able to write the exam, contact your professor to let them know what the situation is. They appreciate this.

6. Don’t be afraid to step up your meds as per your care plan if you think it’s what you need to get you through.

7. Be aware of potential triggers in the exam hall. For example, every year I seem to have at least one exam scheduled on the rink of the hockey arena. Arenas really set me off due to a mix of cold temperature and fumes from the zamboni. Therefore, I pre-medicate for these exams. Another thing to look out for might be a really old or dusty building.

8. If you think you’ll need it, and even if you don’t, have your ventolin out on your desk. In most cases, you’re not allowed to do so much as reach into your pocket during an exam so have it in plain sight. If a proctor gives you a hard time, be firm and tell him/her that it’s absolutely necessary (I’ve only ever gotten one comment about this).

Does this make me sound neurotic?? If it does, it’s only because I really care about school and because I’ve run into a lot of problems in the past. I know a lot of you are students so tell me: how do you deal with the asthma beast during exam period?

EDIT: I just checked my exam schedule and I have no exams scheduled in the hockey arena. Score!!

Gearing up for exams

Exams start in two weeks minus one day, anyone else feel like these past four months just flew by? From now on in, I am committed to studying and staying healthy. Of course I will run as much as possible because this is what keeps me studying well! Time to hunker down

Cooking right along…

DONE my last midterm and DONE my last 6-hour lab!! Now I am FRREEEEeeee…. to study for final exams lol. Such a glamourous life I lead (you know I love it though). My lab section went out to celebrate this evening, yay for beer on a Monday! I love when scientists get together to do social stuff… we’re a special bunch who can’t help thinking DNA jokes are funny.

I took the rest of the evening off from studying and baked banana cookies. YUM they were so good!!

As for the lungs, they held up nicely on this long day. I’m thinking that I will kick the prednisone tomorrow. And hopefully go running!!

Rough day

Oh my, having a peek-a-boo around the blogosphere, I see that a few of my fellow asthmatics are also having a rough day. Breathe easier everyone.

The day started out ok but tight-ish. THEN. During my lab today we had  a bit of downtime so I was sitting in the hallway studying. Some girl walks out of the lab, opens her locker, sprays herself with perfume, touches up her makeup and walks back into the lab. Oh man don’t get me started, you’re in a *lab* the E. COLI DON’T CARE IF YOUR MAKEUP IS PERFECT!!! So that was unnecessary. I started to tighten up, fast and quite badly. I was all alone in the hallway and I just kind of sat there with my head on my knees. I wanted to stay there forever and not move. Buuut my cells were going to be ready soon and I still had one last thing to do with them. I asked my lab partner if she would be ok doing the last 2 steps and my TA said it was ok so I sat in the common area for a bit then walked the 3 blocks home. I contemplated going to the clinic (right next door to the lab) and asking for a neb but the clinic is a freaking CESSPOOL right now and the thought of sitting among 40 H1N1-ers didn’t really appeal to me.

Ever since then I’ve been getting better, then worse again, then better then worse. I’ve been studying for my molecular biology midterm which is actually going OK. It’s tomorrow and I think I’m ready. My roommate is a little concerned because she keeps hearing me use my puffer but hey. By the  way, about the asthma thing she is totally cool and I’m really comfortable being open about it. She looks out for me but not in the smothering way so it’s all good.

The only thing is that I want to sleep tonight! Oh please oh please let me sleep tonight! And I wish I had yelled at that girl but didn’t have the guts nor the breath.

A non-running update

Y’all know I do things other than run and suck on ventolin, right? Good. Well, mostly the other things include having my nose stuck in a textbook, inhabiting the biochemistry lab, and avoiding my laundry.

Yesterday’s lab was epically long. We were in there for 7 hours but thankfully we got our result by the end. I like the lab but it’s also… stressful. Ah well we do what we can!

Yesterday evening I ignored my computer to study for my microbiology midterm, which was this morning. I daresay that I overstudied, which is fine because it’s much better than understudying. I think I did really well but I forgot my calculator for the exam which is a major doh! moment. Thankfully, my hard-ass biochemistry prof from last year insisted we learn to calculate/estimate logarithms in our heads, so I didn’t panic and was able to figure out the microbial growth problems, phew!

Now, only 4 midterms and 2 major lab reports until the semester is done!! That kind of seems like  a lot but if I think about them one at a time I don’t feel like freaking out so much.

I landed an interview to do a research project with a really awesome doctor/professor next year, as part of my honours thesis. I’m super pumped!!

Also, I’m attending 2 lectures this week by Nobel prize laureates, which I totally don’t have time for but am super excited about anyway!! Wooooot.

OK, so I have to spend the rest of today catching up on laundry, groceries, room cleaning and just general straightening out of my life. Then, it’s on to studying for molecular biology midterm, which is in precisely 7 days.