As I sit with a tube in my mouth and a creative forming cloud of smoke coming out the other end I wonder how odd I must look. The machine I'm currently connected to is called a nebulizer. It is a funny little device that used to administer medication in the form of a mist inhaled into the lungs. Here's a picture of what it looks like (not me of course...stock photography in this case).
Currently that medicine is Albuterol, which for those of you like me that don't know, albuterol is a bronchodilator that relaxes muscles in the airways and increases air flow to the lungs. I'm doing these treatments because I ended up with bronchitis after I came down with the flu. Trust me, I'd take the flu over bronchitis any day because not being able to breath makes everything HARD, even recovering from being sick. A cough is one thing, but never really catching my breath is another.
I have to admit, not being able to breathe really scared me. I know when you're sick you think about how nice it is when you have good health and I knew eventually this would be over and I'd be better. But so many people suffer from asthma and other issues that makes it hard for them to EVER catch their breathe. Oh how grateful I am to be able to breathe...something I think about often these days.
It's funny songs like "Every Breathe You Take" and "No Air" always seem to come into my head lately.
And would you believe, I haven't touched Dr. Pepper for the past few weeks...for one the medicine I'm taking makes everything takes weird and I also read how drinking caffeinated drinks shrinks decreases your ability to breath and I'm tired of not breathing. Not sure when I'll be brave enough to tackle Dr. Pepper again, but for now water and rootbeer seem to to curb the need.
One last thing I do want to say about this experience is that I have a lot of great people in my life that ROCK. My mother-in-law and my friend Amy came and cleaned my kitchen and made sure we had plenty of soup on hand. In fact, Amy even administered a "mustard plaster" on me that at least made me feel like someone was taking care of me. If you don't know what that is, then google it.
And TWICE my dear friend Andrea McAllister brought me dinner. Although the dinners were a part of my fabulous birthday present (she gave met he gift of "time" by offering to feed my family twice...awesome huh)....they both happened to fall during my being ill and so appreciated. Here's the meal she dropped off last night...yummy enchiladas!
Thanks everyone for your support....I think I finally have caught my breath and I feel better now!