Just call me professor.
I'm guest lecturing about asthma in a class at a local university. I have all the supplies packed, nebulizer, peak flow meters, inhalers, discs, emergency medicine for the nebulizer, Epi pen, etc.
I was looking up the latest stats, it's a little surprising what they are.
According to Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America,
Every day in the US:
* 40,000 people miss school or work due to asthma
* 30,000 people have an asthma attack
* 5,000 people visit the emergency room due to asthma
* 1,000 people are admitted to the hospital due to asthma
* 11 people die from asthma
I never want to fall in that last statistic. However, we've been in the first four statistics numerous times.
It will be interesting to see what this class thinks about asthma, if I can just get them to understand what happens physically during an asthma attack, what can trigger it, how to treat it, and how serious it can be, I'll think it's well worth my time. I think people really down play asthma "just give them their inhaler and they'll be fine". But we all know it's not that easy.
I'm bringing 11 of the boy's plastic army guys for my visual aid. I'm going to set them up at the beginning of the lecture, them knock them over at the end to symbolize how many people will die today from an asthma attack. It's a sobering thought.
So, off I go to guest lecture. Maybe they'll bring an apple for the teacher.
So we're at Asthma Doctor's office last week getting #2 son's Xolair shot. For those of you who have never heard of Xolair, it's for patients with moderate to severe asthma whose asthma is uncontrollable by traditional treatment plans.
My pale son, who likes to read and play computer is being asked by Asthma Doctor if we should check his Vitamin D level. Hmm, what makes him think that might be low? The fact that he spends little time in the sun?! It seems that those with low levels of Vitamin D are at higher risk for severe asthma symptoms. I'm all in favor of anything that can reduce his symptoms. It's not unusual for him to suddenly drop 150 points on his peak flow meter during an asthma attack.
It's been 2 1/2 years since he's been in the hospital, that's the longest he's gone without being admitted. They may have to give away our corner suite in pediatrics to someone else.
It's amazing what little things can affect asthma. #2 Son also suffers from acid reflux, which can also trigger problems with asthma.
We'll see what the lab report shows for his Vitamin D level. In the meantime, I'll have to tell him to put down the book, turn off the computer and go see the outside world. You know, the one that has sunlight and fresh air. Wish me luck.
My pale son, who likes to read and play computer is being asked by Asthma Doctor if we should check his Vitamin D level. Hmm, what makes him think that might be low? The fact that he spends little time in the sun?! It seems that those with low levels of Vitamin D are at higher risk for severe asthma symptoms. I'm all in favor of anything that can reduce his symptoms. It's not unusual for him to suddenly drop 150 points on his peak flow meter during an asthma attack.
It's been 2 1/2 years since he's been in the hospital, that's the longest he's gone without being admitted. They may have to give away our corner suite in pediatrics to someone else.
It's amazing what little things can affect asthma. #2 Son also suffers from acid reflux, which can also trigger problems with asthma.
We'll see what the lab report shows for his Vitamin D level. In the meantime, I'll have to tell him to put down the book, turn off the computer and go see the outside world. You know, the one that has sunlight and fresh air. Wish me luck.
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