Asthma and Stuff

Allergies, asthma and bronchitis are making me crazy. By the time I get home after every trip I am either suffering from allergies or struggling with asthma. This last trip was no different, after getting home on Thursday the coughing started and I was on the couch sleeping with the bags left unpacked in my office. Thursday night saw a lot more coughing so Friday saw a trip to see my favorite P.A., a steroid shot, and countless Rx for Bronchitis. Since then my life has revolved around using the nebulizer, sleeping on the couch and relocating to the bed. My brain can't focus on too much so the news websites on my phone have been my entertainment, along with a couple TV shows.

I have not been sleeping except in bits and pieces due to the coughing and I am so far past exhausted it is unbelievable. Along with that I apparently have not been paying close enough attention to what I consume. My allergies are a long a** list and include: Eucalyptus, Wheat, Grass, Palm Trees, Oak, Peaches, ... and on and on. After the doctors office visit I picked up cough drops and a few misc. comfort items. While sucking on a cough drop I noticed the bag read "menthol." And where does menthol come from? In this case it was eucalyptus. Sigh. Not to mention the cough drops were cherry and cherries are a relative of peaches. Not totally terrible yet not good. Then at 4:45 this morning I was making Sleepy Time tea to soothe my throat and decided to read the label just to be sure. The third ingredient...lemongrass. Double sigh. I dumped the Sleepy Time tea and got out pure peppermint instead.

When I was first diagnosed I read everything and the lately have gotten lax. As often as I get sick I really have to read labels better and go back to researching the botanical families of food if I am uncertain.We make  so many of the foods that I am allergic to or buy items that are gluten free as a precaution. If it is processed it is questionable. If it is something that I have not had before it is off limits until research is done on the item. Foods are always researched before going out to eat and usually before we hit the restaurant so it is not awkward at the table with everyone else when it comes time to order.  

The P.A. suggested acupuncture as we have exhausted all avenues for asthma short of a surgery that introduces heat into the bronchial tubes to in effect "cauterize" the tubes to stop the asthmatic response.
I am all for anything that avoids major surgery even if it involves sticking pins in me at regular intervals.
Back to bed I go...I am done!
HUGS-
Jo