Oct 18 2009
When Breathing Becomes a Job and Job Becomes A Trigger
As some of you may know, I have a continual battle with asthma and my enthusiastic enjoyment of karate and just plain old living. Well, recently I decided to complicate matters and add a touch of bronchitis to the mix, by helping to clean out a, somewhat, dusty apartment.
Not realizing, nor paying attention, I neglected to wear a mask. And, I was doing great for a while. But then something grabbed my face. If you’ve has seen the Alien movies, that’s what it reminded me of. So, when my coughing episodes started and I was wondering who took all of the oxygen out of the atmosphere, there were times when I thought that something might indeed explode out of my chest.
But, this time it was different than my last major episode. This time, it was more of a strangulation, because it seemed that I had air in there… somewhere, but something was blocking it.
Before, it was as if no air could get in or out because there was no room. And unlike my last episode when I did finally stopped coughing and there was nothing but a release and the freedom to breathe. It was like a door opened. This time, when I was able to stop coughing, it was because phlegm was expelled.
Well, after staying off of work and not practicing karate for a while, I started getting better. But, once I went back to work, things started getting bad again. At first it was just the cough and wheezing coming back. And I decided to do an experiment. I went to karate class. I wasn’t at full capacity, so I paced myself better and was more conscious of my breathing. And what do you know; I made it through class without much of a problem.
But, the longer I was at work, the worse it got; even to the point where I would take smoke breaks, (no, I don’t smoke), to go outside and get some fresh air. I’ve gotten worse again and I realized that without hearing the sound or feeling the air, I knew when the buildings air conditioning blowers were on. And as bad as it sounds, I could breathe better in the restrooms.
Unfortunately, my current asthma and allergy medicines don’t seem to be doing the job as well as I understand that they should. And despite suggestions to clean the ducts and the carpet, that is something that I just don’t see happening anytime soon. So, now I’m on a quest to find a medicine (alternative or traditional) that will help me until I possibly have to find a different location to work.
Being holistically well, means that all aspects of life have to contribute to an overall sense of well being and healthy living. And sometimes a choice has to be made; Do we compromise for the sake of what we know or do we take the chance to try something different and unknown in order to live holistically well.
