My drama... ugh.

Today has not been my most favorite day, I have had many, many, many way better days. The reason today was not so fantastic, you ask; well, let's go back a few days.

I've had a bit of a cold over the past week. And actually I think I may have been fighting it for longer because I've had some sporadic fatigue the past few weekends. This Monday it finally hit me and I was wiped out. I stayed home and slept a large portion of the day on Tuesday and thought things were better by Wednesday. Before I forget, the odd part about this "cold" is that I barely had a runny nose or anything- there was a little sinus pressure and a scratchy throat but the allergy pill I take seemed to be controlling most of the symptoms. But apparently not all...

Yesterday at work, my chest started to feel tight. (uh oh.) I dictate at my job and was struggling to get all the words out in one breath like normal. I used my albuterol inhaler and by late afternoon was feeling better. But last night my cough (since Monday) and the (new) tightness were back. But I just chilled and did research for my Halloween costume and then tried to get a good night's sleep. This morning on my drive to work... used the inhaler again. (This is not good!) I started working on the morning placentas and stopped after only two to go sit at my desk to try and get some air in my lungs. (UGH!) While sitting there trying to breathe, after using the inhaler again, I decided research was in order and looked up early symptoms of an asthma attack. (Not looking good...) I attempted to go back to work and had a chat with a coworker with asthma about how she knows when to go see a doctor. I then decided that I should probably call the doctor before I passed out and while I could still drive myself across town.

Four hours, a nebulizer treatment, pulse-ox tests, and a trip to the pharmacy later, I finally made it back to work. And of course there was tons of work to do but my pathologist for the day rocked and helped me out with all of it. Needless to say, I'm completely exhausted. Struggling to breathe is equivalent to some really hard aerobic workout- it takes everything out of you. I'm still tired and I can actually breathe a mostly normal depth breath now.

Breathing, while essential to life, should not be taken for granted. Be glad for that deep breath of air. Enjoy it!

Oh and I must say thanks to my buddy Evan who talked to me on the phone while I drove to my doctor's office and successfully kept me nice and calm. Friends are almost as essential as breathing, I think.