Even though I live hundreds of miles away from the Yosemite and can’t complain one drop about this fire coming too close, the impact from Yosemite Rim Fire reached my household with a stifling grip! As I chatted away with Henry Ehrlich, editor of Asthma Allergies Children last week, I was shooed off the phone and onto the computer to type up my story. Henry made me hang up and start typing as I whined away about eye burning, lung choking smoke that engulfed our Northern Nevada community for days on ends. Friends were being force to leave town with their asthmatic children, school kids were stuck in doors, high school sports canceled and the list goes on. “Downwind from Yosemite, Clean Desert Air Turns to Asthma Nightmare” journals the impact of living in some sort of lung health purgatory that effected an entire community–asthma or not asthma–your life was touched and for some, run over.
I hate complaining compared to what fire fighters and folks who are in the direct path of the Yosemite Rim Fire are managing. I pray for the fire fighters and everyone in harm’s way daily, explaining why I felt silly at first writing about our experience. After speaking with Henry, he made me realize that we do need to take pause and realize the ripple effect of fire. I actually had thought back to a moment in college when an economics professor asked us to stop and think about how many people were effected by and had a role in creating the alarm clock that woke us up everyone morning. It was mind-blowing when I thought about the workers in China, the shipping industry, printing, packaging, marketing, retail store employees, etc. The Rim Fire and it’s path of destruction reminded me of this concept, how many lives were touched by this wild-fire? Families of fire fighters from across our nation? San Francisco who relies on water from the Hetch Hetchy Resevoir, schools, after school sports teams who can not play, outdoor weddings, picnics and special events?
In Henry’s editorial notes, “The Fire This Time” he mentioned the irony of my ground mount solar panels that we had purchased in our attempt to preserve clean air could not function. Yes, the darker days hindered my solar panels from soaking up the sun and my zero summer bill jumped to $174 thanks to running our air conditioner for longer hours without direct sunlight!
One of the hardest things I find about managing both life threatening food allergies and asthma is talking to others. I hate to be the one that might be perceived as demanding, pushing or for asking too much. What I now know, fourteen years later, is that honest, clear information presented with kindness works!..
Dear Caroline–thanks for letting me share the credit. Once you got off the phone, you did a great job. You turned that piece around overnight. Important writing! Thanks.
Henry
Aw thanks Henry, you crack a good whip!
Just like Walter Burns and Hildy Johnson in “His Girl Friday.” That makes me Cary Grant and you Rosalind Russell.
Henry,
That means I’ll finally have good hair!
Hello,
I have no other way of connecting with you other than this blog. My son has had multiple allergies including food allergies. He is two, and this fire was our first sign of asthma. We also chose to leave town for a week for his relief. I would love to connect with you. Please email me if you can. Thank you!
I have no other way of connecting with you other than this blog. My son has had multiple allergies including food allergies. He is two, and this fire was our first sign of asthma. We also chose to leave town for a week for his relief. I would love to connect with you. Please email me if you can. Thank you!
Summer! I just got your phone number from Pump It UP! Can I call you tonight?