I am not sure how I missed this stat, but it helped me realize this morning that when I walk my daughter to the school bus I am not carrying my Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA). I grab my tea, house keys and cell phone as I head out of the door. My daughter always has her Asthma Facts and Figures and Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) in her backpack. The Glossary of Terms, offered this stat on their easy to read rescue inhaler weblink. I think the biggest take -away for me today is many of us get lax when we feel our asthma is under control and we “forget” to take our maintenance asthma medications and to carry our asthma Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA). I asked myself some serious questions today after watching this short new clip…
Am I in control of my asthma life? Are you? Here are the questions I addressed:
[unordered_list style=”arrow”]- Have you seen your spacer or pulmonologist this year?
- Are you up to date regarding your asthma health? Since Asthma is effected by our environment, hen our asthma condition should change along with seasons and activities in our lives.
- Is your asthma under control?
- Do you know what control is? What are your markers for asthma control?
- Are you taking your asthma maintenance medications daily? If not, maybe a smart phone App is in order to help remind you or some other memory jogging method.
- Do you carry your Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA)?
- Do you know the difference between asthma rescue and maintenance medications?
- Have you checked your asthma medication expiration dates lately?
- Do you maintain an Asthma Action Plan and is it updated based on your current health status?
- Are you actively avoiding your Glossary of Terms? This is tough and sometimes, we have to consider biting the bullet and pulling up that carpet or limiting the number of stuffed animals on your child’s bed.
I use a Allergic Girl for my daily maintenance asthma medication
The “Allergic Girl: Adventures in Living Well with Food Allergies” website also offers a nice Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America that I found helpful when speaking to my physician. Another nifty tip that can be applied to asthma is from Sloane Miller of Allergic Girl fame, I love her website, am reading her book right now, “Allergic Girl: Adventures in Living Well with Food Allergies”, and her approach to managing life threatening food allergies. She encourages us to be prepared for doctor visits by preparing a list of questions about the disease, that includes definitions, what does this mean to your life, how to manage it and other concerns or fears. As long it is something that is on your mind, then discuss it. Basically, she urges us to leave the doctor’s office armed with information and ready to take control.
Sloane Miller (photo courtesy of Allergic Girl)
Thanks Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America for helping me realize that I was NOT at the top of my Asthma Management game today (okay, all month long too).
p.s As always, check in with your physician before you make any changes regarding your health care. Each of our bodies are so different and so are the medical needs.
[twitter style=”horizontal” float=”left”]
[fbshare type=”button”]
[google_plusone size=”standard” annotation=”none” language=”English (UK)”]
[pinterest count=”horizontal”]
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!..
Thank you for sharing this information. Wow that is a high number! My asthma is managed by avoidance of many many things. When the occassion arises, I have my rescue inhaler, my histamine, and an epi-pen.
Kathryn, clearly you are doing a great job! That number made my eyes bulge! I did not see that one coming. You’re a wonderful role model for our children. I always try to point out adults who have their allergies and asthma under control to my kids. They are lucky they have mom’s guiding hand and extra set of eyes, but I’m trying to raise them to be independent too. W
Death from an asthma attack is painful for the patient. There is nothing peaceful and the caregivers often have nightmares of the patient’s face for years after the incident. Please keep an unexpired rescue inhaler handy at all times AND use it when needed, pre-treat with maintenance meds, and see your doctor.
Judie, I can’t even imagine the feeling of not being able to breathe. Horrible, it is always best to carry unexpired medications for best efficacy. I once was carrying an inhaler that had expired and thought that I was getting worse until I realized it was expired and the medication was not potent enough. I realized this when I borrowed by son’s inhaler and thought, wow, this is good stuff.
You highlighted another common error we make with our own meds… not checking the expiration dates. We can overlook them, for a month or two; but, life-saving meds should not be left to chance. The efficacy of the meds diminishes with each month, so go through the ‘medicine cabinet’ every 6 months, please.
REALLY good advice Judie of checking the cabinet every 6 months. Hum, maybe on New Years and the 4th of July?
I was actually not suprised by that stat. We all get complaisant when we feel good and when our kids are doing well. I was chaperoning a high school band trip this past fall and a kid on our bus was having a bad asthma attack. He didn’t tell anyone until it was so obvious we couldn’t miss it and he did not have an inhaler with him. He was also unsure of what rescue inhaler he used. When some of the other parents started asking their own kids for their inhalers for him to use, they found out they weren’t carrying inhalers either. The parents were also shocked by how many asthmatic kids were on the bus. The director wasn’t allowed to tell us kids with conditions we might need to monitor. Needless to say, it was a long very worrying trip home. Luckily the boy was ok and we all learned that teenagers are not yet independent in managing their asthma or allergies.
Jenny, great story to share. This was unfortunate, but a good example. It is so true, (clearly, look at me forgetting my own inhaler), that when we are feeling good our minds are everywhere else. I keep reinforcing to my children to always carry their rescue medications period. My own son broke this rule last week when his track team took off for a short run in the neighborhood. I could have screamed when he told him that he ran off without it. I emailed the coach asking him to remember that all of his students who carry rescue medications need to have them within reach at all times. Thanks for sharing a very sobering and educational story.
Good reminder, Caroline. I attended a funeral in December for a friend…mom with 3 kids…who had an asthma attack and didn’t have her inhaler. She was waiting at her workplace for her high schooler to bring the inhaler to her. He didn’t make it in time. Such a horrible tragedy.
Another part of the story is that her workplace is right next door to our fire and ambulance company. No one realized the seriousness of her situation and the call wasn’t made until it was too late. I want to cry just thinking about it. It was devastating to see her husband and children at the funeral.
Always carry your life-saving medications.
-Joanne
Oh Joanne, this story made my stomach drop. How incredibly tragic. What a lesson for all of us to learn. Asthma is so much more serious than we give credit to and the severe and swift onset of symptoms just blows my mind.
I’m so incredibly sad to hear this story. I truly appreciate you sharing this, this could be any of us or any of our children.
Thank you for sharing.
It’s not a pleasant thought, but I certainly believe it. A boy at my high school died of an asthma attack, and the same thing happened a year later at another neighboring school. It’s good to be aware and take it seriously. 🙂 Thanks for spreading the word!
Hi Rachel,
That really is heart breaking. Especially when you can see solutions and answers. Thanks for sharing, you are adding to our awareness too.