IT’S NOT A TUMOR!

(Originally posted on the website Heron Flight)

“I’ll take Annoying Lung Diseases for $500, Alex.”

“This pain in the bronchial tubes can make you out of breath while merely talking, make you cough like a dying hyena while laughing, and make you feel like your 400 pound Aunt Gertha is sitting on your chest.”

“What is ASTHMA?”

“Oh! Right you are! Choose again.”

“Could I have Less Than Exciting Experiences for $100, please?”

“This Less Than Exciting Experience involves having sensors attached to your scalp, chest, legs, and a breathing monitor around your mid-section while spending the night in a place other than your own bedroom.”

“What is a sleep study at the medical center?”

“That is correct!”

The best part of knowing for sure that my breathing ailments are due to asthma is the relief that they are not caused by something more serious. It’s not a tumor! It’s merely constricted airways.

The worst part of knowing that I have asthma is… having asthma! What a pain in the chest! It’s annoying. It’s aggravating. It’s every other negative word that starts with “A” that I can’t think of right now. At times I get out of breath while having a conversation. Other times I am huffing and puffing just from walking from one side of the office to the other. Look out if I break out in an unexpected laugh! I can start coughing and gagging fiercely enough that you would be convinced that at any second my left lung was going to launch out of my mouth and bonk you in the forehead!

However, in addition to the relief which knowledge brings, learning what triggers asthma and what I can do to avoid it is a good thing. For instance, I did not know that sulfites may cause asthma trouble. Even one glass of wine with sulfites can do it. Also, acid reflux aggravates asthma symptoms. Several months ago, I discovered that I have a minor reflux problem. Treating this and avoiding the foods that cause digestive upsets will in turn help my asthma.

In addition, the doctor believes I am suffering from sleep apnea. It’s connected with the asthma. I sometimes stop breathing in my sleep, not as long as I’m sure my ex-wife would like, but it happens once in a while. Typically, I don’t snore. Lately, with increased asthma symptoms, I have been snoring a bit. I do wake up with mild asthma attacks some nights. Because of all this, the doctor wants me to spend a night in the sleep center at the hospital. How wonderful! Geesh.

I may not be a game show champion. But at least I won knowledge, relief, and proper treatment. Those are pretty nifty consolation prizes.

OUR FAVORITE PLACE

20050409crater

(Originally posted on the website Heron Flight)

What a beautiful day day in New Jersey today! Just gorgeous! There wasn’t a cloud in the sky all day. It was warm enough to wear short sleeves all day. It was a perfect day to go to our favorite place, Crater Lake.

The lake is one of the most peaceful and easily accessible places. Though it is 40 miles from home, the last two of which are made of gravel and spotted with huge puddles, it is worth the drive. Driving my tiny red car through the puddles at riskily high speeds certainly makes up for the tediousness of riding an hour to get there. The lake is mere yards from the parking area and the place is never crowded.

Hannah and Maddy were asking to go to Crater Lake this week. I kept saying it wasn’t worth going because it’s not warm enough to swim yet. However, Arissa mentioned it this morning and pointed out that the weather was just right for the trip. I think she was curious to see why the girls were so eager to go there. So, off we went.

None of us were disappointed with our time at the lake. Well, Maddy might have been for a short time when we went for a walk around the lake. She became tired. Tiredness brought on whining. Whining led to crying. Slipping and scraping her leg did not help. But after I carried her on my shoulders for a while, she was chipper as ever. Then we skipped stones on the water, sang silly songs and hooted and hollered just to hear our voices echo in the hills.

20050409crater2

Today was also the girls’ first fishing experience. We bought fishing rods for them before we went to the lake. With basic fishing tackle of hooks, bobbers, sinkers, and salmon eggs, the girls were all set to reel in some big ones. Unfortunately, they didn’t catch anything. They saw quite a few sunfish, which nibbled their bait off the hooks without so much as the slightest of bob from the bobbers. They were disappointed. But I explained that fishing requires much patience. It is great thinking time, quiet time. They didn’t want to hear it. So, after an hour of trying, they gave up and fed Doritos to the fish that came swarming for the hand-outs.

It was a peaceful day today. It reminded me that I need to go to the quiet more often.

NEW JERSEY WINS!!!

(Originally posted on the website Heron Flight)

20050408soccer1

New Jersey beat Brazil in soccer tonight!! Whooohooo! Imagine that! Brazil! The home of soccer great Pelé! Whipped by New Jersey! Yesssss! Pelé once stated, “It seems that God brought me to Earth with a mission to play soccer.” And He brought ya to New Jersey to give ya a whoopin’!

Things have been a little crazy in the house tonight. Hannah and Madeline have two girls sleeping over. There has been dancing, cheerleading, singing, and… soccer. That’s right. Soccer in the living room and dining room. Chairs were used as goal posts. A yellow smiley face soccer ball was the focus of all the action.

20050408soccer2

Now, the soccer interest seems to have been growing over the last few days. You see, the other half of “we” was born and raised in Brazil. Her name is Arissa. Of course, being from Brazil, she likes soccer. Too bad Brazil lost tonight! The score was New Jersey 3, Brazil 2. And there was only one injured player, who was promptly carried from the field on a stretcher…

20050408soccer3

…and given CPR. Don’t worry… she lived!

20050408soccer4

And that’s the day in sports!

THE COOL GRAYNESS

(Originally posted on the website Heron Flight)

20050406treesunbw

Warmth is now entering.

Soon color shall prevail.

Starkness shall give way to bounty, barrenness to fruitfulness.

We shall delight in the passion that is summer.

We shall forget that winter will come assuredly, just as we eat, drink, make merry, never believing that all must end.

Complaints shall muddle about humidly, as we drip, burn, faint.

Drooping, we trudge on to fall, welcoming the cool grayness ahead.