ASTHMA

For those of you who think I'm just a hysterical opportunist - here's a snapshot of the last 24 hours of my life:

6:00am Tues:  My son had been exhibiting signs of an early asthma attack, or cold, or bronchitis, or pneumonia for about a week... So, I run a hot bath hoping to break-up the mucus in his chest.  It worked.  He spits up a huge clump of phlegm and spits it into the toilet, (Sorry to be so graphic, but this is pertinent).  Then, he turns to me and asks: "Is it bad if it was red?"

(Oh no, here we go again, I think - this is the second or third time this has happened since we've lived here, and it's not a 'normal' asthmatic indicator.)

I try to hide my alarm, as I casually answer: "Yes, it's bad;  It was probably blood.  Please let me see it before you flush it next time".

7:30am Tues:  Parent / Teacher conference where my son is groggy and lethargic throughout.  Coughing the whole time.

Wed:  More of the same, except worse.

Thurs:  We go to the Pediatricians office, for the whole drill - pulse ox reading, physical exam, three asthma treatments in a row, and medications, medications, medications, and more medications.  

Fri:  Home from school, having a hard time getting him to eat - that's been going on all week though.  I ask every hour - applesauce? No. soup? No. Oranage juice? No. Jello? No. Crackers? No. Ice Cream? No.  That's when I KNOW he's sick - when he turns down ice cream.

Come to find out that there's four storm drains (that's what my landlord calls them - sounds much better than sewage drains) holding standing 'water' in this area.  Standing water breeds mosquitoes, which we have A LOT of here.  One is in the park across from my house, another is in my backyard, two sandwich a playground kids play at.  They've figured out how to pry open the jury-rigged wood and screen coverings over the drains.  It's only a matter of time before a child falls in.  Only a matter of time.

Sat:  By now we're both exhausted from following doctors orders for round the clock asthma treatments.  I've long since figured out a way to give him a treatment while he's sleeping.  

Meanwhile, life marches on.  Tuesday he goes back to school - and works overtime - almost relapsing - in an effort to make up for lost schoolwork and assignments.

Ugh.  I've decided to run fans non-stop in my house in order to cleanse the air to prevent another asthma incident.  Living next to an industrial park is disgusting and toxic.  However, according to HUD, it's normal and appropriate.  They simply have a separate set of rules for homeowners and renters.  Renters get moved around cities, counties and States like chess pieces on a chess board.  At their whim, and most times to our detriment.

There's more I could add, but I'm tired.  I have to take a lot of medications now, myself - and my energy levels haven't been what they should be.  Not to mention I'm under constant threat of eviction - it's enough to drive anyone mad.

I'm mad, but I'm also M A D !