Keep On Keeping On

Today is another one of those days where I notice that I’m struggling more with shortness of breath and my chest is tighter.

I know it’s because of this humid day, as well as rain and snow the past weekend. It seems that with that weather, sleep was off as well. It’s only right that today I needed a nap and my breathing reminds me to pace myself.

It’s been awhile since I’ve had an exacerbation.

Thankfully I have been alert to feeling tired and chesty, that’s what I call sob and tight. Chesty. Can’t help but giggle at that. I don’t feel I need a doctor and my husband hasn’t mentioned it, so I’m content here as I am. Did you know that often your spouse will notice your ill health before you will? Do listen when they speak. We tend to second guess ourselves and they can be more realistic.

I have difficulty laying around or just watching tv. I generally grab my tablet or phone and look at posts as well. When I feel like this, it causes me to doze. So, what to do. Hmmm, I’ll talk to you about it and hopefully recharge my brain.

Sometimes it seems best to turn my mind off, but it’s good to focus on something positive. That helps for overall healing.

Earlier today, was another dental appointment.

This time to fix a cavity. My dental office staff and I have gotten to know each other quite well. I may have mentioned this before, yet think it’s worth repeating.

Dry mouth, dry eyes and other dry areas can be caused by some of our breathing medications. It’s so very important to take care of that dryness. Even drinking plenty of water, isn’t enough to care for mine. I should have gotten more aggressive with it a long time ago, which I didn’t. Over time, this has caused a lot of expensive dental work and the loss of three teeth so far. My dentist has set up regular appointments for teeth cleaning, to prevent cavities. Yet, they do happen. Thankfully, not very often. I also use extra fluoride and rinses. Recommended for me by my dentist and doctors, is Biotene, which I do use. A spray for extra moisture in my mouth and it makes a big difference. Mouthwash as well. Do stay on top of your mouth and teeth. Do talk to your doctor and/or dentist and get their recommendations. Also, be sure to rinse well after using your inhaled medication. This can also cause candida or thrush, which is a yeast infection. These can get serious. If you notice thrush and aren’t able to get rid of it, call your doctor and get a prescription.

Dry eyes are something that you will notice as well. My eye lids would stick to the eyes, they can burn and make me so tired. There are all types of over the counter eye drops. I couldn’t find one that would work for me, so my optometrist prescribed one. The prescribed medications can be expensive, even with insurance. The medication can be worth it, maybe not. Each of us are different. You can also have other dry areas: skin, anally, vaginally, etc.

You might ask your doctor and pharmacist for coupons or samples. Even online, you might find them.

I like getting older and know this growing old isn’t for sissies. Hey, let’s be super heroes and keep on keeping on! Thanks for listening and helping me recharge myself. I hope you have a breathe easy day/night.