It's the most wonderful time of the year... NOT

It was a very sucky day today. Started off great. I felt better than I have in a while, was actually up to my usual mischief, and looking forward to a party we were going to in the afternoon.

And then I went outside.

*sigh*

I'm not sure what's in the air, but it was enough to make the Asthma Monster lift up its pointy little head and decide to give me a big ol' hug. Around the chest.

I took Benadryl and went to bed, kissed the kids and THO and told them to have fun and apologize to the hosts for me.

It says massive quantities about how absolutely crummy I felt that I didn't mind missing the party at all. I curled up in bed and read All the Weyrs of Pern instead. (I'm sort of on a Pern kick right now) Went to sleep, and was awakened two hours later by THO telling me he had brought the Impossible Son home, but had to go back because Miss Impertinent was still there. Mr. Manzie had gotten chilled (it was a pool party) and wanted to come home for a hot tubby and a bit of snuggling with Mama.

This meant him curling up in bed with me while I snoozed until he got bored, whereupon he'd go watch a little tv until he'd get worried about me, and he'd come climb back into bed to snuggle with me some more while I dozed. I lost count of how many times he did this.

Miss Priss had called several times before I fell asleep the first time, asking me if I was sure I didn't think she should come home, and I told her no, go to the party and have fun, PLEASE!

No, my kids don't like it when the Asthma Monster is around.

Now, I'm wanting very much to go back to bed. This breathing thing is vastly over-rated. Guess I just need to suck it up and face the fact that I need to go back on a stronger maintenance med than I'm on now. Yay whoopee yay.

I think what I hate most about this is it's never a big dramatic thing for me, unless I've been exposed to a major trigger, like cigarette smoke, strong perfume, or mold. It's much slower, and more insidious. I just get... tired. Very, very tired. And I'll think, "Why am I so exhausted all of a sudden, I haven't been doing anything!" Because at first, I don't know it's my asthma acting up, because I'm just tired, I'm not having a hard time breathing (though I am, I just don't notice it, that's why I'm tired). And then, it gets progressively worse, and I start feeling out of breath, like I've just been climbing a lot of stairs, or been doing a lot of heavy lifting, etc. And then my chest gets tight, and I think, "Oh... crap. Duh. Asthma."

Yeah. It's that sneaky.

Sometimes, I take my backup antihistimine, and I'm fine. In fifteen to thirty minutes, I'm right as rain and rarin' to go. But sometimes... sometimes, I end up curled up in bed with a book or two. If it's really bad, I might need a breathing treatment. And if it's really bad, I may have to go to the emergency room. I have to say, I haven't been to the emergency room for my asthma in ages (knock on wood), and I hope most sincerely it stays that way.

Personally, I think the oral steroids I had to take a couple of weeks ago are what's affecting me now. The few times I have actually consented to the oral steroids, I have ended up having major problems asthma-wise for weeks afterwards, which was an irony, because I was taking them for my asthma. And it doesn't help that the city is not finished resurfacing the streets in my area, so there are beaucoups of particulates in the air.

I just want it to go away so I can get on with my life. I don't have time for this! Miss Priss' 12th birthday is tomorrow.

*sigh*