Livin’ on albuterol sulfate and biaxin!

Okay so it’s been one full month since I first got sick, and one full week since I tossed the diagnosis of the primary care doctor out the window and went to see the asthma and allergy guru. So far, so good. I’m still coughing more than I would like and have used the rescue inhaler FAR more than I am comfortable with, but it’s improving. I can walk up and down the hall at work without needing to stop to catch my breath, though stairs have not yet been attempted, and while at home I hardly use the rescue inhaler at all. I’ve completed the cycle of prednisone and believe its nasty “short fuse” side effect has worn off completely, and I have one more week of biaxin left before I will be completely cured. For now I also carry an official diagnosis of full blown asthma with the use of both singulair and flovent to control the condition … we’re hoping that drops back to just singulair in the next few weeks and eventually acute allergic asthmatic … time will tell.

Friday was the 4th, we spent it at a local State Park in the water and on the beach! It was a bit chilly in the morning, Jen and I got there about 9:30 to secure picnic tables and a shade tree, but turned out to be a really nice day. Big Seven Lake is shallow enough that it warms quickly in the hot afternoon sun and was a tolerable temperature even at 11am when we headed down the shore for the first time. I spent my day relaxing on an inner tube anchored just outside the swimming area, or just inside depending on how hard the wind was blowing at the time, and soaking up the radiation I’ve missed so far this season. By 3pm I had found pink skin in areas where the sun screen was either too lightly applied or missed all together and knew it was time to get my but into the shade. I would rather have stayed out on the water but that little voice in my head that sounded very much like Mom kept telling me if it’s already pink, it would be bright red by the time the sun goes down.

I think it was actually the first time I listened to that little voice and got out of the sun for the rest of the day. Does this mean I have finally grown up? I’ve always known better, known that pink skin at midday only gets worse with each second you spend exposed to the sun. I’ve always just taken the approach of ignoring it, or putting on a little more sin screen and continuing with whatever activity I was doing before I noticed it. And, I always paid a hefty price later in the day and for the next few days while the scorched skin slowly healed, pealed, and healed a little more. This time, mostly because I listened to my better judgment, the skin was red and a little painful for the first day but now, only three days later, is barely noticeable except under the hot water from the shower head. Maybe I should have saved myself a little pain all those years and listened to the advice from Mom about getting out of the sun.

The rest of the weekend was uneventful and spent at home. Jen and I became hermits for a few days while we got things done around the house, ran a few errands here and there, and spent quality time together for the first time in months. It was nice to stay home for an entire weekend and actually get something done around the house. This weekend is out last free weekend for the remainder of July and quite possibly the last weekend we will be home until August 23 (the END of summer). Climbing on the bike and going for an extended ride someplace suddenly sounds like a nice trip. I wonder if Jack would be home Saturday. Maybe we’ll just go to Houghton Lake and see the boys, I’m certain they will be up there. Or, maybe we’ll stay home again and enjoy some more time off together.