Saturday, February 09, 2008

A sad cautionary tale

I have been plagued by asthma for about 13 years now. It's unpleasant, even scary at times, but it's mostly under control these days. I've been using Advair for several years, with great success. This preventative medicine, coupled with New York's strict laws restricting smoking in public spaces, have enabled me to be live a normal, healthy, wheeze-free life. Most days, I forget that I am asthmatic.

Such was not the case for a young woman in Michigan. She died from an acute asthma attack, which was triggered when she arrived for work as a waitress in a bar that was not smoke-free. This was the first reported immediate death due to second hand smoke.

The victim, it is reported, had suffered from asthma for a long time, but was not compliant with her treatment regimen. She did not have a rescue inhaler on hand when she succumbed to the fatal asthma attack.

This is so sad, and such an unnecessary tragedy. There are some good rescue inhalers available. There are also portable nebulizers which can easily fit inside a glovebox. I have this one.

Asthma is serious stuff, kiddos. Don't leave home without a rescue inhaler!

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