The Top10 Things You Should Do If You Test Positive For Alpha1

  • Have A List Of Questions When You See a Doctor About Your Alpha1(If you try to remember the questions you want to ask you may forget half of them)
  • Learn To Breathe Effectively
  • Limit Or Eliminate Your Alcohol Consumption
  • Don't Be Afraid To Be Proactive About Your Alpha1
  • Get Plenty Of Rest(You will likely have a higher oxygenation level)
  • Avoid Sick People(You have a lower immune system than most people)
  • Drink Plenty Of Water
  • Eat Healthy/Avoid Processed Food(Carbonated beverages)
  • Start A Careful Exercise Program/Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program(Your muscles will become more efficient so they won't use as much oxygen and if you have surgery you will likely recover quicker as well)
  • Stop Smoking

Friday, March 30, 2007

Just when you think you know what you will do...

Life throws you a curve ball!

Not too long ago I thought I would never attend a high school reunion. Partially because of the Alpha1. As those of you with severe Alpha1 know any of a number of things can set off an asthmatic reaction: perfume, cologne, soap, changes in temperature, humidity or secondhand smoke. Many of you are also used to one of two reactions to your predicament....indifference or panic. Somewhere in the middle would be the suitable tact to take. They also don't realise that the little albueterol inhaler is no more an instant cure-all than a nebulizer(at least in the most severe conditions it hasn't been for me). Partially it had been so many years since I have seen most of them I wasn't even sure I would fit in with the group that attends(which I had mostly heard was about 50 out of 450...give or take a few).

Tonight when I got home from work I decided to do an internet search for Rock Aqua Jays. I went to school (from grade school to high school) with a guy by the name of Ron Wyss and I regarded him as very intelligent as well as being blessed with good sense. Someone uptown suggested I wear a wet suit when I sail as it would help me float. I didn't completely trust my source uptown so I thought I would try to get in contact with Ron. When we were in junior high and high school his whole family was very active in the Rock Aqua Jays.

I can remember in high school when they had gone down to Florida and he had broken his leg AGAIN and hearing that they had to take out two airline seats in order to fly Ron back. I had visited Denny W. and he had mentioned Ron was involved in the Rock Aqua Jays still as of the last class reunion. I couldn't find anything that specifically linked him in the Rock Aqua Jays website...so I typed his name in google and was shocked to see his name listed under obituaries in a PDF of the front page of my hometown newspaper. As of right now I have had two very athletic guys from high school pass from this world before me that I know of and I'm not sure why. They were both really nice guys!! The other was Jim Krause.

I think there is a strong possibility I will attend my next high school reunion. I do think though there is also a strong possibility I won't stay a long time and have a sailboat in Chicago waiting for me(either rented or owned) that night. No matter what though I am reminded of this saying....

We make plans and God laughs!!

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