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

Tuesday, April 17, 2007

Don't ever take up bicycling...I'm only kidding!!

Spring has sprung and so has the pollen count along with it. That has been part of the cause of my wheezing two out of the last three days. I learned that as a result of calling Johanna (who is also a ZZ). I didn't go to see a doctor on Monday because I felt sooo good when I woke up in the morning. I coughed up some green mucus today so, tomorrow I definitely will be visiting a doctor.

Bicycling with all the right gear is expensive. I spent half as much as I did for my bike (which included a Cateye astrale, Krypotonite lock, Bell helmet and a tire repair kit) a month or so ago!

The said bike gear included cold weather tights. I had wanted Sugoi but, Scheele's was out of them so I had to buy Under Armour which is good. I've bought Under Armour clothing before and was satisfied with it. So, I got a long sleeve top & bottom tight set. I had planned on getting a plain jane bike jersey BUT, I just couldn't resist the Curious George bike jersey.I really want a Rosie the Riveter bike jersey, though! By summers end I will have one I predict!! Also, bought a pair of bike shorts. Bought a shoulder bag(it's a bag that one attaches to the cross bar and bar the seat post fits in) even though I was looking for something a little different. The other small stow bags were too heavy. I needed someplace to put my inhalers, ID and health insurance card! I got a couple water bottles(one was insulated) and a water bottle holder. I picked up several kinds of food/energy sources to try to find out which I would like to use during a bike trek...gels, gel bloks and protein bars. I walked by the North Face, Titanium and Columbia jackets...and almost made it out of the store! Then I thought about how worried my sisters Mary & Johanna would be with the thought of me not having any protection from getting soaked by the rain during a bike ride. I wound up with a Columbia waterproof(seams are sealed) light weight jacket. When the cashier gets done ringing me up I findout since I spent so much money I'm entitled to a cap or t-shirt. Heck! Why not! So, I got a t-shirt, too.

My RoadID will soon be enroute to me and in the next few days I will find out if I pass muster with RoadID to be an affiliate. I'm officially registered in the Scenic Shore 150 Leukemia/Lymphoma ride. If you'd like to pledge money for my ride(I need a minnimum of $250) you can go do that at www.active.com.

Hopefully this next weekend I will figureout how to download pictures from my digital camara(a birthday gift to myself), how to use my new Palm(I'm hoping it will help me to remember appointments and to keep track of other things and then maybe even try to hook up to the internet through my cell phone(It's cheaper and said to be faster than local land line dial-up).

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