Stay Away From Singer Amy Winehouse

           Singer Amy Winehouse was hospitalized several days ago after fainting following an autograph session with some of her fans.  She has been in the London hospital, since Monday after the collapse, getting tests done.   

           Amy’s father, Mitch Winehouse, says that Amy has apparently damaged her lungs by smoking crack cocaine and by smoking cigarettes.  Mitch Winehouse is asking some of her friends, the ones who use drugs, to stay away from Amy.  He says, what hope will she have if they are using drugs around her. 

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Asthma Sufferers In Distress

         I just read something that is going to make asthma sufferers very distressed and somewhat fearful.  The Federal Drug Administration has said that by the end of the year that inhalers made with CFC’s will be banned.  CFC is Chlorofluorocarbons; and, they deplete the protective ozone layer around the earth.  So, by December 31st of 2008 the inhalers, that operate by using CFC’s to push the medication out of an inhaler and into the lungs of a patient, will no longer be available.  These inhalers are life savers.  Without an effective way of getting the medication into the lungs of a person with asthma they could suffer ill health or die.

         There are new inhalers that use hydrofluoroalkanes to administer the medicine.  The new inhalers don’t have damaging chemicals to hurt the earth’s ozone layer.  The ozone layer is important because it protects earth and it’s people from harmful ultraviolet radiation.  Green practices in our everyday lives is important…but it seems to me that there could be other areas of cutting back that don’t endanger people’s lives.

         It is important to protect the ozone…but, not at the risk of individual asthma sufferers well-being.  Most asthma patients know that changing medicines take time for the body to adjust…this could mean more trips to the doctor or the hospital while their bodies adjust to the new inhaler.  They will want to discuss this issue of inhalers with their doctor soon…so that they can find an effective treatment that works for them.

          The problem here, is that the new inhalers don’t work in the same way.  Therefore, many people are concerned about the health of the people they love being able to breathe the way they need to.  The medicine is not delivered efficiently through the new inhalers.  It seems that they tend to clog up more and the cost is higher for the new inhalers.  People need to learn the new way of using the inhalers, to get the best results.  This could be dangerous if not done properly.  People do die from asthma if it isn’t properly managed.  Patients will need to talk to their pharmacist and/or physicians to get accurate information.

          Many are feeling a bit of panic about this because it is going to happen no matter what.  This is about people’s life and health.  There is no room for error when it comes to asthma.  It is distressing to think that these inhalers are being forced on patients when the asthma sufferers aren’t sure that they will work just as well as the old inhalers for them.  What do you think about this issue? 

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Mom’s Biopsy

      Today is my mother’s lung biopsy.  I am worried for several reasons.  Her lymph nodes are enlarged.  She is having breathing problems.  She has never smoked a day in her life but she lived with smokers almost her whole life.

       This biopsy is dangerous because she has too much pressure in her lungs.  I am praying that God protects and keeps her safe.  I am praying for a lot of things.  Mostly well-being.  * update:  Mom came through the biopsy just fine…but now we start the wait for the lab results.  The results could take up to a week or so.  Patience is not easy in this case.

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Mom’s Home

     My mother is home from the hospital; thank God.  For a time, we didn’t know if that was going to happen.  She was living on the edge in the hospital for almost a week.  She is still not up to life as usual.

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