I have asthma. I've always had lung problems. When you're born nine weeks early in 1980 your lungs take a long time to catch up. I had lung diseases all the time. I was finally given albuterol when I was six. Mild asthma, they said. In sixth grade, after playing first base at my softball game, I had a severe attack. My first real nebulizer treatment and maintenance inhaler. Moderate asthma, they said. Move through maintenance inhalers. Inhaled steroids, pills, I called it the med go round. College. Soccer game. By this time I owned a nebulizer. Came home wheezing terribly. Roommate, on her way home for the weekend, said she wouldn't leave until I was done with my nebulizer treatment. It didn't work. Off to the ER. Not my first trip, but the worst. ER ICU. Admitted for five days, complete with an A line. Adulthood. Still having regular asthma attacks. Always have been treated by an allergist, so I move to a new place, find an allergist. More inhaled steroids. Moderate-severe asthma. A new med comes out. It's a biologic called Nucala. To be eligible, your complete blood count eocinophil level needs to be at least 150. I come back at 888. Severe eosinophilic asthma. Begin Nucala. It's a miracle. Suddenly I can do things again! I can even jog (before my knee replacement.) I have an unexpected emergency surgery. Miss a dose. Suddenly I'm spending more time admitted to the hospital than in my own bed. Total of seven weeks in the hospital. Switch to a pulmonologist. Diagnosis of severe persistent asthma. Continue Nucala. Maintenance oral steroids. Nebulizer four times a day. Zofran to keep the higher doses of steroids down. Edema from the steroids. Steroids in the nebulizer. Inhaled steroids. Still have my trusty rescue inhaler. Found a nebulizer that can run on batteries, I can always have it with me. Asthma has become my life.
#Asthma #Nucala #inhaler