He was slightly better this morning... but with the lack of food, no appetitide :( and lack of sleep, he really look like a sick dog... :( Mr chin woke up to take the morning shift cos i cant take it anymore...

Am now down with flu and cough... cos i didnt expect Ross' virus to be so so bad and ate his leftover porridge after he took a few mouthfuls... that's the worse mistake i can ever make... cos caught his flu and cough... ergggg.... hopefully, i will produce some antibodies that can be passed on to him via the ultra little breastmilk when he nurses in the evening....

Moral of the story: DO NOT underestimate the strength of the bb's virus, they can be stronger than you think... :(

LMCB, hope that Ross will be better soon... if not, with the lack of sleep etc, the next one to go down will be me and MIL... sighz...

But in the night, he was very feverish... partly cos he didnt prespire.... his temperature rosed to 39 degrees and mr chin freaked out... i wasnt too worried cos he has just taken medication... I alternate paracetamol and nurofen (also fever medication but different family group as paracetamol) every 2-3 hours... Nurofen is stronger and should be used if temperature is above 38.5 degrees... however, his temperature remained high and by 6am, we rushed him to KKH children's clinic... The wait was long even though there isnt much patient...

The medical officer prescribe the usual, paracetamol, ibufen (similar to nurofen), illadin nose decongestant, medication for running nose... thinking back, i really dunno why she didnt prescribe anything for this throat cos his throat should be quite bad as he has a bad cough... erggggg, if only we waited and brought him to Dr Tan Siew Pin at Olive Tree, Ross' usual pead... sighz...

hmmm, will see how... if by this late noon, he is still not well, will bring him to Dr Tan... better call my MIL now... :(

:( not sure if his illness is due to my huge intake of durians! :P

(I need to get better for the upcoming trip :( . Help! )

Good night, nurse!

I decided I had better get up off my butt and go to the bank and  pharmacy since tomorrow is the 4th of July. I was burning up with a fever and fell asleep while waiting at the bank drive thru. At the pharmacy the cute 35 year old guy looked happy to see me and Zeke. He offered to take Zeke off my hands like just about everybody does. Nope! Zeke likes going for a ride and going on adventures :-)

Aleka has been wearing her harness so she will be used to it. Every time things move out the door, she hides in a cupboard. I could not find her anywhere last night and got frantic. I finally opened the cupboard door above the fridge and found her in there! That's a new one.

The Narums were at the store when I was in there. I love that guy! His whole demeanor lights up when he says Hi. I got to shake his hand one more time :-)

Ellen started crying yesterday because I'm  leaving. Judy gets all teary, too. Today I gave Rhett a big hug. It's nice to know that soooooo many people like and love me :-) Sometimes I feel very inconsequential and days like today help me realize I do make a difference in the world.

I'd been having withdrawals from LFATP while you were gone! I pulled through, thanks to the task of exams... which by the way are FINALLY over (fucking eff, I actually just wrote finally open, which is both silly and non-sensical).

I am so glad that you liked my OBSESSION, I was hoping you would - since something needs to fill the void of how bad Cute Is What We Aim For's new single is. Seriously, it is awful. I liked them before because they had hooks without having major drums and guitar - but they relied on voice and smart lyrics, but the new single is just plain dumb - and the lyrics are retarded. The tune is kind of catchy but it doesn't have the snare and kick that Same Old Blood Rush had.

For some reason Curse of Curves is not available "in my country" a.k.a the UK, which I find so weird. WHY? It was my favourite video (not song), and the girl in it was super-hot (sorry, it had to be said - she was). They actually always get really hot girls for their videos... yet half of the band are more fug than a Plain White T's reunion four years in the future.

Hey Carla, I think we should put the story on hold for a bit and just do the photos for a bit. Do you think that's a good idea? We've been doing the story for ages now, so how about we put it to rest for a month, and then resurrect it after then - sometime in the holidays? It is just becoming a time-suck and sometimes it becomes the bulk of my letter, when really I should be focussing on YOU.

Firefox 3... I downloaded it, and am now using it instead of Safari. IT'S SUPER FAST! SUPER NON CRASHY! AND SUPER AWESOME IN LOADS OF WAYS! Not much has changed layout and tool wise, but its speed is incompetable and it never crashes, except for a few times when websites are down or there's a lot of traffic. I give it a 4/5 rating.

I'm going to Alton Towers in a week (English equivelant of Six Flags) and I am so scared. It's for my friend's partaaay, but I am petrified of rollercoasters. I've been on one or two and was so scared beforehand I nearly weed myself in line. So I need to ask a question to the reader and to you Carla - do you have any advice on how to make it okay? Does closing your eyes on the ride help? I found it did. Also, I'm worried things will fall out of my pockets - thanks.

OH. I made a page for the photos of the photo challenge. It probably looks shitty, but I thought it would be fun. I wanted to do a thumbnail type layout - so each photo would link to a bigger picture of it(like the photobucket one, but without the writing in it - just the thumbnails) but I'm not smart enough.

BUT TO YOUR PHOTO CHALLENGE. Innocence was the title and when I think of innocence, I think of childhood - so I spent some time and found a flower that our family has had ever since I was born - and is now black and dry, but it a beautiful rose, and I found a monkey that was my first ever present (given by my dad the day after I was born, or some time like that) and set up a nice photo (methinks, anyway):

I thought it looked cute, oh and that is a rose under its head.

I spent a lot of time reminiscing on the bus today with my friend Inky. I was remembering how I used to be best friends with loads of different people (girls mostly) and how, now we've all drifted apart. It's Kate Nash that inspired this nostalgia in me - because I was obsessed with her (before she became famous here) for ages. I even spoke to her on this live chat thing, and the guy who was moderating it thought I was such a big fan he only allowed me to ask questions. It was great. Best moment to date, except a few things.

Anyway, continuing with this reminiscing - I left a message to my ex-best-friend Laura, who I haven't spoken to for a year and said ":) been too long... too long". I'm scared as to what she'll say. I wonder how she's changed. I'll keep you updated on the whole nostalgia trip down memory lane thingy.

My braces are making my teeth wobbly! I keep clicking my molars by pushing my tongue against them... it's weird!

OMG! Seriously, I think I'm allergic to pillows. Yesterday I was lying in bed trying to sleep, and everytime I breathed in, I coughed. And then I breathed in deep and got into this huuuuuge coughing fit that didn't stop for about twelve am. GOD IT SUCKED, but exams are over *phew*.

Oh, and something happened today but I forget what - I think it involved the fact that I waited half an hour after school for someone who let me down. Oh well.

Lots of love,

Your friend who may have a cough related genetic disorder (CYSTIC FIBROSIS),

Ben.

P.S Your title for the photo is: ....When [blank] Grow[s] Up

P.P.S I loved both of your photos (especially your take on UPSTAIRS)

It is like Freddy Kreuger starring in a Greek Tragedy crossed with a train wreck: excruciating to watch. Judging by the noises Andrew makes, it is excruciating to experience too. I feed him snacks to keep his strength up and bustle around making him cups of hot port, Lemsip, and tea.

He says things like, ‘Close the door on your way out’, when I’m nowhere near a door (don’t ask me what that means; the joke was too obscure even for me.)

This morning I offered to make him some porridge.

“With some raisins mixed into it?” he asked, liberally punctuated by a long sniff.

“Sure, no problem.”

“Are there any raisins left?” he asked. The way he said it was unbearably pathetic. In case you missed it, here’s the subtext: ‘If there are no RAISINS, it will possibly be more than I can humanly ENDURE, and I will seriously consider jumping off, well, something really very high, and don’t doubt for a moment that I wouldn't totally go and do it if I had the energy or could think of something really very high.’

Thank christ there were raisins.

I hope he feels better soon. My subtext is: I hate seeing my man so miserable

Yeah, yeah, I've heard it all before, but it keeps me from beating my cat !

Anyway, today I mingled. I hate mingling. I hate the word "mingling" and everything each of its inbred syllables connotes. I had this don't say cult don't say cult Cult Council of One Hundred NU networking event in the Fulbright building today and, minus the part where I want to be Facebook-married to brie cheese, it reminded me vaguely of the bar-mitzvah scene I so loathed eight years ago. At least back then I couldn't see anything (oh yeah, when I was in junior high I used to go blind instead of wearing my glasses in public places... I'm an idiot). But I guess on the whole it was harmless.

Earlier I got to go to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History for a press conference with the creator of the X-Files (whom I'm fairly and uncomfortably certain checked me out), which was pretty sweet. The museum's been closed for renovation for two years, so I felt super-cool-journalist getting shuttled through it. Oh, and I wrote a blog post. But you know, because I'm the intern, I don't get a byline. They didn't change anything (except to make the intro third-person), so that's probably a good sign.

New theory: if my life was like The Truman Show, there would be a backstage specialist called the Metro Odor Technician. He (or she, we're equal-opportunity) would be responsible for inventing smells, brewing them in vats at metro stations, then dipping actors into the vats and sending them to sit with me on the metro. Today's Odor du Jour: Three-Day-Old Corpse Marinated in Campbell's Chicken Soup (With Stars!). I wonder what the Metro Odor Technician's intern would have to do...

1st, I've been doing a lot for my fluff friend. Mostly earning munny through petting and challenging others to a race. And then spending all the munny on food, which I stocked up and maintained the speed of my pet constantly above 3200.

I promoted the advertising industry by whipping myself with hours of cable, from History Channel to Zhong Tian; I showed my support for the industry across the globe o_0

Of cos, if all the kinetic energy generated by me were to be tapped, I guess my amount of internet activity through the clicking of the mouse would generate enough energy for the house daily.

Blog Break: Geeks and Love

And then, poor me also accumulated enough virus so that I could test the most powerful drugs in the market. You see, just as I thought I was recovering from the cough last week, it took a bad turn over the weekend and I was coughing through the night yesterday. I concluded that it was the worst symptom I have experienced in years and so went to be the guinea pig. And ya... the antibiotic called Cephalexin stinks big time. :(

And like I mentioned in the previous post, I also contributed to the retail industry, buying 2 books, 1 top, 1 jeans, 1 belt, 2 DVDs and tonnes of food. Along the same argument, after I recover from my illness, I shall buy a running-generated power turbine (which unfortunately is non-existent), so that I can work off the energy I am storing up now.

I also sent nearly 20 resumes since last Friday, of which the only replies I ever got was 'We have received your application'. Of cos, there was also this sentence 'We regret to inform that only successful applicants will be notified' that explained the 'job-hunt-application silence' I received, perhaps since I started sending resumes months ago.

But considering how Bloomberg took about 3 months to invite me for an interview, perhaps I should really wait patiently and hold out till the last second, till my mum decides to kick me out of the house for being unemployed...

Blog Break: Geeks and Physicists

Another non-economical activity was the editing of my novel, as mentioned last week. Yup, with all the time in my hands, I actually edited 80% of what I set out to do after the planning last Friday. I just need to complete the latest round of edits, then proof-read before I can post the edited versions.

The end product as of now, was not what I said initially I would edit them to be, interestingly. For one, the number of pages increased instead. At the same time, I did a lot of changes, adding sequences and changing settings. hmmm... Right now, I can't really decide whether the new version is better than the old one...

Lastly, I did something that was of a personal record. You see, usually I will surf the net with several tabs on at a time, somewhat hinting of my impatient trait. This morning, I was surfing on the net both on the laptop AND on my phone.

Oh, blame it on my stupidity. I happily assumed that the website I went to offered free hp software downloads, and then only to realize I missed the fine prints (actually they were technically 'faint prints', being VERY light grey on white background) that thanked me for paying US$6 for the FIRST WEEK. So I bo-bian, quickly downloaded the maximum of 12 downloads, before I forgot to unsubscribe later. Keep in mind that surfing the net on the phone also cost big bucks. So I bled a lot for a silly mistake.

I guess people who are rotting away rots their brain away too.

haiz...

Will someone just invite me for an interview??

Blog Break: Geeks and Sexual Inferences

Comics from: XKCD

thankfully baldguy has been asked to stay at his job for a couple more weeks to help transition one of the clients so that worry can get pushed away for more immediate concerns and changes...

Boy just does not transition well...The kid needs consistency...Yesterday I found out his teacher had been let go.  The two aides/teachers who work in his classroom are wonderful, but they are very different.  Over the past year I have been able to tell when his head teacher was out for the day by his behavior and attitude at home afterwards.  Transitions like this set him back so far.  We try to prepare and help him, but in this case he was told his beloved teacher was out on vacation last week... and Boy is home sick so far this week so I don't even know if they have left a note in our box.   So there was no warning...No ability to help him transition by saying "see you later"... This could set him back months.  Gahhhhhhhh!

and he's sick.  Kid on cough syrup (and they did not have any dye free cough syrup at walgreens yesterday) with a hefty dose of red dye #40.  No wonder my hair is falling out in handfulls this week.  He is crazed.  He is the kind of crazed that you see on Cops and zombie movies- hyper and lashing out, mumbling incoherently, shouting nonsense, utterly pantsless.   We see his ADHD most of the time and we have adjusted and it is only some of the time that he doesn't self-sooth these days, but this week has been like living with an angry, illogical, drug addled strung out little man.  He is usually our family safety officer.  He will often request backup if I am plugging something in (because you always need to have a grown up buddy when doing things like that) and has frequently declared that plugging anything in must wait until daddy gets home... Yesterday, in his whirlwind he plugged the radio in by himself (during a huge thunderstorm)...This morning he found the one roll of film in our home and unwound it completely...I may completely lose my last marble in the coming weeks...

Anyway. Just home with boy trying to keep him out of trouble.  His ADHD in this sick and cough syrup addled state and my ADD (completely and utterly without the H) are extremely incompatible and frustration runs deep in both of us.

Ok. Enough of my babble. He is "watching" a CD on my TV.  He likes to watch the numbers count down.

I need to check my to do list and make sure I'm knocking things out....

In the next week or so I will be blogging about some new tools we are and will be implementing into our home to help with our rampant attention deficit issue (all three of us have it...) ...

Speaking of which...Boy just hollered at me that we need to dance.

Ok. I'll be back.

Hugs.

b

" One of our patients has never been sick in his entire life. After some analysis, the patient proved to be perfectly normal with no apparent signs of invincibility. His immune system was not different from the others, yet he still never caught a single sickness, illness or disease. When asked about the origins of this phenomenon, the patient tells us that he has never been sick because he never allowed bad or evil thoughts within his mind, body and soul. At one instance, he was walking outside while rain was falling heavily on him. " Why do you stay under the rain? Come in our house before you catch a cold! " one man said. But the patient laughed and replied " If you let your mind believe that you need to shelter yourself from the cold, then the cold will make you sick. I can walk under the rain because I enjoy rain and its attributes."

In the back of the car S- was absorbed in pulling off her socks and shoes and studying her feet. 'Cough cough,' she said, ruminatively.

A little later she perked up a bit. 'Daddy?'

'Yes, S-'.

'-eay.'

It took me a little while to get it but eventually I cottoned on.

'Ready,' she'd say.

'Steady,' I'd add.

And 'Go!' she'd say.

And then I'd have to cough, which made her chuckle.

And so we went on, down the motorway, for about an hour.

Pour hot water over 2 teaspoons of organic lemon rinds, 1 teaspoon of sage and 1/2 teaspoon of thyme.  Use either dried or fresh herbs.  Add the juice of 1/2 lemon and a tablespoon of honey. 

You can drink 2 or 3 cups a day for cough relief.  I think it helped clear my sinuses too.   A good shot of Irish Whiskey might help too:)

This leaflet gives a general overview of asthma. There are other leaflets in this series called 'Inhalers for Asthma', 'Peak Flow Meters' and 'Asthma - a Picture Summary'.

What is asthma and who does it affect?

Asthma is a condition that affects the airways (bronchi) of the lungs. From time to time the airways constrict (become narrow) in people who have asthma. This causes the typical symptoms. The extent of the narrowing, and how long each episode lasts, can vary greatly.

Asthma can start at any age, but it most commonly starts in childhood. At least 1 in 10 children, and 1 in 20 adults, have asthma. Asthma runs in some families, but many people with asthma have no other family members affected.

What are the symptoms of untreated asthma?

The common symptoms are cough and wheeze. You may also become breathless, and develop a feeling of chest tightness. Symptoms can range from mild to severe between different people, and at different times in the same person. Each episode of symptoms may last just an hour or so, or persist for days or weeks unless treated.

What are the typical symptoms if you have mild (untreated) asthma?
You tend to develop mild symptoms from time to time. For example, you may develop a mild wheeze and a cough if you have: a cold, a chest infection, in the hay fever season, or when you exercise. For most of the time you have no symptoms. A child with mild asthma may have an irritating cough each night, but is often fine during the day.

What are the typical symptoms if you have moderate (untreated) asthma?
Without treatment: you typically have episodes of wheezing and coughing from time to time. Sometimes you become breathless. You may have spells, sometimes long spells, without symptoms. However, you tend to be wheezy for some of the time on most days. Symptoms are typically worse at night, or first thing in the morning. You may wake up some nights coughing or with a tight chest. Young children may not have typical symptoms. It may be difficult to tell the difference between asthma and recurring viral chest infections in young children.

What are the typical symptoms of a severe attack of asthma?
You become very wheezy, have a 'tight' chest, and have difficulty in breathing. You may find it difficult to talk because you are so breathless. Severe symptoms may develop from time to time if you normally have moderate symptoms. Occasionally, severe symptoms develop 'out of the blue' in some people who normally have just mild symptoms.

What causes asthma?

Asthma is caused by inflammation in the airways. It is not known why the inflammation occurs. The inflammation irritates the muscles around the airways, and causes them to squeeze (constrict). This causes narrowing of the airways. It is then more difficult for air to get in and out of the lungs. This leads to wheezing and breathlessness. The inflammation also causes the lining of the airways to make extra mucus which causes cough and further obstruction to airflow.

The following diagram aims to illustrate how an episode of asthma develops.

What can make asthma symptoms worse?

Asthma symptoms may flare up from time to time. There is often no apparent reason why symptoms flare up. However, some people find that symptoms are triggered, or made worse, in certain situations. It may be possible to avoid certain triggers which may help to reduce symptoms. Things that may trigger asthma symptoms include the following.

• Infections. Particularly colds, coughs, and chest infections.
• Pollens and moulds. The hay fever season is a common time for asthma to get worse.
• Exercise. However, sport and exercise are good for you if you have asthma. If necessary, you can use an inhaler before exercise to prevent symptoms from developing.
• Certain drugs. For example, about 1 in 50 people with asthma are allergic to aspirin which can trigger symptoms. Other drugs that may cause asthma symptoms include: anti-inflammatory painkillers, and beta-blockers such as propranolol, atenolol, or timolol. This includes beta-blocker eye-drops used to treat glaucoma.
• Smoking and cigarette fumes. If you smoke and have asthma, you should make every effort to stop. See a practice nurse for help if you find it difficult. 'Passive' smoking can make asthma worse too. All children deserve to live in a smoke-free home, in particular children with asthma.
• Other fumes and chemicals. For example, fumes from paints, solvents and pollution. The increase in air pollution may be a reason why asthma is becoming more common.
• Emotion. Asthma is not due to 'nerves', but such things as stress, emotional upset, or laughing may trigger symptoms.
• Allergies to animals. Such as pet cats, dogs, and horses. Animals do not trigger symptoms in most cases, but some people notice that their symptoms become worse when close to certain animals.
• House dust mite. This is a tiny creature that lives in mattresses and other fabrics around the home. If you are allergic to it, it may make symptoms worse. It is impossible to get rid of house dust mite completely. To greatly reduce their number takes a lot of time and effort and involves: using special mattress covers, removing carpets, removing or treating soft toys, etc. However, if symptoms are difficult to control with treatment, and you are confirmed to be allergic to house dust mite, then it may be worth considering trying to reduce their number. See separate leaflet called 'Allergy to House Dust Mite and Pets'.
• Certain foods. This is uncommon, and food is not thought to be a trigger in most cases.

Some people only develop symptoms when exposed to a certain 'trigger'. Two examples are:

• Occupational asthma. Some people only develop symptoms when exposed to specific substances at work. They have no symptoms at other times.
• Exercise-induced asthma. As mentioned above, exercise can make symptoms worse for many people with asthma. But, some people only develop symptoms when they exercise, and are fine the rest of the time.

How is asthma diagnosed?

Sometimes symptoms are typical, and the diagnosis is easily made by a doctor. If there is doubt then some simple tests may be arranged. A peak flow meter is commonly used to help confirm that symptoms are due to asthma (see below). Sometimes a test called spirometry may be done to confirm the diagnosis. This involves breathing into a machine that measures the rate and volume of airflow in and out of your lungs.

What is the the peak flow meter?

This is a small device that you blow into. A doctor or nurse will show you how. It measures the speed of air that you can blow out of your lungs. No matter how strong you are, if your airways are narrowed, your peak flow reading will be lower than expected for your age, size, and sex. If you have untreated asthma, then you will normally have low and variable peak flow readings. Also, peak flow readings in the morning are usually lower than the evening if you have asthma.

You may be asked to keep a diary over two weeks or so of peak flow readings. Asthma is usually confirmed if you have low and variable peak flow readings over several days. Peak flow readings improve when the narrowed airways are opened up with treatment. Regular peak flow readings can be used to help assess how well treatment is working.

What are the treatments for asthma?

For most people with asthma, most of the symptoms can be prevented with treatment. So, you are able to get on with normal life, school, work, sport, etc.

Inhalers
Most people with asthma are treated with inhalers. Inhalers deliver a small dose of drug directly to the airways. The dose is enough to treat the airways. However, the amount of drug that gets into the rest of your body is small so side-effects are unlikely, or minor. There are various inhaler devices made by different companies. Different ones suit different people. A doctor or nurse will advise on the different types. See a separate leaflet called 'Asthma - Inhalers'.

Inhalers can be grouped into 'relievers', 'preventers' and 'long acting bronchodilators'.

• A reliever inhaler is taken 'as required' to ease symptoms. The drug in a reliever inhaler relaxes the muscle in the airways. This makes the airways open wider, and symptoms usually quickly ease. These drugs are also called 'bronchodilators' as they dilate (widen) the bronchi (airways). There are several different reliever drugs. For example, salbutamol and terbutaline. These come in various brands made by different companies. If you only have symptoms every 'now and then', then the occasional use of a reliever inhaler may be all that you need. However, if you need a reliever inhaler three times a week or more to ease symptoms, a preventer inhaler is usually advised.
   
• A preventer inhaler is taken every day to prevent symptoms from developing. The drug commonly used in preventer inhalers is a steroid. There are various brands. Steroids work by reducing the inflammation in the airways. When the inflammation has gone, the airways are much less likely to become narrow and cause symptoms. It takes 7-14 days for the steroid in a preventer inhaler to build up it's effect. Therefore, it will not give any immediate relief of symptoms. However, after a week or so of treatment, the symptoms have often gone, or are much reduced. It can take up to six weeks for maximum benefit. You should then not need to use a reliever inhaler very often, (if at all).
   
• A long acting bronchodilator may be advised in addition to a steroid inhaler. One may be needed if symptoms are not fully controlled by the steroid inhaler alone. The drugs in these inhalers work in a similar way to 'relievers', but work for up to 12 hours after taking each dose. They include salmeterol and formoterol. (Some brands of inhaler contain a steroid plus a long acting bronchodilator for convenience.)

Tablets to open up the airways
Most people do not need tablets as inhalers usually work well. However, in some cases a tablet (or in liquid form for children) is prescribed in addition to inhalers if symptoms are not fully eased by inhalers alone. Some young children use liquid medication instead of inhalers.

Steroid tablets
A short course of steroid tablets (such as prednisolone) is sometimes needed to ease a severe or prolonged attack of asthma. Steroid tablets are good at reducing the inflammation in the airways. For example, a severe attack may occur if you have a cold or chest infection.

Some people worry about taking steroid tablets. However, a short course of steroid tablets (for a week or so) usually works very well, and is unlikely to cause side-effects. Most of the side-effects caused by steroid tablets occur if you take them for a long time (more than several months), or if you take frequent short courses of high doses.

What are the dosages of treatment?

Everyone is different. The correct dose of a preventer inhaler is the lowest dose that prevents symptoms. A doctor may prescribe a high dose of a preventer inhaler at first, to quickly "get on top of symptoms". When symptoms have gone, the dose may then be reduced by a little every few weeks. The aim is to find the lowest regular dose that keeps symptoms away.

Some people with asthma put up with symptoms. They may think that it is normal to still have some symptoms even when they are on treatment. A common example is a night time cough which can cause disturbed sleep. But if this occurs and your symptoms are not fully controlled - tell your doctor or nurse. Symptoms can often be prevented. For example, by adjusting the dose of your preventer inhaler, or by adding in a long acting bronchodilator.

A 'typical' treatment plan

A common treatment plan for a 'typical' person with moderate asthma is:

• A preventer inhaler (usually a steroid inhaler), taken each morning and at bedtime. This usually prevents symptoms throughout the day and night.
• A reliever inhaler may be needed now and then if breakthrough symptoms occur. For example, if symptoms flare up when you have a cough or cold.
• If exercise or sport causes symptoms, then a dose of a reliever inhaler just before the exercise usually prevents symptoms.
• The dose of the preventer inhaler may need to be increased for a while if you have a cough or cold, or during the hay fever season.
• Some people may need to add in a long acting bronchodilator, or tablets, if symptoms are not controlled with the above.

At first, adjusting doses of inhalers is usually done on the advice of a doctor or nurse. In time, you may agree an 'asthma action plan' with your doctor or nurse. This means that you make adjustments to the dose of your inhalers, depending on your symptoms and/or peak flow readings.

Does asthma go away?

There is no once-and-for-all cure. However, about half of the children who develop asthma 'grow out of it' by the time they are adults. For many adults, asthma is variable with some good spells and some spells that are not so good. Some people are worse in the winter months, and some worse in the hay fever season. Although not curable, asthma is treatable. Stepping up the treatment for a while during bad spells will often control symptoms.

Some other general points about asthma

• It is vital that you learn how to use your inhalers correctly. In some people, symptoms persist simply because they do not use their inhaler properly, and the drug from the inhaler does not get into the airways properly. See your practice nurse or doctor if you are not sure if you are using your inhaler properly.
• See a doctor or nurse if symptoms are not fully controlled, or if they are getting worse. For example, if:
  • a night time cough or wheeze is troublesome.
  • sport is being affected by symptoms.
  • your peak flow readings are lower than normal.
  • you need a reliever inhaler more often than usual.

  An adjustment in inhaler timings or doses may control these symptoms.

• See a doctor urgently if you develop severe symptoms that are not eased by a reliever inhaler. In particular, if you have difficulty talking due to shortness of breath. You may need emergency treatment with high dose reliever drugs and other treatments, sometimes in hospital. A severe asthma attack can be life-threatening.
• You should have an influenza immunisation every autumn (the annual 'flu jab') if you require regular treatment for asthma or if you have had a previous severe episode of asthma. Flu tends to be more serious if you have asthma.

Source www.patient.co.uk

I am so sick. It started out with a sore throat on Friday. Spent the weekend blistering in our house with broken A/C (it has since been fixed). Then my nose started to get congested. Got caught in the downpour and spent 2 hours in soaked clothes on Monday. I woke up to the melody of my coughing. Today I caved and stayed in bed.

I hate being sick in the summer. It's hot and sticky and so are the things coming out of my nose and mouth. Yes, it's gross but I didn't invent phlegm. I should be out there with my friends on patios and attending parties but nooooo, I'm cooped up indoors watching daytime TV in my jammies and doing shot after shot of cough syrup.

I really hope this cold goes away soon. Pass the tissue.

High impact malignant pleural mesothelioma Australia

It starts quickly and divided it also begins a better quality of life. This leads to tumors in the lungs, and this condition is pleural mesothelioma. That may cause cancer cells (malignant pleural mesothelioma), or non-malignant (benign pleural mesothelioma). Australia has a great many cases of malignant pleural mesothelioma. It is a very terrible and no treatment. Because the symptoms of the disease such as fever, cough, chest pain, etc., are often associated with other diseases such as pneumonia, it is difficult to properly diagnose the disease.

It is often diagnosed only the last stages of cancer. The patient is alive, barely a year after the diagnosis. Also, the latency period of this disease is very long. The period of latency is the time between exposure to asbestos fibers and the occurrence of this disease. Because of the long latency period of 20 to 30 years, repeatedly this disease is not discussed how to asbestos. Australia has about 16 cases per million population of adults covered by the mesothelioma every year. The number of cases of mesothelioma is substantially higher among men than among women. About 600 cases of mesothelioma will be a year in Australia. It is envisaged that in the next 10-15 years, roughly about 13000 cases of mesothelioma are registered.

There is a group at high risk in Australia. The following persons in Australia appears to be more than mesothelioma compared to the rest of the population:

• City residents
• Builders workers in the construction industry
• The workers in the shipbuilding and shipyard
• The employees of the railway
• asbestos workers in the factory
• Performance of the employees of the chain.

Although Australia has a huge impact of the death of mesothelioma, from Australia to the world, a pioneer in many of the medical research in mesothelioma. He found a new method of treatment, promises to the mortality rate. Since there is no cure for this disease, it’s better if they detected early. The usual procedure for the treatment like chemotherapy and surgery will not work in the last stages of cancer, it is therefore better if the disease is detected early. Australian researchers have developed a new screening test that can help to identify malignant pleural mesothelioma nature. This can be in the group with a high risk to know, the first evidence of malignant pleural mesothelioma. The earlier the disease is detected, the better the chances of survival of the patient. Australian researchers have more and more research in the field of medical mesothelioma. Australia is a true pioneer in research mesothelioma. He is a leader and an example for all other countries. Although Australia has so much to do to push forward the research mesothelioma, and the future of Australia is dark.

It is expected that the number of deaths in Australia mesothelioma will continue to rise until the year 2020. It is envisaged that the deaths from mesothelioma, the ever to a standstill. This is mainly due to the long latency period of mesothelioma. So, even after all types of asbestos are banned completely, the effects of asbestos exposure can be felt up to 20 to 30 years later. One of the advantages for the whole research is that the chances of survival are increased, the patients with mesothelioma.

Also, the life expectancy of the patient after the detection of the disease has increased. Previously, the patient hardly a year to live. But today, as an early diagnosis, which has significantly increased. Australia should continue to intensify the research on mesothelioma for the common good. He should endeavour to progress in medical science, with new innovations in the treatment of Mesothelioms. All other countries should help to support actively the efforts of Australia. In Australia should also be made available to the outcome of his efforts for the whole wide world.

The pleural mesothelioma

The symptoms of pleural mesothelioma

The pleural mesothelioma attacks the lungs and leads to shortness of breath, chest pain, cough and persistent pleural effusion. In general, these symptoms occur long after exposure to asbestos, and some patients can no symptom.

Its Causes

The causes for this are usually associated with the inhalation of asbestos particles, which then is your way into the lungs and an attack against the cancer, and lung cancer.

Risk factors

Unfortunately, in the past, asbestos was widely in many industries, and since it was largely in the construction, which can be found in many households, schools, universities and other places. The people, who are particularly vulnerable, however, those who have worked in the industry, which, in fact, working with these materials that contain asbestos, such as asbestos in the textile industry, maritime, construction, etc.

Mésothéliome Lawsuits

Today there are many who, the measures taken against employers who believe they have been unwise to, the risk of infection and disease, which is now suffering. A number of people have gained considerable sums, even though nothing to compare with the passion involved.

The pleural mesothelioma is a cancer that attacks the lungs of people who were exposed to asbestos. It leads to symptoms such as pain in the chest, shortness of breath and a pleural effusion, whether in certain cases no symptoms may be present. Today, many processes have been against the employers who have employees in their risk for this disease does not take the necessary precautions.

Pleural Mesothelioma Symptoms

The pleural thickening of the membranes by the growth of cancer cells are also the lung function and contributes to the shortness. Sometimes the thickening of the tissue can order the removal of the operation again some lung function. The process is known as referral décortication or pleurectomy.

Mésothéliome clever tend to be fairly quickly to other parts of the body, and this difference may be additional symptoms. If pleural mesothelioma on the chest wall and other tissues of the chest, it can cause severe pain. Even before the cancer, the pain in the chest, particularly in the lower part of the chest and on the side, can be experienced. Chest pain gradually growing bigger problem than the cancer grows. A pain can be processed, with a strong relief of pain with drugs and radiation therapy. If pleural mesothelioma on the lung, the symptoms that are usually having lung cancer, such as cough and hoarseness blood, can be present.

As with other types of cancer, the effect of pleural mesothelioma is very common. The increase in the metabolism of cancer cells, which by the results of fever, weight loss and fatigue.