2016 Summer August 14 Sunday

2016 Summer August 14 Sunday

68 degrees this morning, walk 35;13 minutes 

Thought it may be too “cool” to sit out on the patio this morning at 68 degrees!  Of course it is fine, but I can really feel the coolness in the air this morning.  

The hint of the fall and winter coming.  

About a year ago (in August) Aliene and I developed a fit of coughing.  I had it sporadically ever since, but Aliene is developing it again this year, almost exactly a year later.  We really thought the whooping cough shot had something to do with it last year.  

I have increased Vitamin D3, drink hot lemon juice etc., all of which help a little, sometimes the lemon juice helps a lot, at least in the short term. 

I mention the cool air  because cold air really brings out the coughing in me when I exercise, which I believe they term “exercised induced asthma”.  

I used to be able to control it with a “puff” type inhaler. Then, for whatever reason, the FDA required a change in the type of inhaler which is about 10 times more expensive and doesn’t work.  

I understand it was supposed to be an “environmental” decision, but only one company can make the type of inhaler that the FDC required so of course they jacked the price up.  I hardly think the change made a bit of difference in the environment.  

Probably someone with the FDA got rich off of it as well as the drug company.   

Anyway, ever since then I haven’t been able to control the “exercise induced asthma” near as well, except by covering my mouth and nose when I am exercising.  Somehow, the air is warmed before it reaches my lungs or wherever it goes and I avoid the exercise induced asthma.  

Temperatures like today are the worst because it is too warm to wear something over my mouth (at least without looking like an old west outlaw) and just cold enough it induces coughing.  

I have also found that being directly in the way of air conditioning or even a ceiling fan (depending on the temperature) can cause the same problem.

Anyway, I”m not complaining (except about the FDA and the stupid and costly decision to require a new type of inhaler), there are a lot worse things.  It does effect my exercise though, especially bicycling.

I thought about trying to buy the old type from Canada etc., but it probably isn’t worth the trouble.  

I am seeing a Doctor this week (vaguely related to the coughing) and I will ask about some alternatives to the inhaler that doesn’t work.  

I believe I will find out if the CPAP (sleep) machine is working or not.  It uploads all of the data on the internet and he can review that.  

One important thing about keeping this journal or blog is that I can go back and look at past events. While I actually don’t go back too often, I think it is important.

I started a journal in about 1987, and so it will be 30 years coming up next year.  Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately), I kept many of the early years on a “Leading Edge” Word Processor (which was on computer discs) and I don’t think ether the word processor or the discs are around anymore.  

I did go back to paper in the early 1990’s (for whatever reason) before  going completely internet, probably about ten years ago.  I’ll have to check on that.

However, in a lot of ways, probably keeping it is the important thing for me. 

That’s it for now, Sunday, August 14, 2016.