Lung Update

It's been a while since I posted anything about my lungs and the surgery, bronchial thermoplasty, I had. The last procedure was in early October, seven, almost eight, months ago. It's hard to believe it's been that long. For months prior to the surgeries I was in and out of the doctor's office and the hospital for testing, paperwork, more testing and yet more testing. After each of the surgeries, I had a 2 week check-up appointment. Since the appointment after the last surgery, I haven't been in and it feels weird. The hospital was practically my second home and I haven't been there in months. That's a good thing, it just feels odd.

It's also a good thing that I have only been to my regular asthma doctor's office a few times in all those months. I had a big asthma flare beginning at Christmas time that lasted about six weeks, which necessitated several visits to my regular asthma doctor's office and involved an allergic reaction to a drug. That was an uncomfortable one but I've had worse ones, worse by far. Winter, and especially the holidays, are not unusual times for me to have asthma trouble so I figured I was due for one bad episode. Other than that though, I've been doing well. I still need my rescue inhaler from time to time, but those have been for fleeting episodes and I haven't needed my nebulizer or steroids except for that episode. I haven't been able to go off any of my prescriptions but I was told in advance that would be the case. I've been quite healthy and it's a little scary. It's been so many years, what with the asthma and other health issues, since I wasn't sick on a regular basis that it feels abnormal at times. But it also feels wonderful and I'm slowly exploring what I am now able to do again. Now, the asthma is not cured, there is no cure, the best I can hope for is a reduction in my symptoms and I am definitely seeing that. :)

So, my lungs are calmer, life is good, and I am looking forward to continued improvement as the improvement can continue for up to two years after the surgery. I  have high hopes for this procedure and I hope it will soon be available to all people with severe chronic asthma and not just to participants in the trial studies.

A reminder what lungs with asthma look like, oh and these are when the lungs are quiet, not in the midst of a flare. They're narrower obviously when there's active inflammation: