Can’t you hear the whistle blowing?

I can and it turned out it was me. I was awakened early this morning by the sound of a distant but persistent whistle blowing. This was odd because I was wearing ear plugs because my husband snores loudly and often. I lay there quietly listening to the sound and then I realized it was not just persistent it was rhythmic. Then it hit me, it was me making that noise or more specifically it was my lungs.

I have asthma and have for a long time .It is now under control; and generally I do very well when I am taking my daily drugs. I have found that Singulair and Claritin work wonders for my asthma. When I am taking my medication as I should my lungs work great, no wheezing whistling or coughing. That is not true when I run out of my Singulair.

Oddly enough despite the fact that I know how I feel when I am off my Singulair I am very bad about getting it refilled when I run out. It can take me days to call Walgreens and get a new prescription and in the mean time my lungs rebel and start whistling at me. I don’t do this when my daughter’s medicine gets low; no I call right away and get them refilled. I am very careful that she always has her medicine. She is takes it to control her seizures and to help her focus in school. I was reluctant to give her anything for focusing because I had heard so many horror stories about Ritalin and the like but her neurologist prescribe a non stimulant to help her focus and it has helped her a great deal. In fact her teacher told me during her last progress report that she is making significant progress in her school work.

So why don’t I take as care of my lungs as well as I take care of everyone else? I don’t know maybe it’s because like so many other people I don’t consider asthma that serious. The only one who seems concerned about it is my sister in-law who when I tell her I have bronchitis yet again tells me I need to be careful my lungs and immune system are compromised. Then when I complain that I am so tired and even getting dressed wipes me out and I don’t understand why I feel like crap she reminds me that my oxygen level is low and that is why I am so tired.

It finally started coming together a few months ago when my son stayed home for a few days with a bad cold. About three days later I started to feel really really tired and my chest felt like a hippo was sitting on it. At that same time my peak flow meter turned up while searching the closet for a pair of shoes to wear to a party and I tried it out. I blew a whopping 300. That’s not good. On a good day I can hit 450 to 500 on a bad day 250 to 350 and I know it’s a bad day because even the littlest activity leaves me needing to sit down. I now make the connection between how I feel and dhow well my lungs are working that day. I may feel as though I am breathing normally but the peak flow meter tells the truth. If it is low I have found it helps to take a puff of my inhaler, that improves my lung function and I feel better and can go about my day more normally.

But I am one of the lucky ones, my asthma is easily controlled when I take my medication and I get my allergy shots on a regular basis. There are those who have it much worse then I do me. So today I will call the pharmacist get my singulair refilled and find my peak flow meter again, my son and his friends were playing with it to see who had the manliest lungs, and use it to monitor my lungs in an effort to keep feeling good and berthing well. I like breathing.

Mary Did You Know

My friends at work had said that this was their favorite Christmas song and I had never heard it until today. It is so beautiful. This is the real meaning Christmas not the presents and parties but the birth of Jesus our savior the greatest gift of all.

Happy holidays!

Last night was my husbands company Christmas party. He is lucky to wok for a company that even with the economic slow down is still doing well. He works as a purchaser for a large food distribution company. The meal was excellent; I had a fillet that you could cut with your fork. They served it with broccolini which I had just learned about that morning while watching Rachel Ray. I know she is way too perky but she was right on about the broccolini it was really good and that’s coming from someone who very seldom eats a vegetable.

After dinner the CEO of the company spoke briefly before introducing the entertainment. He is a very nice man who spoke about the hard times we are facing. He told us that just because times are hard families are still going to celebrate Christmas and he feels that we are all family, so we are going to celebrate. We did and had a wonderful time. The warm up act was very funny conservative Christian comedian from Denver, Colorado named Dan McGowan. He did a hilarious parody of “No one knows what its like to be the sad man.” called “No one knows what it’s like to be the Batman.”

When he was done with his part they introduced the surprise entertainment. Last year it was Aaron Tipen who put on an excellent show. This year all they would say was that it would not be country western. I was absolutely amazed when they introduced the Pointer Sisters as our performers for the evening. They were awesome. I even got my husband up on the dance floor twice to dance with me, first time ever. We had such a good evening and I was so glad we went.

Afterward on the way home I started thinking, our neighbors told us tat their companies cancelled their Christmas parties because of the economy and besides, they would rather have the money that would have been spent as a bonus. I decided that I would not feel comfortable working for a company that would cancel the party because it means that they are feeling very insecure about the future so I would feel the same way about my future with them. A company that still has the party is a company that appreciates their employees and has confidence in their ability to get through even the tough times and I want to be part of a company like that. So here’s a toast to celebrating company parties! Merry Christmas to all and a happy prosperous New Year!

Pointer Sisters Fire

They sang this song last night and they were awesome. They are fantastic performers who put on a really good show.

Dan McGowan Just Pure Laughs

This was the opening act at my husbands Christmas party. He was very funny.

Twas the night before Christmas

My daughter’s Brownie leader just sent me this in an e-mail and it moved me so much that I just had to share it. I bet you can’t read it and not get misty.

Subject: A Christmas Story

'TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS, HE LIVED ALL ALONE,

IN A ONE BEDROOM HOUSE MADE OF PLASTER AND STONE.

I HAD COME DOWN THE CHIMNEY WITH PRESENTS TO GIVE,

AND TO SEE JUST WHO IN THIS HOME DID LIVE.

I LOOKED ALL ABOUT, A STRANGE SIGHT I DID SEE,

NO TINSEL, NO PRESENTS, NOT EVEN A TREE.

NO STOCKING BY MANTLE, JUST BOOTS FILLED WITH SAND,

ON THE WALL HUNG PICTURES OF FAR DISTANT LANDS.

WITH MEDALS AND BADGES, AWARDS OF ALL KINDS,

A SOBER THOUGHT CAME THROUGH MY MIND.

FOR THIS HOUSE WAS DIFFERENT, IT WAS DARK AND DREARY,

I FOUND THE HOME OF A SOLDIER, ONCE I COULD SEE CLEARLY.

THE SOLDIER LAY SLEEPING, SILENT, ALONE,

CURLED UP ON THE FLOOR IN THIS ONE BEDROOM HOME.

THE FACE WAS SO GENTLE, THE ROOM IN SUCH DISORDER,

NOT HOW I PICTURED A UNITED STATES SOLDIER.

WAS THIS THE HERO OF WHOM I'D JUST READ?

CURLED UP ON A PONCHO, THE FLOOR FOR A BED?

I REALIZED THE FAMILIES THAT I SAW THIS NIGHT,

OWED THEIR LIVES TO THESE SOLDIERS WHO WERE WILLING TO FIGHT.

SOON ROUND THE WORLD, THE CHILDREN WOULD PLAY,

AND GROWNUPS WOULD CELEBRATE A BRIGHT CHRISTMAS DAY.

THEY ALL ENJOYED FREEDOM EACH MONTH OF THE YEAR,

BECAUSE OF THE SOLDIERS, LIKE THE ONE LYING HERE.

I COULDN'T HELP WONDER HOW MANY LAY ALONE,

ON A COLD CHRISTMAS EVE IN A LAND FAR FROM HOME.

THE VERY THOUGHT BROUGHT A TEAR TO MY EYE,

I DROPPED TO MY KNEES AND STARTED TO CRY.

THE SOLDIER AWAKENED AND I HEARD A ROUGH VOICE,

"SANTA DON'T CRY, THIS LIFE IS MY CHOICE;

I FIGHT FOR FREEDOM, I DON'T ASK FOR MORE,

MY LIFE IS MY GOD, MY COUNTRY, MY CORPS."

THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER AND DRIFTED TO SLEEP,

I COULDN'T CONTROL IT, I CONTINUED TO WEEP.

I KEPT WATCH FOR HOURS, SO SILENT AND STILL

AND WE BOTH SHIVERED FROM THE COLD NIGHT'S CHILL.

I DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE ON THAT COLD, DARK, NIGHT,

THIS GUARDIAN OF HONOR SO WILLING TO FIGHT.

THEN THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER, WITH A VOICE SOFT AND PURE,

WHISPERED, "CARRY ON SANTA, IT'S CHRISTMAS DAY, ALL IS SECURE."

ONE LOOK AT MY WATCH, AND I KNEW HE WAS RIGHT.

"MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIEND, AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT."

This poem was written by a
> Marine stationed in Okinawa Japan . The following
> is his request. I think it is reasonable.....
> PLEASE. Would you do me the kind favor of
> sending this to as many people as you can?
> Christmas will be coming soon and some credit is
> due to our U.S. service men and women for our
> being able to celebrate these festivities. Let's try in
> this small way to pay a tiny bit of what we owe.
> Make people stop and think of our heroes, living
> and dead, who sacrificed themselves for us. Please,
> do your small part to plant this small seed

Like the man asked please pass this on.

I love being a mom!

My friend from work sent me this very funny video and I just had to share it with you all. Especially since it uses my favorite line. While searching for The mom song on you tube I found another song which is also called The Mom Song which is funny too, so here they both are. I hope all you mom and supporters of moms get a giggle out of these videos.