Asthma, the ER & roaches

Over the last weekend, I suffered two attacks of not being able to breathe. The first time it was in the middle of the night and I thought it was random related to being sick with bronchitis the week before & not quite better yet. The second time, I was sitting watching Extreme Makeover: Home Edition and all the sudden I couldn't breathe. Kelly & Christina took me to the ER to get checked out. (Kelly had been off island and wasn't supposed to return until 4:30am the next day. I had been staying at her house with her kids while she was gone, so was thankful that God had allowed her to come home early because the second attack happened at her house while she was home!)

The ER here is very different than in the States. Kelly & Christina were waiting with me and Security periodically came through and kicked everyone out who wasn't waiting to be seen by a doctor. Now, the waiting area was getting a little full, but if a sick person came in, they always gave up their chair and stood. But then the guard told them they couldn't stand and wait either. They had to go outside. One of the other patients explained to us that here on Guam, if someone goes to the hospital, the entire extended family goes too! We quickly realized that many of these people had at least 4-5 relatives or more waiting with them! The waiting area seats only about 15 people, so no wonder they don't let everyone in! It definitely a new experience for us!

I am now on some medications to help and an inhaler if I need it. I also have been doing some research on asthma triggers. (warning, this next part is kind of gross!) One of the main triggers listed is cockroach droppings. Yuck! We do get roaches here. (I always thought of them as being in dirty, unkept places, but not here on Guam. They like clean houses too!) Roaches are so disgusting! And they're fast little boogers too! So now that I know this could be what is triggering my asthma, I'll try to take more steps to prevent it. Including a treatment for allergies!