A GREAT WAY TO START THE NEW YEAR!!

 

First a weather report for today - 15 cm of new snow is predicted but from the last snowfall and the warm temperatures we have been having, the snow has been slowly sliding down the roof of the garage.  We prefer that as when it finally does slide completely off, it won't cover the driveway and trap us until we can clear it.  When I go check for mail, I walk as far to the right as I can just in case it decides to slide.

And now for the good news.  I had mentioned before about my stupid chronic cough that I have had for years.  I just couldn't shake it.  I have gone for breathing tests and see a respirologist and I am being treated for asthma.  I thought I had COPD at one point.  It was a horrible cough.  I coughed hard even to the point where I felt as tho I was going to pass out.  I coughed all year long.  I coughed at home. I coughed in Florida and Abu Dhabi.  Everywhere.  My doctor was sure it was allergy induced asthma and I have been referred to a clinic in London for testing.  But during all these years I have been looking on line for different reasons for such a cough but never found anything close to what I had.  Until a few weeks ago.  On my Facebook feed there was a link to a site for "a cough that won't go away"  and i clicked on it. It was a doctor in a video and he started talking about Sensory Neuropathic Coughing.  It was as tho he was describing me.  It is a type of neuropathy.  It affects the nerve endings in your throat and causes you to cough.  I called to make an appointment with my Nurse Practitioner and asked the receptionist to tell Dan to look it up so he could be familiar with it.  Long story short I got a prescription for a drug  that  calms the nerve endings that was causing the cough.  After the first pill I would say my coughing was reduced by 90% and it is still doing what it is supposed to.  Needless to say I am amazed at the results.  I am back to me!!  You sometimes have to be your own advocate in situations.  And have a good doctor or nurse practitioner who will listen to you and not dismiss your ideas.