On Asthma - On the New Pope

Asthma is a curious affliction. Certainly, made more curious for me in that I had thought I had left it behind me more than forty years ago. I know, I know... Most of my "worth a look" links aren't even thirty yet. But, bear with me.

I was having trouble with my asthma. My asthma? I've really personalized this, haven't I. But, then, it is mine -- a possession I'd rather not have -- and, for better or worse, I embrace it as part of me. The trouble I was having had me waking up in the night four, five, six times, wheezing and crackling like a fucking fifty-year smoker and getting a little relief from a shot of Albuterol (anti-spasmodic) until, yes, I woke up again ... wheezing and crackling to beat the band.

Okay. So, I head to my doctor at Kaiser where I admit that, no, I haven't been truly faithful to his instructions to use my anti-inflammatory, QVAR, twice a day -- one puff in the morning; one puff at night. My doctor frowns and informs me that the average use of the anti-spasmodic, Abuterol, is, for my age-group, probably twice a week -- not five or six times a night.

Solution: A week of Prednisone -- that wonderful steroid -- to get rid of the inflammation I'm obviously experiencing; an additional anti-inflammatory medication, SereVent (one inhalation a day) and an increase in the QVAR to two puffs twice a day.

Also, he prescribed this neat, little device that I blow (a huge puff) into to determine my pulmonary function, which, if I'm over 500 (the digital readout) I figure it's okay to run the mile-and-a-half I've become accumstomed to. (I know, you young'uns are doing six miles a day. Well, forget that! A mile-and-a-half is just fine for this older guy.)

Anyway, for all you asthma sufferers, I think I've got it under control. I hope what I've shared may be helpful to you.

**

The new Pope.

This from TalkLeft provides pretty much where this new Pope will be coming from.

You know, it's obvious that the College of Cardinals (there is Machiavelli afoot here, folks) understood the necessity to install a seventy-eight-year-old, old fart into the seat of Peter (Saint Peter, the first Pope), surely knowing that the weight of the Papacy will bear heavy on Ratzinerger's shoulders and that -- God Bless the old anal-retentive fart -- the glory of heaven will most likely come sooner than later.

I believe this is a transitional Pope who will do his thing -- mirroring his hero, JPII, to the hilt. And, while he's doing his thing, many of the College of Cardinals will be considering whether or not the Church should become the exclusive domain of the oppressed in the Third World -- Africa, South America -- or if the Church should begin -- just simply begin -- to understand the turbulence extant in Western Civilization with the decivilizing, destructive, deathly teachings of a Church which -- for the extent of JPII's reign -- never understood the realities of the world; never understood the suffering of the world; never understood the mandates of a world engulfed in misery, hunger, disease, death and destruction.

Ah, the Papal garments -- the silk, the precious cottons, the scented robes -- are so impressive. Let them, oh, let them -- the silk, the precious cottons, the scented robes -- comfort those dying in Angola from Ebola; those dying in Zimbabwe from AIDS.