Monday, January 14, 2013

Sick, not stuck

Each winter I get really sick. I caught a cough in November, it started to improve in December while I was away, and now it's come at me with a vengeance. I am wheezing when I'm not even breathing. It sounds like my lungs are snoring in between my breaths. I'm conscious of each breath I take. I wake up violently, gasping, wheezing and feeling like I'm choking, within minutes of falling asleep, each time I fall asleep. It has made me hesitant to take the medication that will make me drowsy. Today I had another round of lung x-rays. Have never had to do this in the US but have had to quite a few times here.

And while I'm still waiting for my results I have made some decisions...

Unless there is a complete and final resolution for my breathing problems this will be my last winter in this country. I cannot live some place if I can't breathe there. I don't know where I will go yet, most likely not back to my place of origin (doesn't meet the below criteria), so I am about to start researching other countries: places with a low cost of living, moderate climate, comprehensive and affordable medical care, and some sort of expat community/English language opportunity. If you have any suggestions please send them my way.

1 comment:

Jana said...

I can relate - I used to have several respiratory tract infections every year, with increasing severity and many side effects from medication, and my asthma was worsening. Then I went paleo, and huge improvements in my health (I had other problems, too) were visible in the course of weeks. My autoimmune conditions are now under control, and my overall immunity is much stronger, also as regards my respiratory system. In the (almost) two years on paleo, I've only been sick once - my whole family succumbed to the virus, and I was actually the last family member to yield. It was not nearly as debilitating as my previous respiration-related diseases, and I was OK after one week (without antibiotics, which were almost a staple for me prior to paleo). So maybe it's the way to go for you as well - change how you eat, not where you live. Mark's Daily Apple is a good place to start research.