Monday, December 10, 2007

Gratitude Monday - Every Breath I Take

We take so much for granted like water will gush out when we turn on the tap, and when we hit that little button the computer powers up, and when we go to the grocery store the shelves will be stocked with all that we need and don’t need.

We don’t think about our new basics of life like electricity and running water and mass produced food. These are the simple facts of our daily lives, like breathing.

But what happens when something as basic as breathing is no longer simple?

The other night I awoke in the early hours and kept having to toss and turn in order to find a proper position for breathing. Some were good for inhaling, others provided some limited ability to exhale. Finding a position that offered both was difficult.

I didn’t get back to sleep for several hours and when I did the sleep was nearly as shallow as my breathing.
I have mild asthma and have been blessed to not be bothered much by it for the past several years. This has reminded me that I am grateful for every lungful of air I can get.

8 comments:

the Bag Lady said...

dfLeah - here's hoping your breathing gets better!
The Bag Lady is grateful today that it has finally warmed up around here and is hoping it will stay on the warm side until after the holidays.

Leah J. Utas said...

Thanks, dfBag Lady.
I'm glad it's warmed up, too.

Crabby McSlacker said...

Asthma sounds so scary to me!

Do you have an inhaler? Are you on medication? To be stuck in the middle of the night not being able to breathe sounds really frightening.

Great that it helped you appreciate breathing normally, but still, yikes!

Reb said...

Oh, I know all about that! Try sleeping sitting up, stack a bunch of pillows behind you, or get one of those bed chair-back things. Hum to clear your sinuses and throat. I will often wake in the night because I am having trouble getting air and start humming, then cough and hack a few times and hum some more until the hum doesn't sound like grinding gears anymore, then I can drift back to sleep.

Leah J. Utas said...

Thanks for your concern, Crabby. I'm currently using Inspirol, an Edgar Cayce remedy inhaler. I'm trying to avoid conventional medication if I can, but I'm not about to rule it out.

Reb - I tried sitting up for a while, but found I had to lean forward to breathe.
Humming. Hmmm. I'll give that a go.

Hilary said...

I hope you get a wonderful sleep tonight. Sleeplessness is miserable. I can't imagine how breathing difficulties add to that. Here's hoping that nights like that are behind you now.

Anonymous said...

Hope it gets better - I understand where you are coming from, had asthma very bad as a child. Was hospitalized (at least) twice and almost died! It is horrible not being able to draw air in, hope I never have to take it for granted.
You had to lean forward? I used to lean over the railing over the stairs in my house...somehow that always helped.

Leah J. Utas said...

Thanks, Hilary. I'm going to work on it.

Ah, Missicat, I'm not alone in my leanings. Sounds like you had it pretty bad as a kid.