by Cecile Cinco
March 23, 2009, hubby bought me a mountain bike and that same day I test drove it to St. Joseph Village 10 which is a hilly drive. It was at high noon and the heat of the sun was scorching. Having asthma, I was always vulnerable to attacks. I had my inhaler with me so several times I took my puffs. I had about 2 hours of driving.
The next day I drove on the highway, to Pacita 1, crossed the railways to Pacita 2, to Guevarra Subdivision, to Conpil, to Elvinda, out to the highway again, then downtown, then back home. It was just about 30 minutes of almost flat driving covering about 5Kms. I had attacks along the way too so my inhaler friend gets to the rescue.
Yesterday I decided to go to Jubilation which is about 5Kms away from my highway starting point at Petron San Pedro.
Starting (highway) point.
So I biked towards the South. It was smoggy and hot. When I reached Pacita Complex I felt asthma was going to attack anytime soon. I continued to bike even past the Canlalay boundary. When I thought of getting my dose of puffing, I realized I left my inhaler at home! I was already doing first aid, pulling my shoulders back, inhaling slowly through my nose and exhaling through my mouth, while driving back.
Turning point (Canlalay).
The smog was making things worse. I can’t continue without an immediate, more powerful, remedy. Driving the back the next 200m was not easy especially when falling anytime is a possibility…and I had to wait for the the traffic light to signal go while in the midst of smoke belchers.
Finally, when I reached Pacita, I entered the drug store at my right, told the guard to watch my bike and asked for the inhaler while controlling my breath. I was sweating and wheezing. They saw my emergency and I asked that the inhaler be opened right away. I puffed twice and got relieved. Then I paid.
Emergency!
When I went out the drug store I was tired. Tired but relieved.
Relieved.
I went straight back home.
Asthma needs exercise to make one’s respiratory system stronger. I’m not good in pushing myself to exercise. What I needed was an activity that will include a good exercise for me. It has to be something I enjoy doing and that’s biking. Before 1990 I had no asthma. Perhaps it did not strike because my body was exercised. I was strenuously active with biking the zigzag of Olongapo City or hiking its hills or swimming the beaches nearby. When I moved to Quezon City (new work), all I did was ride the bus and sit in front of my computer. That’s when asthma started to attack.
In conclusion, asthma musts are:
1. an emergency inhaler to alleviate the attack; and
2. exercise to build your respiratory strength.
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