Meet Jake Gallant: The Perfect Asthmatic

5. Early signs of asthma: He is aware of the early signs of asthma which include itchy neck and chin, wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, increased respiratory rate, irritability, and anxiety. When he feels these signs he uses his peek flow meter as a tool as to what to do next. Or he uses his common sense.

6. Peak Flow Meter (PF): He blows into this in the morning when he first wakes up and just before bed. He records the results and, when he is feeling good for at least two weeks, comes up with an average "feeling good" peak flow number.
Then, in the future, when this number drops to less than 80% of his "feeling good" number, he uses his bronchodilator inhaler. He waits 20-30 minutes and checks his PF again. If it is still less than 80%, he calls his doctor. If it is better, he checks his PF every four hours until he starts feeling better.
Of course if he continues to need his rescue inhaler, he also will call his doctor.
Now, if his peak flow number is less than 60%, he uses his rescue medicine and has a friend drive him to the emergency room without hesitation.

7. Asthma journal: In this he keeps track of his peek flow numbers so he can quickly and easily notice undesirable changes. He keeps track of his triggers and early and late asthma warning signs.

8. Asthma triggers: A gallant asthmatic knows his asthma triggers (Irritants that cause asthma). For many asthmatics, these include: animal dander, animals, dust, mold, grass, certain types of trees and pollen.

Aware of his triggers, Jake decides he must avoid places that trigger his asthma, such as his basement, his friend's cabin, and probably even smoky bars.

Thus, by being a good asthmatic in this way, he never returned to the ER. He has kept his asthma completely under wraps, and now lives a completely normal life.

Yet, unlike the Goofus Asthmatic that I will describe in my next post, he never forgets he has asthma. He never takes it for granted.