Wildfires in Canada setting you off?

[jen-cueva]

Hi @brendad53; great question, as this was on my list for this morning. You beat me to it, so thanks.

I’m sorry that you are feeling it in NC. Grateful you could attend your grandson’s baseball game.

Below is a link to an older topic when we talked about wildfires. You may find some tips here. I thought I also did a 30 Days of PH story one year with a PHriend in Northern CA, and I will see if I can find it, too.

Protect yourself from wildfires

Where are our Canadians and those in the States who have also been affected by these horrible wildfires? I know @mamabear007 also is exposed to more wildfires than she cares to be.

Please keep safe, everyone. Let us know how you’re doing and how we can best support you. Thanks again, Brenda.

[Judie Hudak Saucier]

June 28 indoors. no deck time. Depressing. No. Maine. Border.

[V.R. Peterson]

@brendad53, surprisingly, we’re not getting any of the smoke from Canada. I was reading in the news that there’s a lot more tiny unseen particulates than one usually experiences with wildfires. That’s likely the reason for the Code Orange — there’s stuff in the air you can’t see. While we’re not being affected right now, when we are affected by smoke from wildfires, we stay indoors as much as possible. While I don’t know if it’s safe for PH patients (so is a question for your doctor), I take Mucus Relief. It’s the one with only Guaifenesin, which things mucus and makes it easier to cough up. That seems to work better for me than the kind that have an decongestant or cough suppressant in addition to the Guaifenesin.

[Colleen]

@mamabear007 the stuff you can’t see is scary to think about. Here in WA we deal with fires at least once every summer in state and smoke coming in from CA and Oregon fires. Cullen locks himself in his room until he hears the all clear.

[V.R. Peterson]

@ColleenSteele, are you getting any of the smoke where you are? How is Cullen doing? I don’t remember where he’s going to college.

[DeLois Tweedy]

Unfortunately, here in VA the smoke caused very bad air quality and much haze. I stayed in most days last week, but did have to make a couple of necessary trips out.

It had very negative effects on me, at least I think that’s what triggered shortness of breath and burning/watery eyes. Though the smoke/haze seems to have cleared some since yesterday, I am left with very low O2 saturation, which in turn makes my heart rate higher. I spent most of last night sitting at my dining table with a large fluffy pillow on the table and leaning forward. This seemed to open up my chest to give relief when breathing.

My O2 sat continues to run low today. I have a call in to my pulmonologist and cardiologist (they are in the same area in the hospital). Guess I want their thoughts on the smoke theory, or maybe just ask them if my PH is worse or my heart failure -or both.😒

[Colleen]

@deetweedy I’m concerned you might be fighting two battles, the fires and maybe your PH worsening. I’m glad you have a call out to your doctors. I hate to suggest it but I wonder if until the smoke clears if they would consider admitting you and while there doing some close monitoring of your symptoms, maybe discuss new treatments, etc..

Please keep us updated. I will be thinking of you.

[jen-cueva]

Hi @deetweedy, I’m sorry you are struggling with increased symptoms and are sure the smoke isn’t helping. I’m grateful you called your medical team; please let us know what they say when you can.

Sorry to hear about your struggles – not fun. With this month’s jam-packed with your granddaughters’ dance, want to feel your best. I agree with Colleen; maybe your PH team should consider an evaluation soon for new treatments to offer relief.

I’m sending you extra positive thoughts and prayers my dear PHriend. Please keep us posted on how you’re doing.

[Carol Volckmann]

I hope DeLois, you have been able to talk with your Pulmonologist and Cardiologist. Your O2 levels being really low has to be very stressful aside being dangerous.

We left our whatvwe called our forever home in the Cascade mountains because of the fires got worse and worse every year added to that the smoke from the fires in Canada.

We now live west of Seattle on the peninsular where it rains !! We miss our Mt home very much.

Please take care of ourself and I hope you see you doctors very soon!!

[Colleen]

@brendad53 as @mamabear007 mentioned it’s what you can’t see that is worrisome…tiny little particles that you could be breathing in. It’s sad to miss things like your grandson’s baseball game but especially if you started coughing it might be best to stay indoors for a while…or can you see the field from the car? During Aidan’s baseball days Cullen would watch his brother from the car when weather was bad.

[jen-cueva]

Hi @colleensteele, @mamabear007, and @brendad53, I have yet to experience the CA wildfires and rather not. But, we all know natural disasters are, unfortunately, part of every location. We had hurricanes along the Texas Gulf Coast.

I would probably want to be like Cullen and lock myself inside. But I also know without air; it must be sweltering inside when the summer wildfires occur. Did he do OK with that, @colleensteele? We have AC but shouldn’t use it when it’s smokey.

Thanks for the tips, and again, please stay safe and keep us posted if you’re in an affected area.

[DeLois Tweedy]

Hi everyone. Thank you all for your concern and well wishes.

As of today, I have had phone conferences with my team. Lasix was increased in case I have hidden fluid somewhere, among other tweaks and instructions. Saw my pulmonologist closer to home today, and he said chest xrays show wetness in lungs (I have small bilateral pulmonary effusions, too small to warrant thorensetisis). Says he can hear it too when listening to my lungs. Of course no one knows for sure, but the poor air quality is thought maybe to be the culprit for my extended and worse lung issues.

Will have sleep study at hospital using my cpap, to see if possibly need oxygen with cpap at night.

By weeks end I will telecommunicate again with all doctors and see if the laxis increase has helped. My O2 sat is finally out of the 80’s and is in lower 90’s, which is good. Just praying it continues to go up.

[Colleen]

@deetweedy good to hear your team is on the ball for trying to figure out and resolve the changes you are experiencing. Like @cdvol3gmail-com mentioned, at least you will be out of the smoke during your study.

I’ll say extra prayers for you that everything goes well, proper treatments are decided and you start feeling an improvement soon.

[jen-cueva]

Hi @deetweedy, thanks for staying proactive and making your health a priority. I’m grateful that you got your medical team onboard so they can offer you relief soon.

Hopefully, your oxygen levels continue to improve. When is your sleep study? Please know we are thinking of you and look forward to your updates when you feel up to sharing.

[Carol Volckmann]

Very glad to hear DeLois that your O2 levels are out of the 80s. Hoping they do go up more, sending positive O2 energy.

While you are in the hospital for your sleep study at least you will be out of the smoke!

Wishing you best possible outcomes and you will soon  feel so much better!!

[Aunt Lizzie]

My heart (and lungs) go out to you guys suffering from poor Canada’s wildfire smoke.     In Australia we had our share of extremely disastrous bushfires in 2019-2020 and I held my breath for the months they went on.  No, but I did stay home as much as I could.  Tried to buy an air purifier for inside the house, but one could not be had for love nor money.  After the emergency was over, I managed to buy myself a very good one – and then – COVID.  So it kept the air moving for that emergency.     We frequently get bad bushfires so my purchase will be worthwhile for the future.  Fingers crossed for good rain in Canada where it’s needed.

[Colleen]

@auntlizzie WA state has problems almost every summer. Either we are getting smoke from CA or Oregon and dealing with our own fires. We are actually in a red flag warning this week. So my heart goes out to Canada too! Even if you aren’t at risk of the fire reaching you the air quality can be so concerning.

[jen-cueva]

Hi @auntlizzie, I am happy you are prepared with an air purifier when your area experiences fires. We did that with a generator. We lived along the Texas Gulf Coast. During hurricane season, you can’t get your hands on one. So like you, we waited and bought one off-season, which was also much more affordable.

Hopefully, now that you are prepared, you won’t get any bad fires this year. Currently, in San Diego, we are in a more fire-prone area. I’m hoping we don’t have one this year close enough.

It certainly is frightening when we have to worry about natural disasters affecting our breathing. Thanks for updating, and take care. I hope you have been having a feel-good month.

[Aunt Lizzie]

Thanks Jen – yes I think I’m having a feel-good month.  At least I’m well enough to have participated in two interesting walking tours “How the Courts Work”.   First day we trotted all over the city visiting Courts and briefly sitting in on those in session (wrong shoes – oh my feet!), then today, up and down in lifts and again a couple of brief sit-ins.  Very interesting, but it will take me a day or two to recover.  Wore my old gardening shoes today – so feet very happy.

[jen-cueva]

Hi @auntlizzie, I’m happy to hear about your feel-good month! The walking tours sound interesting. Do they have these with all types of interests? The court one sounds interesting, but it requires a ton of walking. I would need my wheelchair.

But thankful you learned the hard way and wore more comfortable shoes the second day. Yeah, I hope a day or two of rest is in your weekend plans.

Do you have other plans this weekend or this month? Take care, and keep us posted on your next adventure!

[Colleen]

@jenc it’s miserable when Cullen has to lock himself in his room because of fires/smoke. We don’t have air-conditioning and obviously he can’t have a fan in his window or even have the window open. Just use ice packs and take a lot of cold showers.

We keep all the windows in the house closed for him so we all get really hot. I’ve been known to jump in the shower with my clothes on or a bathing suit to try and stay cooler longer.

[Carol Volckmann]

Hi Collen, my heart breaks to hear what Cullen and you go through during the hot weather and smoke and this summer is not going to be good.

I just went in line and read about  Chillwell.2 portable AC without opening windows. It small, can be used in any room uses what evaporation process to chill the air. It sounded to good to be true, but read enough tech reviews and think it might do the trick.  The cost is $90, but if it indeed works …. it will give you something to read anyway. 😊❤️

 

[jen-cueva]

Hi @colleensteele, I don’t blame you. I, too, would be in the shower or an ice bath to keep cool. I hate that Cullen suffers in his room, especially when it lasts for days. What’s been the longest time he has had to do this?

I found the portable AC that @cdvol3gmail-com shared. Here’s one of their links in case you or anyone else are interested.
ChillWell 2.0

Please stay safe and cool, y’all!

[Debbie Moore]

I don’t watch TV or keep up with the news (my husband tells me important news, but he is out of town), so I had no idea about the fires in Canada.  I thought in NC we would have no effect from it.  I went outside yesterday (rode my scooter to the mailbox), maybe 5 minutes outside, and noticed by breathing was more labored. @brendad53 thank you for posting about it.

[jen-cueva]

Hi @debbie, we wouldn’t know any news if it wasn’t for Manny. I try not to watch too much information; it is depressing and often so twisted. I care about my local weather and check my phone for that and the weather for my other family in the South.

Ugh, it sounds like you, too, have experienced some of the particles from the fires. Most likely, that is why you felt it more difficult to breathe. Like you, I didn’t realize the areas the smoke and particles drift to.

Take care, and I hope you can rest indoors while the smoke affects your breathing. <3

[jen-cueva]

What up, PHriends? I just wanted to check in and see how y’all are doing after the fires. Has the air started clearing up for you? Are you beginning to breathe a little easier? Let us know!

[Carol Volckmann]

We can certainly relate to how awful it is living with forest fires and/or smoke.

We lived up in the Cascades near the Canadian border. We built ourselves what was suppose to be our forever mountain home. We loved it so much there. However, every summer we had the threat of forest fires and smoke.

Two years in a row the fires got so close and also closed off any escape route, we finally decided to sell and move to the wet (west) side. Even though it was so terrible … smoke filling the valley every summer, not being able to go outside and the fear of loosing it all – we still miss living there. We miss the winters, the snow, Spring and Fall –

Here, west of Seattle we still do get smoky summers from Canada and OR, but feel safer. No one does well with bad air and if you have PH or any respitory issues it is quite dangerous so please do all you are able to stay in clean air and if that is impossible maybe have extra O2 on hand.

[brenda-denzler]

True, that, Carol Volkman. No one does well with bad air.

I’ve been in KS for the last two weeks, where the air quality (believe it or not) has been less than desirable. I’ve noticed it in coughing, tightness of my chest, and in not being able to speak in complete sentences without stopping to catch a breath. New things for me.

[jen-cueva]

Ughh, sorry, @brendad53, that you had the effects of the smoke in Kansas. My close friend lives sounth of Chicago and is struggling too. She has sarcoidosis. She said she wouldn’t think it would reach her, but it was all in the air.

Are you home now from KS? I’m sorry you experienced those increased symptoms while with your dad. How are you doing now?

@colleensteele, I hope that Wisconsin isn’t too bad when you go. But I’m concerned since my friend near Chicago is feeling it. Can you ask Bryan’s family how things are before you go? I know you have something planned already.

If only the fires would stop, that would be a huge relief. Prayers that son that happens.

[brenda-denzler]

Home from KS. Not a fun trip. My dad had a stroke and it has affected his memory as well as stripping away any filters of civility and pleasantness that he had. He is especially nasty toward me. I whined a bit on Mama Bear’s shoulder, but was mostly too busy to do much in terms of communication with anyone!

In NC, the air quality is worse because of the wildfires. Lots of haze in the air.

I don’t know what to make of my shortness of breath and the inability to say a complete sentence without pausing to catch my breath. I discussed with Mama Bear whether or not it could indicate another PE, but decided it probably didn’t. It’s not quite as pronounced as it was when I first got to KS, but it’s still with me.

[Colleen]

@brendad53 I can’t imagine how hard it must have been to see your dad like that. I hope you can emotionally recover from how he treated you and remember instead the man he was before the stroke.

Stress can really effect PH and cause more labored breathing. Between the stress of your dad and the air quality maybe that has caused the increase in symptoms? I hope you are finding time to rest.

[brenda-denzler]

That’s just the trouble, Colleen. I *am* remembering the man he was before the stroke. The feelings he has elicited in me these last 6 months have been old and very familiar. I’d forgotten a lot of them—at least, consciously. He’s reminding me of them.

[Colleen]

@brendad53 That is heartbreaking! I’m so sorry you are dealing with his verbal abuse while trying to take care of your physical health too. It must be so hard.

[Carol Volckmann]

So sorry to hear about your dad. Does nit sound like he has been a happy person even before his stroke. Having your dad being nasty to you must hurt. So sad you had to endure that.

I hope the haze/ smoke clears out for you and your shortness of breath gets better.

Wishing you well snd hope you can enjoy the 4th.

[brenda-denzler]

Thanks, Carol. Dad also said that he thinks he will bury me before I’ll bury him. This was one of his rationales for why HE should be able to live independently, but I shouldn’t. Because I’m “sicker” than he is, so I’ll probably die first. Since he’s more “well” than me (in his mind), that makes him the one who deserves to be able to live independently right now.

He used this strategy several times. In his mind, if he is not allowed to do X (live independently, drive a car, etc.), then he claims that I do X worse than he does, yet I’m allowed to it while he is forbidden. It’s not fair, he thinks. He’s trying to convince others that he’s OK by putting ME down.

The wildfire smoke in NC is quite a bit worse than it was in KS, but I’m happy to be back in NC and away from my dad.

[V.R. Peterson]

I’m so sorry you had to deal with an ornery dad in addition to your health, @brendad53. Hopefully, being back home will help with your stress level. Sending lots of hugs your way. {{{hugs}}}

[brenda-denzler]

“Ornery” is being polite. He is mean, nasty, angry, argumentative. My brother said, last night, that Dad blames me for the rotation of the earth. That’s about the size of it.

[V.R. Peterson]

If the earth stopped rotating because of his wishes, would you also get the blame for that?

All I can say is that you’re not to blame for any of his crap.

[brenda-denzler]

Yes. I would, Vicki. I would.

This is all bringing up feelings and memories from childhood that I thought were long in the past. I’m guessing that perhaps we don’t ever really leave our childhoods behind.

[V.R. Peterson]

I’ve learned that even when unpleasant people are out of our lives, the childhood memories are never completely gone. It’s just something else to deal with.

[jen-cueva]

OMG, @brendad53, I’m so sorry you had to deal with that from your Dad. It sounds like some of the symptoms could also be stress related while with your Dad. That must have been not easy.

I’ve learned in therapy that even our parents are humans, and we can say no and not allow them to do things to us if this affects our emotional or physical well-being. In this case, it sounds like both childhood trauma revisits.

My heart and prayers are with you. I hope being home with your fur babies in NC will be better for you. With all that smoke, you should take it as easy as possible for a day or two and hope it clears some.

Your health is a priority. I’m sorry you had to deal with this.

[jen-cueva]

Well said, @cdvol3gmail-com! Extra oxygen is always something we should have on hand for emergencies.

It’s easier to prepare ahead of a wildfire than during one, so prioritize this each year, like going to the dentist or eye doctor.

I recall you sharing the story of building your mountain home and leaving because of the dangerous wildfires. That’s sad, as I know you love your new home, but miss things about the old place in the mountains, too.

[Colleen]

Who has the worst air quality right now due to smoke from the Canada wildfires?…Wisconsin. Where are we headed on the 11th…Wisconsin.

We debated between going next week or the week of the 11th. Thank God we went with the latter and hopefully the air will have cleared up by then. Between flights being canceled left and right and worrying about Cullen’s lungs we are concerned about this trip. For those who don’t know, my husband’s family is in WI so we are going there to have another funeral for him on the 15th.

[brenda-denzler]

Friday, June 30th, here in NC we’ve got an orange air quality alert today.

[V.R. Peterson]

Sounds like a good day to rest and stay indoors. Please be careful, @brendad53.

[brenda-denzler]

Thanks, Vicki. I must go out to the grocery store, but other than that, my plan for the weekend has “sleep” at the top of the list. 🙂

[sherman jaffe]

I have excersize induced PAH and live in the Chicago are. Canadian smoke has severely limited my activities. Usually I play pickleball or golf in the mornings. And can last through nine holes or an hour of play if I take it easy. This week nothing. I have no endurance. Stayed in. Drove for a half hour for errands and had a two day headache. Just going to hunker down till this passes.