Thank Goodness you are Okay Steph.

I had no idea until a year or so ago, just how serious Asthma can be. Scarey stuff. Thank goodness you weren't alone.

I'm glad I read this, was worried that there wasn't an update on the other thread from your mom. Good to hear you're doing better. Do you have a nebulizer machine at home? I had to get one again last week (I have asthma too) and will probably keep it forever now. ) :

Glad to hear you are breathing better Steph.

I've had asthma for 40 years and at first it was very scary. You will learn how to manage it and will do very well I'm sure.
Two years ago I got a nebulizer, what a blessing. I usually had to go to the emergency room twice a year. Haven't gone since I got my machine!
You need to figure out what your "triggers" are.
Good luck, Kathy G in MI

I'm glad you are doing better, Steph. That must have been so scary.

I'm glad your doing better Steph. Those meds really DO make you shaky.
Leslie

I'm home now. It was a long day but they didnt want to let me go until they were sure I was stable. They gave me quite a bit of medication and I was really shaky from it all, and my pulse was really high so they had to wait for it to go down.

But I'm better now. Not feeling 100% but defintiely much better. I can talk without gasping for air.

Looking back at todays events, I realize how serious this was. In the ambulance I wondered if I was going to die. It was scary. I feel emotional about it all now.

For those wondering about my asthma, I've had it since I was about 10. It's been pretty much manageable and I occasionally use an inhaler if I wheeze. I have never in my life had an attack even close to what I experienced today. Not by a mile. Today was so far beyond anything I've ever experienced so it really scared me.

When it happened, I was giving Shylo (my cat) a bath (for those wondering, I wasn't ordered bed rest today) in the bathtub. She hadn't had one in a really long time and needed one. For those that don't know, she is a himalayan with VERY long cottony fur. I've had her for 7 years and have never had any major problems with her and my asthma. Anyway, as I was bathing her, I started wheezing and noticed it getting progressively worse. It was turning into a major shortness of breath instead of a wheeze. By the time I was done rinsing her, I felt like I was in trouble. I got her out and held her in a towel and started walking into the family room for Brent. I told him I couldnt breathe but I could hardly get it out. He was confused at what I was saying because it wasnt very clear and I just dropped to my knees, the cat went running and Brent came over to get me. He didnt know what to do so I told him I wanted to go outside for air. It wasnt getting any better. I told him I thought I needeed to go to the hospital. The closest ER is about 25 minutes away. I wasn't sure I could make it. He called my mom and she rushed over. She got here and Brent called 911. They were here in about 4 minutes and immediately gave me oxygen and meds and a shot of epinephrine and told me I was going to the hospital. And the rest is history.

So here I sit, in my bed, clean of all the hospital germs, clean sheets with my laptop. I'm going to bed now!! Night all!! And thanks again! i really appreciate it.

Oh steph!
What a relief!

It's so good to hear you are home and alright.
Send Shylo out next time for grooming, okay?

((Steph))

Lori

Yes Lori, SHylo will definitely be sent out for a grooming. Actually, there are mobile pet groomers that come to your house. I'll be calling them.

Stephanie....That must have been horrifying. I'm so sorry you had to experience it.

Please be careful about getting too close the cat for awhile.

I don't have allergies but seems to me I've heard that you can develope allergies anytime...So if you once were not allergic to your cat, you may be now.

With what you are going through right now with trying to have a baby...I'd stay as far away from the cat as possible for awhile...I'm sure she will forgive you.

Hope tomorrow is much better...Tell Brent to stay close.

patti

I've had asthma since I was 21 and it has put me in the hospital twice. One time was so bad I had an out-of-body experience and could have died.

Now I carry an Epi-Pen in my purse at all times. The doctor prescribed it for me. It's a small dose of epinephren that you can easily give yourself. That buys you time to get to the emergency room in case of a bad attack. (The rescue inhalers only help if you can inhale -- when it gets really bad, as you know, you can't.)

Please ask your doctor for an Epi-Pen, and follow any advice he/she gives on how to manage your asthma.

Take care! (I mean it!)

I have asthma too and its no fun. Glad to hear you are back home and feeling better.

bet between all the stress of embryos, plus kitty, and the cold air, it was your system on overload...it might be wise to have a nebulizer on hand...

take care...know the feeling of wanting to shower the minute you get home from er....

I just cannot imagine how frightening that must have been, Steph. I've started wheezing a bit when I use certain cleansers around the house, but that's nothing compared to what you've gone through. Thank goodness you live so close to your Mom! That is a blessing, as it allows you to focus on getting better and not needing to worry about Grant.

I can relate. I'm evidently allergic to wasps. Didn't know it until I was stung by one in a car with some friends once. Luckily, we were 3 blocks from the hospital, as I went into anaphylactic shock. Not being able to breathe is the scariest feeling on earth!

So glad you are feeling better. Hope everything goes well from now on. Holding many good thoughts for all of you.

Phew! I didn't see an update on the other post and I was getting worried. I'm glad you're feeling better. Of all the times for this to happen!

So glad that you had someone there to help you. I can't imagine the fear! Take care! I prayed for you when I read your mom's post.
Lulie

Glad you are home. Stay well~

Gayle

Scary for sure. I would have been scared to death. i hope you are feeling better today. Stay down and take it easy.

Trin

Oh Steph, I had not been online yesterday, so I'm just now reading this, Geeze how scary, take extra good care of yourself. My prayers and good thoughts are with you and your family.

You are so lucky you weren't alone at that time. Scary enough to have it happen but to be alone would have been really bad. This is so scary to think about. the neighbors son suffers with asthma and when he was younger the ambulance was at their house about once a week...so scary. Rest today....and try to forget the chaos..as hard as it is to forget. Glad your feeling better.

Steph, my sister suddenly developed a deathly allergy to eggs when she was pregnant. Her doctor told her that pregnancy sometimes compromises your immune system and is an opportunistic time to suddenly develop a new allergy or worsen existing ones. So considering the onset of symptoms occured while bathing your cat, the suggestion to have someone else bathe Shylo in the future is a good one. My own daughter discovered she gets asthma symptoms if she bathes our dog, but no real allergy to the dog otherwise, so I'm now the dog washer. Hopefully that'll work for you too. Glad you're feeling better.

Glad you're feeling better.

pickyshopper, I've decided that I'm going to have someone just groom Shylo from now on. There is a mobile pet groomer that my neighbor uses that comes to your house. I'm going to use them. They'll come park in my driveway, hook up to my water, make my kitty all clean and pretty and bring her back inside. Well worth it than having to go through this again! I dont want to risk it.

I know everyone is so happy you're home now!

Steph, thank heavens you're okay. What a scare. Really appreciated your update - we're all sending good thoughts your way.
((((((((((((Steph))))))))))))

Well, my gosh, I didn't see your mom's post, either! Now I gotta go read it - but Steph, I'm so glad you're home and feeling better!! What I scary experience.

Hope you're feeling better, Steph!

I'm so glad you're home and found a solution to the problem.

Take Care!

I'm so so so glad you're doing better!! Take care and get some rest.

I wonder if your cat allergy has worsened over the years. That is if you ever had one to begin with. Sounds like you do now though. You might want to check that out. Can't be too careful. My cat allergy got better as I aged but you never know.
Just my 2 cents.
Judy

Judy, I dont know. It's the wierdest thing because my cat sleeps with me pretty much every night, right by my head so I breathe her all the time. And in the evenings when I'm watching TV, she lays on my chest right by my face. She's never bothered me before. It was only when she got wet. Something triggered. And even now, I've gotten near her to pet her and had no problems.

I can't figure it out. The doctors think maybe by getting her wet, just between her dander and long hair, I had some sort of allergic reaction that triggered it...a reaction that doesnt trigger when her fur is dry. Very baffling.

I'm just glad you're feeling better. Hope it never happens again!

I am glad that everything worked out for you. That had to be scary. I am so glad you were not home alone. Blessings.

Thank goodness you're better, Steph.
JoanMN/FL

I've been out of town since Thursday evening (still am, actually), so I didn't know what had happened to you. I am so sorry that you had to go through this. I can't begin to imagine how frightened you must have been.

I'm so glad to see that you're doing better. Take care of yourself. We'll keep you in our thoughts and prayers.

Steph, that is darn strange. Maybe it was the combination of the Shampoo with residue from cleaning chemicals that got you. Or somthing your cat got into that left the residue on her fur.

Either way....Don't bathe the Kitty!

Gayle

Good news!

I think I figured out what triggered it. When my cat uses her catbox, and stirs up the dust from the litter (it's the sandy clumping kind), I always wheeze if I'm around it. I dont handle the litter very well. Anyway, my cat hasnt been bathed in a very long time and I could feel on her fur that she felt kinda dusty so I'm sure she probably had alot of litter residue on her. For some reason it never bothered me with her fur dry but I'm thinking when she got wet, all that dust in combination with the steam from the water, just got in the air and since I was leaning over the tub close to her to hold her down I inhaled too much...combine that with just dander and all her hair, it was just too much and I had an allergic reaction that triggered the attack.

It's the only thing that I can use to logically explain this.

Wow, Steph, I missed the first post - so sorry to hear about all this. I was wondering, like Gayle, you didn't happen to use a different shampoo or something? So.weird. I'm glad you're doing better.

ginger

glad you are better.

I wasn't online all weekend Steph, and just read about your asthma problem. I can't imagine how you felt at the time! It must be one of the worst experiences to not be able to breath!
I am so glad you are okay now.

Steph, if the IVF's take hold, are you aware that pregnant women aren't to be around kitty litter. No changing the litter box for you.
Leslie

I was out of town for the weekend, and am just now catching up on news. I'm so sorry you had such a scary time. Glad to know you are doing better.

Yes, I'm aware of that Leslie, thank you. When I was pregnant with Grant, Brent took care of the litter box and on the few occasions he wasn't home to do it, I wore a heavy duty mask.

Keeping you and your little ones in my thoughts and prayers.

Thank God you're doing better. Think long and hard about your health versus the cat. Grant needs a mommy.
Kathy G in MI

glad you are doing better! that can be very very scary and just thinking about how it feels is making me take deep breaths. in the past i've had asthma attacks like that including a few from when we had a long haired cat, he passed away in 2002. dec 2005 was one of the worst months in my life w/ asthma and most of it was due to extreme stress which got better jan 2006 and my asthma nearly disappeared. by spring 2006 i had weened myself off advair and singulair (hardest to quit) and have not had anything but an occassional mild bout from mold when it's very cold which is rare in orlando.

my vet actually helped me figure out why i was sooo deathly allergic (both asthmatic and sinus) to our long haired cat, Fuzzy. it was in part to the litter dust which can carry unseen mold and fuzzy's saliva. bathing him was off limits i could not even be in the house during a bath because it would release the dust and his saliva that he spread all over his hair by grooming. the vet gave us a bottle of acepromazine liquid, which is used as a sedative sometimes, to add a drop to his food. something in it causes a protein in his saliva to break apart and keeps people from being allergic to some cats. it worked very well for me and for fuzzy since i was of course his fav person lol. i'd try the mobile cat spa, we've used one for our girls...it was fast and painless for all :-)

hope you stay well and don't need anymore of those strong meds ~ liz

i've also heard if they're bathed in distilled water (?) that can help as well...(removing the cat dander)