What I Learned During My July 4th Weekend

I learned that the worst time of the year to get bronchitis is during July 4th. I've struggled breathing for over a week now, and just when things started to get better the whole town filled up with a cloud of gunpowder smoke. Everything I did this weekend was horrible for my lungs. From the smoke-filled video game night at Josh's, to the dusty softball tournament I played in, to the citronella-scented birthday party for my nephew, all culminating last night when the town was filled with smoke.

I'll say this....bronchitis is the worst thing in the world for a chain smoker to catch. Breathing is a chore. Friday and Saturday mornings I woke up with the worst headaches I've had in a long time. Saturday I finally got fed up when I woke up with a crippling headache and felt like I was suffocating. I rushed to an after hours clinic where they found the diagnosis. I got a nice little steroid shot in the butt by a pretty nurse, an expensive prescription, and I was off to the softball tournament. Maybe the steroid shot helped because I had was only a homer away from the cycle!!

I haven't been getting any more headaches, and my breathing has been progressively getting better. I'm having problems breathing right now, but it's the worst it's been all day. That's better than I can brag over the last week. Still I've decided to stop smoking throughout this mess. Hopefully it sticks and I'll be smoke-free. Hopefully.