I can see the green grass

Last Thursday I woke up and was a little sob -- for those who don't know, that means short of breath. I looked out the front window and I could see FOG -- FOG, oh no. I have trouble breathing when it's too humid. I have pulmonary hypertension and for some of us humidity can be an issue.

Anyway, besides seeing fog I didn't see that white four letter word stuff that has been on the ground most of this winter. We were hit hard this winter with that white fluffy stuff -- that four letter word, was over 3 foot plus deep at times. Wednesday we still had about 4" left and on Thursday morning pretty much zip, nada, not much at all. There some small white patches where it had been plowed and stacked high... not so high now :o) There was a very light rain during the night and washed it all away. It was suppose to reach the mid 40's -- whoo hoo a heat wave.

Tom came over late morning and we had plans to go to the store -- my monthly toilet paper run -- when I run out of toilet paper -- I run to Wal-Mart. Well, I don't run but I get there as quick as I can. On the way to the store we went by the high school and out in the field were students dressed in baseball uniforms and playing or practicing the game. Wow, that does mean warmer weather is on it's way. This has been such a LONG winter. Exceptionally cold, exceptionally snowy.

When you have pulmonary hypertension you have to be careful of the cold air. Breathing that bitter cold air can do damage to your lungs and we (phers) either need to wear a mask or have a scarf over our nose and mouth when we go outside. Now freezing weather is bad enough -- 32 degrees -- but when it drops to the single digits and even sub single digits it's not good. Because of the bitter cold, I didn't go out much this winter. When I did go out I was lucky that the sun was shinning those days.

I bought my monthly supplies, we stopped for take out on the way back and headed home. It was so nice to get out and since then, I've been out twice -- who could ask for more. One outing was for the Cleveland Area Pulmonary Hypertension Support Group. The first of the year, the first of the decade. We don't meet during the winter months because of the weather and it was great to get back together, to share to learn what we can. Our presentation was on "How to Eat Having Pulmonary Hypertension" -- great interaction and we learned a lot. Support is so important for many who have pulmonary hypertension; it's a scary disease, a life threatening disease that affects not only the lungs but also the right side of the heart.

Remember to smile -- it's contagious.

Merle

On one of my previous posts Karen wrote and for some reason her note was deleted. I remember her saying her Mother was new to PH. Please write back and I will help in anyway I can.