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Respiratory System Issues

Sigh... Of course, of course~ It's that season again! Where cold and flu is trendy!~ 

Except; I deal with upper respiratory flare ups for most of my waking life, random cough and cold once every 3 months or so, one of the 4 or 6 is bad enough to make me lose voice...

I fricking hate it.

Yes, the x-ray result is mine and not a random internet image placeholder. No, I didn't planned it or had been referred from any clinic to take an xray. It's a surprise.


For all I knew, this might be what I've been dealing almost every year. 

I had months and weeks,  wasted on coughing, fatigue and so forth.

I wasn't like this as a child. Except for crappy sniffles that bullied me more than anyone's reaction of oddities I have.

Barely anything like this as a teenager. With no provocations other than hormones and weather.

The frick just happened?? 
It's not like I had a sedentary life.

And, if I work out, I don't improve. I walk a lot and for hours a day sometimes.
But jog or run? Lungs will act as if it has asthma.

Lungs sometimes acts as if it has asthma because of weather and hormones, despite the lack of weekly stressors. It just happens.

COVID history? I'm asymptomatic. But vaccinated without side effects.

Still for most of my life, I have respiratory related issues. And I hate it. Breathing is almost never right for me to a point I cannot use it to meditate with it.

But the lungs are rarer occasion. I almost never had them as a kid. Rarely as a teenager. 

But as an adult?? Are adults supposedly have a more developed immune system?

It's almost always the nose to me. 
Usually it starts with something nasty or painful in my nose or whatever you call past near the uvula, and eventually goes down and spread into my lungs, whatever it is.

After waking up from those the day before, there come fever, weakness, cough, phlegm...

If there's no fever or weakness, I'll lose voice and had to bear with it for a week or so.

And I just fricking hate it.
I don't care if it's trendy or "normal". I hate it. It's not fair. Yes, I'm THAT entitled or whatever. I do not seek sympathy. Only rant.

And whatever emotionality I do doesn't solve this crap. It'll just happen again. For no apparent reason other than reasoning it's the weather.

This is a tropical country. Humid all year old, more humid at storm season with the comes and goes of hot and cold very quickly. 

And I'm not even living near any large body of water. This place ain't dry enough for me.

So this week I'm taking an antibiotic, an anti-asthma, a mucolytic, and a corticosteroid... Today is day 4 of taking said medications. The cough and breathing issues along with whatever this is, is day 7.

I hate taking anti-asthma medication.
I got prescribed to take it 3 times a day.

Per 2mg of the medication, I need like more than a glass worth of hydration supplement and 3+ worth of medium sized bananas. 
For me to stop as if my body feels restless and cramping.

The latter is too familiar. So fricking familiar, I don't want anything to do with it.

So potassium and electrolytes, eh? Body so stupid sensitive that the recommended bananas were just one per medication. Why does it take me trice to be well with it???

Like, I didn't tried earlier. 1 banana -- still shaking. 1 bananas after second dose of the day -- I just shake more. So 2 bananas; it's a bit ok but not enough.

Then 3? A bit fine. 4? Good.
But is that sustainable??? Of course not!
While I don't mind eating this much bananas, but really? 12 bananas throughout the day to a point that I'm skipping meals because I've been too full.

But this is just day 4 of treatment. I got like 3 days to go or so before getting reassessed.

Another majority of a month wasted on sickness. And this isn't the first time that it happened to me around February.

It already happened last year April.
It already happened last last year October.

If only my past tracking journals are more coherent than "not feeling well" and ranting of "not feeling like it" all week long, all year long than compared to scant few days that isn't.

Was it because I like to walk to work, antiperspirants ineffective and that I literally need a clothing change because being dried of sweat isn't good?

Or was it because of my humidity and cold  intolerance? Because that's what made my stupid non-allergic chronic rhinitis worse and practically unmanageable.

I enjoy outdoors. I like to walk.
Am I going to deprived myself of this because of this fricking body being fricking fragile?

I've been fighting for this crap.
And this is just one aspect of the chronic problem of existing in this body.

I already had enough with neediness.
Let alone sickness and illness and whatever preventive maintenance because of stupid vulnerability.

Being "easily sickly" is a very, very bothersome lifestyle to maintain. 
Take the statement in any other way, it's more true than not, regardless.

Last Year Review

I'm not a person of my word.
And I do not like words.

In which I look back at the year 2024.


Let's see...


Right before 2024, at Christmas 2023, I quit my full-time job.

January that year; I tried digital designing. With my own cousin for an employer.
The problem is that I'm just easily stressed. I figured maybe it's burnout thus why I quit my job there and then.

February, I pretty much had quiet quit digital designing. Tried going to VA bootcamps and only to fail all of them.

March, IRL I'm doing this weekly volunteering around my locale... Still tired, still stressed out over nothing. And that's when I started this blog.

April came.
That month, I spent my time wasted on respiratory issues.
Then by the near end of the month, that's when I first took birth control pills unprescribed. 
And you know what?? I improved since then!

May -- that's when I overcame 20+ years of constant maladaptive daydreaming, the root of all of it, all because my body is a fricking enabler.
This was also when I stop the reasoning of "I'm still young woman". Also started taking a job that I only work few days a week.

June went and I started experimenting with melatonin. Apparently, melatonin doesn't work in my system without birth control pills.
And get symptoms when I stop. Eh. It's just my body adjusting. *Shrug*

July, stormy season. Busy volunteering. 
And why I hate 'tentative dates'. Why?? Because -- because -- is it official? Is it going? If I'm going, am I gonna wait over nothing like a fool?

August... My room is taken away. Because I'm a single person and my sister isn't.
Since then, sharing rooms with my mom. Do not feel safe to write on anything physical since.
And a new phone. My new phone is a completely different brand, with a bit of a higher specs than my last.

September -- "Today I learned that subvocalizing when reading is a crappy habit". Might be why despite years of (involuntary) practice, reading isn't healthy for me 

October; fancying, fancying, fancying...
And did nothing.

November = Family and home. Sister returned from abroad temporarily, whole family moved to a next door unit apartment, had a family emergency that prompted me, my mom, my sister and her 'boyfriend' to practically flew to a completely different island. 
It's also the first time I enjoy and understand what a vacation is supposed to feel like~

December? Too many Christmas parties, became disillusioned to whatever I felt like becoming a part of something bigger because screw local politics.

Openned my presents from those too many Christmases, and got a journal hardcover one pictured above.


Then came 2025.

By the night of New Year's day, that's when I started taking birth control pills again.
But this time, I had intended consistent sleep times. And first to write a journal.

At first week, it's... Eh.
By second week, I feel something going steady... Like, I'm quickly returning like I suddenly recovered from this weird burnout.

Third week, I feel like something happening to me is real. A real routine, a real work in journaling in ways that it does work, a real rest... Most importantly, a real progress.

Fourth week... I intended to just not stop taking birth control pills.
But when I feel PMS like symptoms, I double dose. Else, I'd be waking up with heavy arms with melatonin flat out not working, not letting me sleep.


Today is February.

My whole year was stressful.
Not because I was busy.
But because my body is too loud. 

Now, why would birth control pills improve me? 

By then, I'm on a path to investigating "why"?? Current progress is that I'm going to an OB before going to psych.

Just as I planned for so many years ago; rule out any biological factors before going psych.

It just doesn't work until I start improving.

And I'm mourning for my lost years of unnecessary prolonged 'coping' without a more final solution.


And that... Is about a year and more worth of review.

Just today, the room was given back to me.
Finally got my privacy back.

But I'm quite wary if stormy days happens again to take it away from me.
At least I'd know what to do if I have zero privacy and not owning my own space.


Right now, aside from mourning my wasted years -- I'm also content that finally, something real is happening.

I may tell some details sometime in the future.

Choices, mobile choices...

My phone is over 4 years old. It's a high time for me to replace it and get an upgrade.

But almost all of them are 'upgrades'!!

Well, no multitasking features like Android Go versions and anything older than Android 6 is a deal breaker for me.


I got nothing to put a picture on. And I don't plan advertising anything.

I have, like, 3 to 4 options to go on. 5 or 6 if not buying a new phone counts.


So... I can play it safe. Get the same brand within the upper limits of my budget.  Finally use that cloud storage from that particular brand account, faster transition, easily found repair centers, etc. 

BUT! It's over priced for it's specs, cannot unlock it's bootloader, and barely get it future proofed.


Or, get a new phone. With the specs I actually like. Can be have it's bootloader unlocked.

BUT! Not guarantee it will endure in the next 4-5 years as it's not as durable. May brick when I updated it. And definately costs my upper limit budget.


Maybe, get an optimized low end phone. Definately cheap, like half of my budget. May had to cut down my screentime for good.

BUT! No more multitasking. No more games. No more other stuff that I may ended up passing up for the entire next 4-5 years. 


Another route is, well, risky. Get the phone with specs I want for a fraction of the price. Like, â…• of the original price.

BUT! OF COURSE IT'S POSSIBLE SCAM!! And that it's high likely a cheap inauthentic imitation.


Maybe I could swap. That's an option for me. 

BUT? I don't like it.

The same with, well, not changing my phone at all. Oh, sure who knows, another 2, or over 5 years? But still.


I want future proofing specs and guaranteed to not brick or breakdown for 4-6 years.

I don't need anything fancier. No flagship phones because I cannot afford that.


A minimum of 6/64GB. My phone is a 4/128GB. Never spent my ROM over 100GB; provided those files belongs to me and not something from work.

Ideally, I'd get a 8/258; but I don't actually need that amount of storage that high.


Let's see... GPU? I want compatability, processing, and good frame rates. 

Graphics? Don't care. No art rendering, no high def. movie. No 'immersive gaming'. I'm fine with just 360p or something not too bright by default... Or one that doesn't brick stuff.

Camera? Don't care. Could care less if it's one of those basic ones. Well, as long size 10 font is eligible on a fully fitted zoomed out A4 picture.

Sounds? Don't care. Well, it could've been better if I never had to switch to loudspeaker whenever I had to talk to someone with it.


4G? 5G? Don't care. If that's relevant to better wifi speed and mobile data internet access, sure. Except, nah.


I went to stores and looked at the phone units. Listed what's available within my budget and eliminated those that do not meed the basic specs.

I did asked people around. Bugged my relatives, bugged people online...

I did my research. Watched and read reviews...


I'm still in this dilemma.

Oh well.

I have until Christmas to decide.

Hopefully there will be sales discount for phone units till then.

Bits and Crumbs of Lot Amounts

Every other nights or so, I walk down a particular section of the street seeing fried chicken vendors closing their respective stalls.

Sometimes, I ask them for their 'mumug'.

They give them away for free.


Ahh, crispy stuff that hits the craving flavor feel -- but it's baaaad for my digestion, cholesterol, and my teeth.

Like most of my comforts do to me, though.

But why? Why crispy salty? Was it my childhood? Oh, sure, I grew up with mostly fried stuff.

But what I consume is more than just fried stuff. It's salty crispy stuff.

Salty more so -- I'd still down a fried fish downed with soy sauce on iodized salt.

Sometimes, I'll just nibble of plain crackers like skyflakes -- as long as it has some salt.

... Really, what's with me and salty stuff? 

Iodized salt more so. Like how it directly affected my cold intolerance into something a bit more tolerable...

NOPE! NOPE! NOPE! DON'T DIVULGE INTO HORMONAL ISSUE TALKS! BECAUSE THAT WILL PUT THIS POST INTO SOME STUPID DIVERGED TOPIC! NOPE!

So, I like potato snacks because of it. The same with corn like snacks.

And that wasn't all, really. 

Yet still... To a point of addiction -- not a day of not consuming anything of I mentioned above.

It affected my budget, you see. It made a dent on my savings too many times.

Turns out; one, dietary changes has discreet processes and humans only do one thing at the time (avoiding and reducing bad stuff OR consuming more and learning to acquire good stuff). Two, the nuisance of emotional processing and whatever encumbrance to make tolerating cravings easier. Three, is either a whiny head made by a whiny body; either hormonal imbalance or whatever head's association comfort or feel good supposed to be...

Why oh why I can quit caffeine really, really easily but I can't seem to quit crispy salty stuff as hard as I couldn't last not consuming chocolates?

But seriously...

I'm already at the near end of the line of this 'lifestyle'.

Other than aging and having a less proficient body, I really need a change. 

Don't want my dad's side of the health family curse get to me too. Diabetes, high blood, obesity, heart diseases, etc.

... Not that I'm ever worried about obesity. If it weren't for my mom's genes, I'd be more over weight. 

Really. I can look slim without any  intervention or special diet or meds. That doesn't mean I'm healthy in the inside.

But first I need to finish off my fridge stock -- as opposed to throwing it away; before replacing it all with stuff I need to eat.

Sometimes I miss those nights -- approaching said nighttime friend chicken vendors at past 8pm by the dim sidewalks, asking for those fried crumbs.


But nothing lasts forever.

For my own good, it had to be.

Oh, OF COURSE.

What's the reason why I hadn't written anything in this blog?

I forgot? Maybe, because, I spent it on screentime or more stories even though I don't need it anymore. It's just a silly stupid habit I need to unlearn after basically over 2 decades of doing the same stupid actions over and over.

Basically, nothing.

This is just a random picture of a 15+ or so feet tall cactus.

"Update at least once a week" I say on a forum signature???

NOPE!!

And I hate this stupid pattern of 'inability to commit'.

No, I don't have ADHD or something like that. Sure, I got executive dysfunction but it's not ADHD...

I confirmed it isn't. That ADHD like symptoms? It's just the emotional nuisance since I was 5. And this particular issue got nothing to do with it.

Just this stupid inability to commit. And be consistent.

I forget said commitments. Because, excuses; because, because, because reason. Doesn't matter what it is.

How I wish I can just be gentle with myself or something??? But this pattern is... 

I just don't like this pattern.

It's like... "I wanna pay for a 5 year worth insurance!" Would that give me an incentive to get a job and pay? At best that will make me feel like an adult for a moment.

Even give me like 5 or so months to get a job and finally pay it for myself --

NO.

Even if I replace 'insurance' with 'rent', the outcomes the same.

It's stupid, really.

Heck, my savings do not moved up since the pandemic.

But this ain't about money. It's about certainty and being guaranteed for me to be able to do and therefore keep...

How I wish this is just a luck issue, but no. The main problem is still in me.

I just don't understand it.

It's not like I'm afraid to take risks. Heck, I'm plenty of reckless myself, but...

I don't want to regret things.

I had enough with... Indecision.

Or entering a new hell after exiting another.

Well, it's not like I'm in an abusive relationship or somewhere unsafe but...

I want to be self reliant. I want my own life. I want to be a captain of my own ship.

It's one thing for me to be able to keep up with promises, but it's an entirely different matter when contracts and legalities are involved.

It's like... I hate contracts.

I get the point but something deep within me just... Do not agree well with it. Always.

But I'm heck sure I wasn't always like this.

 When I was a child -- I can just will it; have a perfect attendance, pass all quizzes and write all the lectures, complete an entire game 100% including secrets, master a specific crafting technique...

But I no longer do. Even with things I want to do.

Might as well sign up a class and pay my entire savings -- but no, not even sunk-cost fallacy can convince me.

At first maybe because of my full time work. But now I don't work as much but -- I stop playing games, I stop pursuing certain skills or knowledge.

I just stop.


I want it back.

Whatever I had in my childhood -- I want it back.

I want that 'I have my sights into it and do everything to accomplish it' back into my life.

I thought being an adult meant doing the very same thing will be easier? WHY IS IT HARDER?!

It's not like I have other responsibilities.

Other than this... 'Self'. Ugh.