Take a Deep Breath

Angela Enright was our guest-speaker tonight. She educated us on Asthma using a lovely PowerPoint presentation from the Australian Asthma Foundation; An abridged Asthma Community Education Session.

Angela has been a volunteer medic since 1989, and where runs a First Aid Training and Supply business in Deloraine where she lives.The opening slide said it all : "When I have an asthma attack I feel like a fish with no water", a quote by a 5 year old!

Asthma affects people of all ages, with more than 2 million Australians currently diagnosed. Asthma does its debilitating work in the bronchial tubes of your lungs, which become constricted and congested due to sensitivities, sometimes as a reaction to allergens. The constricted bronchiole do not allow the passage of air to flow and the person becomes short of breath. We can live without food for weeks, without water for days, but without air we only have minutes. This is why Asthma education in society is important. The majority (80%) of people diagnosed with asthma suffer from hay-fever, which can trigger their asthma.

Triggers that cause asthma can include environment changes (going into cold air), flu or a cold, smoke, physical activity, dust and pollen in the air, emotions,...You know when someone is affected by asthma when they experience breathlessness, wheeze, feel tight in the chest or cough. We consider a mild asthma attack to just be some wheezing, coughing, shortness of breath and tightness in chest, but moderate attacks include a persistent cough, loud wheezing and obvious didfficulty in breathing. With a severe attack the wheezing is not always present but you may observe a blueish tint around the lips and chest muscles pulling around the rib-cage.

When a person is having an attack they need to be seated, and possibly removed from what may have set it off. Hopefully the person carries an asthma preventer-spray (blue/grey puffer) which you can help administer. Preferably with a spacer, a device that helps the spray of droplets coming out at 100k/hr drops to go into your lungs more effectively. The preventer is given by spraying into the spacer, breath in and out 4x into the spacer, repeat immediately, and do this for four puffs. Wait 4 minutes for an effect and repeat till medical professionals arrive. If the four puffs do not help you need to dial 000 (Triple ZERO) or 112 on a mobile phone (even if you have no credit or are out of range you must try this). Relief sprays will work up to four hours, and anyone who has ever had an asthma attack should carry one with a collapsible cardboard spacer. They are available over the counter without prescription and are not expensive.

Preventer sprays are also available, and people with asthma need to take this daily. It comes in autumn/desert coloured puffers and after taking your dose you need to rinse your mouth carefully to avoid getting ulcers and a hoarse voice.

Angela recommended spacers are used by everyone who uses puffers, and spacers need to be washed with mild detergent and air dried at least once a month. If you think you might have asthma it is worthy a visit to your doctor, and for those with diagnosed asthma may wish to ask their doctor for an Asthma Action Plan, and this could require an extended consultation with your doctor. If you do go see a doctor there are 10 questions and 10 things to tell your doctor that you can find [here].

For more information visit www.asthmaaustralia.org.au

Also at our Lions meeting:

Lion John Hughes mentioned the Lions Rose.Treloar Roses will donate $1.00 from the sale of each rose to the Australian Lions Childhood Cancer Research Foundation. Their mission is to prevent kids with cancer dying by raising funds nationally and donating these funds to the best scientific and clinical childhood cancer research conducted right across Australia.If anyone is interested in purchasing a rose bush for $18.95 you can call our new Lions President Jay.

Old Time Music Hall is on again in Sheffield! Lion Garry Potter  has booked a table of ten already and if more people are interested to go on Friday night 24 August please call him on 0408 000149 to add your name to the list quick so he can fill a second table. Lion Garry is also looking into a bus to take us there.

Lion Philip Gleeson reported on the Lions Christmas Cakes current stock, and for people to start thinking about Christmas and how many boxes they may need. And Lion Philip also updated us on the meeting planned with the Soroptomists and the City of Devonport Council wrt to the Carols by Candlelight which is well and truly in planning!

Lion Deanne Schuuring is planning a social event next Saturday, leaving from the Vietnam Memorial carpark near our Spirit of the Sea.The event will take us along the river waterfront along the walk/bicycle path to the Mini Golf for a friendly round. Along the way she will stop at possible project sites, for which she has invited some key people from The Zone to come along.