Asthma and the Bathroom

Last year we had our bathroom gutted and re-fitted and had the boiler changed at the same time. One side effect of this was that we no longer have open tanks in our 'loft' but the whole system is sealed and operating at mains pressure. Since then my asthma has been a lot better and I have only had 2 chest infections.

I don't think this is a coincidence as there is some evidence (although I can't find it at the moment) linking showering with asthma due to a build up of bacteria in the shower head. This would line up with my experience as my asthma started after we moved to our current house and I started showering after a run instead of having a bath. Getting rid of the header tank has, as far as I can tell, removed a source of infection.

Any comments?

And A Happy New Year

I don't usually make New Year's Resolutions because I know I'm unlikely to keep thembut this year I did set out to make a fresh start on some things so I told myself that I would:

1. I'd do some exercises first thing each working day (with a possible long term aim of running again?),
2. I'd do some guitar practice each day (it had faded out after I stopped having lessons)
   
3. I'd try and keep a journal how I was physically and mentally each day.
4. Start looking for a part-time job.

It's a good job I didn't call them resolutions because I have broken them all already! However, that isn't as bad as it sounds as today was the first working day of the year and I didn't do any exercises or start looking for a job because I have a chest infection. Last year I had 1 chest infection which on the plus side was a big decrease compared to previous years but on the down side it arrived on the morning of my daughter's wedding! Still I got through that day without A) keeling over or B) letting my daughter know so it wasn't too bad. Now if I'm down to one chest infection a year then this means I've already got my one for this year and so I should be OK for the rest of the year (I'm not 100% sure it's going to work like that.)

The guitar practice has started but only today (4 January) so I'm a bit late with that and the journal didn't start till the 3rd.

The first journal entry has got me a bit excited as it could lead to a short series of blogs. I've read, and am re-reading, a book that has got me thinking about the state of the church here in the UK now that we are a post-Christendom society and what changes have to happen to make the church relevant to the rest of the population. My ideas are still forming so I'm not yet ready to kick this off so, hopefully, it's a question of watch this space.

Chest Infection

I have a chest infection. A few years ago this wouldn't be news as I was having 8 or more a year but since the NHS diagnosed bronchiectasis, something 10 years of a private health scheme had failed to pick up (any from the USA please take note), I have been doing much better. However from the day we got back from our holiday my chest has been tight and my peak flow slowly dropping.

A doctor had checked my chest when I went to have the dressing on a cut in my leg changed but couldn't hear anything wrong but when I went back on Tuesday there was clear evidence of an infection in my right lung. It isn't bad but this is how my last 2 infections started and they became worse within a week so this time we are using oral steroids from day 1 in an attempt to sort it out before it gets worse. I'll let you know if it works!

The next instalment on the Bible is nearly ready. It's a longer piece than I originally envisaged so I'm looking for some pictures to break it up.