41 Comments

• 1. Pam&hellip  |  May 20th, 2009 at 8:38 am

  I’m glad you have retained your sense of humor! I hope its not your cat (although I have learned that can be a perfect reason why cat-care cannot be your responsibility!) Thanks for the cherry Wednesday notes– I look forward to them!

• 2. Cris&hellip  |  May 20th, 2009 at 8:45 am

  I have visions of a great scrapbook page. Photo 1)You with inhaler in one hand and cat in the other kinda weighing them Item 1) Your laundry list of ailments.
  Photo 2) If you have a loving old picture of you and said cat with the word Priceless overlaid on top of it.
  You get the idea….
  Hope you get better soon, yes, breathing is important.

• 3. Tracy LaGuardia&hellip  |  May 20th, 2009 at 8:45 am

  Sorry to hear about your health issues. We’ve had dealings with “not so great but think they are” docs too and have learned to trust our instincts. Hope you’re better soon.
  Have you published anything? You should- you write well. And- you crack me up! Thanks for the laugh.

• 4. Karen&hellip  |  May 20th, 2009 at 8:45 am

  I have had been told I am allergic to my cat, too. The doctor told me this when my cat was 15 years old. Nice time to find out! I did not get rid of my cat and he is now 22 3/4 years old (107 in cat years). I just don’t allow him to sleep on my bed anymore. I sympathize with you. I live with breathing problems everyday. Feel better soon!

• 5. Tammie&hellip  |  May 20th, 2009 at 8:46 am

  It’s probably not your cat, but the damage that bronchitus can do to your lungs. Although, it may help if you use a clumping non-fragrance type litter. Wash any curtains. Wash your bed sheets once a week, and keep paperback books at a minimum. Paper mites will really add to a problem, more than you can imagine.

• 6. Cel&hellip  |  May 20th, 2009 at 8:55 am

  Now I’m scared!!!! I am getting over bronchitis. For I dont know how many years, I’ve used Albuterol for the fast acting inhaler (only when I have bronchitis). I called for a refill and the dr changed it to ProAir (which is a ‘kind’ of albuterol)…. I havent used it yet and now I’m afraid to!!!!! What kind did you take that sent you to the ER?!?!?!?!

• 7. Andrea&hellip  |  May 20th, 2009 at 9:00 am

  I’m laughing with you not at you. Just went through something like this with a podiatrist. After going to him for over year, after he took over my former drs practice, he says…oh you haven’t had a full evaluation. I never realized I had more problems than what I was going for. Needless to say I’m off for a second opinion b/c this man is lacking in education on educating his own patients as to what’s wrong with them!

• 8. Laura&hellip  |  May 20th, 2009 at 9:03 am

  I have been reading your emails for awhile now, but the most recent one made me comment.
  I have never met you and only order online but it is as if you were me. Your real life stories are told as if I was talking and it makes me laugh outloud. Just when you think you are alone in the world you realize it is the same story, different house! Thanks for your personal touch to your business, we feel your pain, and celebrate your triumphs.

• 9. Louise&hellip  |  May 20th, 2009 at 9:05 am

  You just wrote the story of some of my health problems. Add to this coughing for 4 months – about 10-12 episodes a day and everytime it sounded as if I was dying, also something would close in my throat and I would totally stop breathing- so scary. After seeing a few specialists, tons of tests, appointments, scans, X-rays (I am sure I glow in the dark now!) they suggested respiratory physiotherapy. What is that? I know the wonders a physiotherapist can do the the mechanical parts of your body, but respiratory??? MAGIC!!! Totally magic! I saw the lady ONCE, she showed me how to breathe in a little plastic ($25) gizmo and VOILA! I bought the gizmo, did the exercises and was healed almost on the spot. I still can’t believe it. This crazy frightening, wheezing, rib-splitting, horrendous cough was gone.

  They said it was my cats too, so I said test me. And I was not allergic to my babies. It is too easy for them to blame cats. I have had cats for about 20 years and it is not always the reason for our problems… I was even looking into getting a poor hairless cat, they are sooooo ugly but I knew I could love them!

  Here is the info I found on the gizmo that was used with the Alvesco Inhaler:

  PARIPEP System I – must be prescribed by a physician in the US – PARI Respiratory Equipment, 2943 Oak Lake blvd Midlothian, VA 23112 – 1.800.FAST.NEB (327.8632)

  Hope this helps!

• 10. Lois&hellip  |  May 20th, 2009 at 9:07 am

  Julie that sounds like a nightmare! I am glad you can breathe again. I tend to think that you aren’t allergic to your cat. There are so many other possibilities but since the doctors don’t really know what caused the reaction it is easy to blame the cat. My husband is a smoker and our daughter is allergic to it, yet when my husband was having respiratory issues the doctor told him we should get rid of our dogs. I told him I would keep the dogs and he could find another house to live in. lol Needless to say we are still married and have had many dogs live with us, we have 3 dogs at the moment. Its not in a doctor’s vocabulary to say “I don’t know” what caused it or what is going on, its so much easier to blame it on our pets. Hang in there, Spring is almost over and the pollen count should go down. Pollen and molds are high right now. I always enjoy your blogs. You always make me smile.

• 11. Leigh&hellip  |  May 20th, 2009 at 9:14 am

  I am so sorry to hear about your problems. I have been going through something similar since September, 2008. I started out with a cold which turned into bronchitis. I had these horrible coughing spells where I literally couldn’t catch my breath, very scary. About 2 months into this, I went to see a lung specialist, he treated me for about a month and sent me to an allergy and asthma specialist. He did allergy tests on me. I already knew I was allergic to cat and dog dander, but I have both. My cough started before we got the puppy, so I couldn’t pin it on him. Back to the regular lung guy and he put a scope up my nose and down my throat to tell me I have acid reflux. I have no symptoms, but he says 40% of people with it, don’t know it because they don’t have symptoms either. I now am seeing a GI doctor and have an endoscopy scheduled for next week to see how bad it is and what’s going on. I am on a new drug for reflux and my cough has gone away. What a miracle. As we mommies know, sometimes after you have children, you have “issues” with sneezing and coughing. I have had to deal with that too! Hope you figure it out soon, after my 7 month ordeal, I am glad to finally be at the end of the road, I think:)

• 12. Liz Lowe&hellip  |  May 20th, 2009 at 9:20 am

  You KNOW what you really need to do is REST. You have a great crew working for you. TRUST THEM and take the rest of the week off !! Good Luck and feel better SOON !!

• 13. Nancy&hellip  |  May 20th, 2009 at 9:27 am

  Julie,
  I’m so sorry to hear about your health issues. It truly sucks when Mom is sick. Now one thing I use daily for my allergies (it won’t help your bronchitis or asthma or any lung issue) is the neti pot. They sell for $15 at Walgreens. They showed how to use it on Oprah and during the spring when everything is growing I use it daily and it helps my allergies naturally instead of always relying on pills. Its purpose is to clean out the nose. I hope you feel better. Maybe this is God’s way of telling you to take it easy and stop working so hard!

• 14. Lindsay&hellip  |  May 20th, 2009 at 9:31 am

  This just recently happened to me, well not the whole ER thing, but rapid onset of asthma. The best advice I got was to go get allergy testing. Go to an allergy specialist, they have amazing knowledge of the complicated nature of allergies. I too am allergic to cats, after owning one for 8 years. But, I’m more allergic to lots of other things that were making me miserable. It’s worth all the shots for the testing because I’m now not on any medication, and only needing to use my inhaler 1-2 times a week (vs every day). So amazing. Try it!

• 15. Kim&hellip  |  May 20th, 2009 at 9:31 am

  Julie, sorry to hear that you are struggling with bronchial issues! I have learned that as we age, we also develop allergies to things that we were not allergic to in the past. I grew up having a dog in my house. I married my husband, whom had a dog that loved to sleep on the floor next to our bed. I kept getting a sore throat…I found out that I had developed allergies to dog dander! same with bleach…never had a problem using it when I was younger…my husband is a bleach freak, he would literally spray the bathroom down with bleach (especially given that we have 4 teenage boys!)…we moved to a bigger house to accommodate our blended family. A hot tub came with our house that we loved having…my husband decided to spray that down with bleach to clean it and I broke out in hives from head to toe…twice!!…then we found out that I was allergic to bleach! so gotta love getting older! LOL! so hope you feel better soon!

  Love your newsletters and products as well…

• 16. Lucia&hellip  |  May 20th, 2009 at 9:33 am

  I am so glad you are feeling better.

• 17. Nancy&hellip  |  May 20th, 2009 at 10:08 am

  I know what you mean, but don’t dismiss the cat thing. We got my daughter a cat and after a while I developed adult onset asthma and had to go on medication. The cat came down with feline leukemia and was put to sleep – no cure at that time. I was fine after that, but cannot stand to be around cats or even in a house that has cats for any length of time. My eyes itch and water and I have trouble breathing. I know it sounds silly so late in life to have these things effect us, but they do. I had some skin tests and they showed that I was very allergic to cats dander. I was on steroids when I would have a major attack. I know we love our animals and hate to get rid of them or see anything happening to them, but I could not live comfortably with the cat in the house. The meds helped and I didn’t pick up or hold the cat and would have a major attack every few weeks. When the cat got sick and we took it to the vet, she said it could live 6 months or we could find it dead under the Xmas tree-it was in December when this happened. We opted to have the cat put to sleep, so the children would have good memories of him and not sad ones.

  I hope you can find a resolution to your problem and feel better – summer is coming.

  Nancy

• 18. Lorraine&hellip  |  May 20th, 2009 at 10:15 am

  First let me say I’m sorry to hear you’re having breathing problems. I have a husband who deals with that and uses albuterol and a nebulizer. If you can’t use either of those I don’t know what the answer is. I don’t know if your cat adds to the problem but what doctors don’t realize is our pets are FAMILY members and we don’t just get rid of them, no matter what the problem is. FOR CEL — Pro Air IS albuterol. They just put it in an environmentally safe container. The doctor changed my husband to that too because they don’t want the old containers polluting the environment. So, you can use it.

• 19. Terri Brewster&hellip  |  May 20th, 2009 at 10:20 am

  Julie,
  I hope you feel better soon! Several years ago, I ended up with something similar, I got the flu, that went to the lungs, I coughed and coughed thinking it was never going away. I went to the doctor and determined I had a pneumonia, and was on breathing treatments and an inhaler. I can sympathize with you and the fact you can’t breathe, it is scary. All I can say is rest, rest, rest! Others have written as you get older new allergies develop and that is so true. Just remember through all this even though you are a wife, mother and business owner, you have to be selfish and take time for yourself!
  Feel better soon!
  Terri

• 20. Bev&hellip  |  May 20th, 2009 at 11:04 am

  Julie, I feel your pain. I too was in Orlando/Winter Haven about March 20 when my grandson had major brain surgery at Arnold Palmer Children’s Hospital. (All went very well.) Nana was there for moral support and his recouperation. All was fine, accept I had a little dry cough/tickle. I flew back to New England, and got a serious head cold the very next day. Seven weeks later, I am now just starting to feel better. Like you, I had two regimes with antibiotics, the codeine cough medicines, two new inhalers including the “rescure” one that you need to “rinse and spit out” after application. Nothing worked but time. Who has it?
  I have found sleeping (yes sleeping) with an herbal Ricola cough drop helps quiet the cough. I should have bought stock in the company! Heaven knows you need your sleep to fight the battle of a respitory infection or sinus infection what ever it was.

  Due to the “allergy season” just upon us in New England, I am sure that didn’t help and I do have pollen related allergies. I too have had the pets and been told to get rid of them. Well they have been gone for years, and I still have allergies and have been through allergy shots, pills (take one every day) and all that stuff.

  Good luck, run your A/C and make sure your bedroom is moist enough for you especially at night.

  Get well soon.
  Nanatravel

• 21. Sharon&hellip  |  May 20th, 2009 at 11:35 am

  Don’t rule out your cat as the problem. I had 3 cats for many years without any problems. Then I started developing allergies to other things. When all my cats finally died (about 5 years ago now) I stopped having any allergic symptoms. Not even any to other things, we thought I was allergic to.I have continued to take allergy medicine only during high pollen times. No shots just a capsule over the counter drug. Not even one prescription.
  And feel fine. All under doctor’s care.

• 22. Diane Slattenow&hellip  |  May 20th, 2009 at 11:36 am

  Hey, Julie, it sounds like you are going through quite a bit there. That’s why God gave us the sunshine. Get out there and let the sun soak away your health problems. Anyway, had to let you know too, that thanks to your web site I am in deep doo-doo with my husband (just kidding). He says I have waaaayyyy tooooo much stuff and need more time. Ok…so I agree with him. One-half of my family room in the basement is scrapbooking, but that’s ok, right??? Love your letters and love your web-site. If I need something I only use your company. That’s all it akes.
  Thank you very very much
  Diane

• 23. Beth&hellip  |  May 20th, 2009 at 12:07 pm

  I had the same thing happen to me about 10 years ago. We have two cats and a dog. I am allergic to our two cats, but handle it with two daily allergy medications and frequent hand washing.

  It turned out that I am allergic to mice. We had remodeling done and the remodelers had cut into an outside wall in which mice had been in the past. I was diagnosed with a virus, then reactive airway disease, then chronic obstructive pulmonary disease before figuring it out. As soon as we figured out what the problem was, it was easy to isolate the area the remodelers were working in and avoid mice.

• 24. Sue&hellip  |  May 20th, 2009 at 12:13 pm

  Wow! It’s obvious you did not go to medical school. Kidney disease and dialysis are not a mere inconvenience. You can only live on dialysis for so long and then to quote you it’s “Game Over” without a painful kidney transplant that may or may not work. And while pacemakers are incredible things, they do not cure all heart ailments. If it were only that easy.
  My sister always says “Be careful what you say because you never know who you are talking to”. Good sound advice for all of us I think.

• 25. Vickie&hellip  |  May 20th, 2009 at 12:24 pm

  Working the health care system can be so frustrating! I hope your breathing issues resolve quickly…although I have heard that bronchitis can really hang on.

  I’m with an earlier poster…have your doc ‘prove’ that you’re allergic to your cat! That should resolve that issue fairly quickly. Unfortunately, you can develop allergies to anything at any time, whether or not you’ve been allergic to them before.

  My mother had her own frustrating dealings with the doctors. She had a stroke, limited her right side motor functions…but still worked outside gardening. She tripped over something, fell, tried to stop her fall with her ‘good’ left arm. Left arm started hurting, doc says nothing’s wrong. Left arm swells, bruises from wrist to shoulder, doc says nothing wrong. Pain gets excrutiating…finally insists on seeing a different doctor. He takes one look and slaps her in the hospital for surgery. The fall had torn something in her arm near the elbow…the bleeding from that, increased because of the blood thinners she was taking as a result of the stroke, accumulated and damaged the nerves in that arm. Now she has a giant lightning bolt shaped scar and limited use of her left arm too. Nobody would listen to her or validate her pain…they just brushed her off as a complaining old woman.

  We’ve all got to get these doctors to listen to us and realize that we know our bodies better than they do!

• 26. Willi Becker&hellip  |  May 20th, 2009 at 12:27 pm

  Am so glad to hear that you’re feeling better now. Had a very similar experience and you’re right….we can’t function without our lungs. Would like to suggest that you might want to look at Petsmart for a corn based cat litter that would prevent dust, also a special shampoo for cat dander to use on the cat on a regular basis.

  The Neti Pot really helps to prevent the sinuses from draining into your chest and lungs and to “wash out” any allergins without drugs. Walgrens has it along with packages of the ph balanced dry crystals to add to the water.

  You are such a pleasure and have provided me with unique and much appreciated materials for my scrapbooks. These books have been made for my sister-in-law’s trips with her church group to far away lands. She is now dying and these creative books that were made with your products has enabled her to share memories with friends and to just rest and enjoy for herself.

  You make a difference in ways you’ll never know.
  God bless,
  Willi

• 27. Jodi Lenhart&hellip  |  May 20th, 2009 at 1:15 pm

  I believe you have been traveling a lot lately, correct? Just being away from an animal and coming back can trigger something that once was mild into a major allergy attack. I know for fact — I was gone for six weeks (when I was in my teens). When I came home I was highly allergic to our cats — breathing so bad I was hospitalized for two days. I now know when someone has a cat in their house without ever seeing the animal.

  Sorry, you have been feeling so bad – I know exactly what you are going there. Saying a prayer for you…..

• 28. Kidney Patient&hellip  |  May 20th, 2009 at 1:17 pm

  I have a really bad kidney problem and it isn’t fun but people who can not breath can also go on a ventilator so it’s not the end for you either

• 29. Susan&hellip  |  May 20th, 2009 at 1:19 pm

  Poor Julie, that is rough. I have allergies and asthma as well….it’s not fun at times I can tell you that. I would suggest getting allergy tests done to see if it is an allergy causing the bronchial problems. I was told about 15 years ago that I am allergic to cats and dog, and and and. I had a cat then, and I still have cats….and dogs too. Just as you can develop allergies later in life, you can develop resistance to them as well. I have one question for you though…….through all of this have you been getting enough rest? Or have you just “cut back”? Rest is a HUGE part of getting better and I have found that is especially true with bronchial ailments.

• 30. Elsie&hellip  |  May 20th, 2009 at 1:59 pm

  Julie, I do hope you get better soon , as I was reading
  I thought what you are saying is just like what my Daughter is going through, sadly she can not get health insurance . so she has to go to the walk in clinics and the say the same thing ever time she goes in “It’s a viral infection” no mater what she has gone in for.
  at time I can almost her them say viral infection for someone who has gone if for a ingrown nail .I do listen to my system and most Drs do not like to see me coming . My Prayers to you Julie and get well soon

• 31. Christine&hellip  |  May 20th, 2009 at 2:23 pm

  I enjoy your blog entries so much, please keep them coming. Also, I wish you perfect health real soon.

• 32. Cheryl Lopez&hellip  |  May 20th, 2009 at 3:24 pm

  Hi Julie,
  My daughter (27) was diagnosed with allergy-induced asthma and almost died in the emergency room; required ALOT of intervention and rescue stuff in order to breath—–all brought on by her allergy (newly discovered) to CATS and cat dander. She is seeing a WONDERFUL pulmonologist in Orlando. She now carries a rescue inhaler at all times. All the MD’s thought she had bronchitis/pneumonia, etc. Please be careful. We’re told allergies can develop at any time, even to things you’ve been exposed to all your life. CLopez409@yahoo.com

• 33. Karen Mowry&hellip  |  May 20th, 2009 at 6:00 pm

  So sorry to hear about your frustrating health issues. I have a friend who’s gone through lung issues (living at a high altitude, forcing her to move from her dream home) so I’m very sympathetic. I was happy to hear you realized how blessed you are in health though; on the same day of this email, I received one about Amy Mickelson (Phil’s wife) having been diagnosed with breast cancer and she will have surgery right away. Keep the faith! Prayers to you for a quick recovery.

  Karen

• 34. Ginnie&hellip  |  May 20th, 2009 at 6:39 pm

  Julie, Im hoping your feeling better. I know it may be hard to hear but I wouldnt dismiss the cat allergy right away. We had dogs and cats the whole time we were growing up and not the fancy non-shedding type, regular dogs. This whole time my sister never had a problem until she was about 11 and we moved to a farm and had horses. The hay and the horses triggered a latent allergy/asthma condition that we never new she had. After going through the allergy tests and such it was discovered that she was allergic to the dogs and cats as well (along with many other things) and over the years had built up an immunity to them. She still has these allergies that have gotten worse over the years because she hasnt had any pets in her home since becoming an adult. In fact she just got tested again a few weeks ago because her kids really want a dog and her allergy test immediatly swelled up.
  My point to this long story is maybe the bronchitis you had triggered an allergy you never new you had?

• 35. Nancy D&hellip  |  May 20th, 2009 at 7:40 pm

  I am glad you are feeling better!
  As someone who has dealt with sever allergies for over 45 years I may be able to tell you a few things I have learned from some of the best allergists in the country…
  Think of an allergy attack as a six-shot revolver. It won’t fire until it’s loaded. Most people are allergic to more than one or two things. I have 3 dogs. Normally they don’t bother me. (I am allergic to dander. It’s what causes that “wet dog smell”.) But this time of year add pollen, another “bullet” for the revolver. Spring cleaning… dust, etc. another bullet… soon the revolver is fully loaded and fires. “Bang!”, I am off to the Dr. for a steroid shot to ease the huge whelps of hives that cover my body, the inside of my mouth and lungs.

  I can be a little more cautious and prevent most attacks, but sometimes I can’t avoid it.

  People can develop allergies to things at any time in their life. My brother developed a sudden and near fatal allergy to walnuts in his 40′s, having eaten them all his life. They are the only thing he’s allergic to.

  I hope this helps!

  Nancy

• 36. kimberly&hellip  |  May 20th, 2009 at 9:58 pm

  I submitted an order a while back and i have had the worst experience ever and i will not be back. I feel that i was treated unfair and to place a fairly good order hummmmmmm amazing how the customer is not right and customer service doesnt matter.

  UNHAPPY CUSTOMER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

• 37. Loine Van Pelt&hellip  |  May 20th, 2009 at 11:08 pm

  Hi Julie – everyone else above has said pretty much what I would say, except I want to re-emphasize your comment that we HAVE to be in charge of our own health and our own bodies. The thing to do it to be informed. Google medical sites, find out what the latest research shows, investigate, print off anything appropriate, and take it in to your doctor. If they are the right kind of doctor, when you do so, they will appreciate the fact you have made the effort to be well-informed and they will work with you. Maybe you do and maybe you don’t have an allergy to cats, but you can’t just take someone’s word for it. You are in charge of your body and responsible for it. You stay in that mindset and you are going to be just fine. Thanks for your comments each week – love them. And Kimberly above (#36) is full of hot air – I can’t imagine being upset with your company – I have had nothing but super service and even several ‘friendly’ back and forth emails from the CS staff………don’t let her spoil your day!

• 38. Sharon Kenan&hellip  |  May 20th, 2009 at 11:29 pm

  Julie, so sorry to hear about your illness but glad you are getting better. Respitory illnesses can take a while to recover from. I am blogging from Hawaii–Maui to be exact. A person could recover quite nicely from here–the views are outstanding. We are on the 7th floor of the Marriott Napili Villas, in Kaanapali and I am am in heaven. We’ll be here a month so my scrapbook ordering will have to wait until I return to CA. Take care and hope you are feeling better soon.

• 39. Katelynn&hellip  |  May 21st, 2009 at 7:29 am

  I know this may not be what you want to hear, but it’s very possible that it could be your cat. Our bodies can develop allergies even after being exposed to something for a long time. Ex: I was on my bc for 5 years and after 2 1/2 years I started getting migraines EVERYDAY. It ended up being my BC after trying everything else. That being said, I really hope it’s not your cat – it could just be an infection developing from a cold.

  I do hope you get better as I really enjoy receiving your emails!

  Katelynn

• 40. Veronica Johnson&hellip  |  May 21st, 2009 at 9:55 am

  I am so glad to hear you are better! Scrap Your Trip has opened up my world so much and I think you should know just how important you are….I was diagnosed in 2006 with MS, my whole world is now scrapbooking. I can stimulate my mind and make my fingers work!
  It is such a joy to make art from memories, again, thank you, thank you, thank you!
  Love & prayers your way!

• 41. Joyce Fallier&hellip  |  May 22nd, 2009 at 11:39 am

  I’m glad your feeling better. I’m just starting to feel better. I’ve been sick for a few weeks now. It started as a cold and now it is allergies. I’ve been coughing and coughing. It is my allergies. I’m allergic to ever mold there is and it makes me cough. I’m about sick of it!