About Me

I’m Amy Anaruk, a non-asthmatic freelance writer parenting two elementary-age daughters, one with the lung disorder that takes and just keeps on taking.

There are worse things my child could have and at age nine she is in good health, but pediatric asthma often seems overwhelming. I think the prevalence of asthma in children can detract from the heartache it causes, and I think too many asthma parents don’t get the information they need.

I’m an ordinary woman, raising a child with a rather (unfortunately) ordinary problem, and like most people I have my good days and bad days. While I am sometimes calm and Zen-like about my kid’s asthma (although not usually), I am also sometimes wildly opinionated and angry about it. You never really know what you’re going to find here at the Blog of Inferior Breathing. I try to strike a healthy balance in the middle.

Usually.

About My Daughter

She’s nine and has moderate persistent asthma, meaning that without her maintenance plan she would flare every day, probably several times a day. Luckily, she responds very, very well to inhaled corticosteroids, and life is relatively normal.

It wasn’t always. She was diagnosed at age two and spent the next 3.5 years flaring severely and frequenting the ER. We didn’t attain full control of her asthma until after her fifth birthday, and then the digestive issues started. Doctors couldn’t resolve those for awhile, either, all of which probably explains my continued inability to sleep well at night.

Other, more experienced asthma parents helped educate me about asthma through messageboards and websites, and they’re one of the reasons why I maintain this site.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are you a doctor or nurse?
No, I have no medical degree or certification. I do hold a B.A. in English, and that means I read and write. A lot.

Do you do anything else for asthma?
I was a team leader for the American Lung Association’s Asthma Walk fundraiser for two years (though not the last two).

Also, I used to volunteer as the asthma editor at BellaOnline.com. I left that site to spend more time on this one.

Do you write this blog for a living?
HA. I wish!
Although I do freelance, Asthma Mom is a pet project.

Does that mean you’re open to more work?
Sure. I’m always open to new projects–I don’t know a freelancer who isn’t.

How do I contact you?
Just use the *Contact* tab to email me.

Why do you maintain this blog if you’re not making any money off it?
Partly because my daughter’s struggle with asthma when she was younger made me sort of question my sanity, if by *sort of* you read *all the time.* And I can’t afford therapy.

Partly because if I keep talking about bronchospasms, inhalers, and nasal washes to my friends and family all the time the way I used to, they’re going to start hating me.

Partly because back when she had breathing problems all the time, I don’t feel like I got much help from some of her doctors. The CDC’s current asthma statistics are for 2005, and in that year 6.5 million U.S. children had asthma.

That’s 8.9%.

With so many children–and their parents–fighting and living with this disease, I support all efforts to increase awareness and knowledge. The more resources out there, the easier they are for parents to find.

I have more questions! What can I do?
1. Email me. I always respond, although not always quickly, and if I don’t have the answer you need, I’ll help you find it or point to someone who can.

2. Check out the links on my sidebar. There are plenty of extensive asthma resources listed there, including reputable pulmonary websites.

This Blog’s Lingo

Unsure what some of the abbreviations, pseudonyms, and acronyms on this site mean? Here’s an ever-expanding primer. Some are Internet, U.S. or medical standards, and others are entirely my own creation.

Asthma Girl
This is what I call my daughter in the interest of Internet privacy. I don’t mean it as an insult or to imply that this disease defines her. It does not. She has many, many other distinguishing personality traits, and the pseudonym merely stems from the name of this blog. She’s 9 years-old.
Often abbreviated as AG.

The Blog of Inferior Breathing
My affectionate name for this thing I’ve embarked on. Again, I don’t mean the term as an insult. Making light of this very serious disease is a way to deal with it. Plus, it amuses me.

LABA
Long-acting beta-agonist.

Midline
What I call the fine balance between stifling overprotection and neglect, as it pertains to my daughter’s asthma. I haven’t found the midline yet, or rather, I find it all the time but its position changes.

OTC
Over the counter, as in medications.

For Non-U.S. Readers

AAFA
Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America

ALA
American Lung Association

CDC
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

ER
Emergency room. Wikipedia tells me Australia uses ED for *emergency department,* and that New Zealand, the U.K., Hong Kong, Singapore, and Ireland use A&E for *accident and emergency.*

FDA
United States Food and Drug Administration. The government agency that regulates this country’s pharmaceuticals, among other products.