Ramblings on...inherited asthma

    Back in the '60s there were no inhalers...

    Every school holiday I spent a week or so immobile. Asthma! Living in a "kampung" didn't help either. No water, electricity or phones. Certainly no Clinics private or public.

    A few vivid images came to mind for medication purposes.

    "Minyak bubut" (ointment consisting of a dead bird - butbut - ground up with oil) was one. My grandmother literally bathed me in it. By the way, this ointment was also for aches, pains, broken bones, slipped discs...a miracle cure for all. No, I am not knocking it but I don't see the logic for one ointment to cure all. It gave some form of relief though. Probably from the tender loving care as well.

    Next was Vicks vapour rub (Antioxidant and antimutagenic activity of mannan neoglycoconjugates: Mannan-human serum albumine and mannan-penicillin G acylase [An article from: Mut.Res.-Genetic ... Toxicology and Environmental Mutagenesis]). It was smothered all over. I was even told to drink it.

    Hacks and Hudsons were our staple diet. It helps cos you feel a slight relief when the menthol goes into your lungs. We bought in tubs. Of course the shopkeepers at first thought we were selling these off. If you are wondering whether I still have all of my chompers, I will admit that I have all except four. So...sweets then were ok?

    As preventative measures we were to stay away from anything "cold" - fruits of all sorts except durian (these days doctors recommend that we stay away from these Kings), vegetables like cucumber and all types of "choi", and glutinous rice. Off course no ice or ice cream. That is easy cos we don't have electricity.

    Interim measures were regimented. I had exotic dried meat: tiger, camel, mouse deer... Another was boiled pigeons as soups. Of course many concoctions of unheard of roots and leaves. One which sticks to mind was raw egg yolk mixed with ghee to be gulped whole.

    These didn't help much.

    Then came penicillin. When we could afford it, we would go to Jalan Sisi and get a jab. After the jab, I would lay unconscious for a while. Nobody knew then, until I was 14, that I was allergic to it when I was first hospitalised for Asthma

    In the late 80s I learnt of ventolin inhaler (AeroChamber Plus Valved Holding Chamber / VHC with FlowSignal Whistle.) The miracle drug. Side effects were not an issue until later in life when my eldest son developed "essential tremors" or the shakes. Me? Nope.

    All of my kids are on this miracle cure until today. Of course we have been in an out of hospitals until they termed us as professional patients. At least one of mine were billeted in either Bristol, Mekkah or Islamabad. Columbia Asia and Puteri Specialist Hospitals in JB (Hospitals In Malaysia, including: List Of Hospitals In Malaysia, Penang Adventist Hospital, Sultan Ismail Specialist Hospital, Hospital Tengku Ampuan ... Sultan Abdul Halim Hospital, Columbia Asia)are our second home.

    My kids and I are asthmatic since it is, unfortunately, inherited.

    Such is destiny...

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