Air and showers...

[susandennis]

Last night, I had a long think about air and my feelings about it. I decided that I was just being silly. I haven't even been outside in days. Lots of people come and go and are doing fine. I just need to get over myself. I decided to give it a test run today. Maybe even go run my errands regardless of the air quality.

And, then I slept on it. And today, I'm back to wimp. The phone app says the air quality right now is way worse than yesterday. 19 with 100 being excellent. The official Washington air map says it's not that bad, only 'unhealthy for sensitive groups'.

I'm actually worried about two things, and they are only a little related. And both solidly in the melodramatic pool.

1. Breathing bad air could bring on a COPD exacerbation which is a multisylabic description for several days/weeks of not being able to breath well at all and just mainly feeling like crap and wondering if my lungs are strong enough to get better this time.

2. And, honestly, this is the real reason. I'm afraid of embarrassing myself. Breathing in bad stuff can cause a coughing attack which is horrible and gross. I sound like I am gagging and going to die. If I was near someone coughing like that, I'd call 911 immediately. If this happened in a store or around anyone, I'd be nearly terminally embarrassed.

At my age and station in life, I do not need to prove anything. I can afford mentally, financially and emotionally to be as wimpy as I want. If I had to go out. If it were house cleaner day, for instance. I would. I'd strap on an N-95 mask and go kill an hour or more at Costco or somewhere. But, I don't have to go anywhere. So I'm not going to. So there.

In funny and fabulous news...

Yesterday afternoon, I got an email from Christian (the designer in charge of my bathtub to walk in shower project). Christian usually emails from his iphone and his notes are pithy. (Pithy and on point, always.)

Yesterday's carried the subject line of "WTF" and said:

Just left a rather pointed 3rd message for Cindy. So far, not impressed with customer service. [Cindy is the Bathfitter sales person. His first two emails, one Friday and one Tuesday, had gone unanswered.]

Then last night, I got a follow on which made me Laugh Out Loud.

Well the tenor and tone of my message got her attention.


He went on to say that my materials should be in on Monday and they will then schedule installation. "According to her, it should happen within a week."

Yahooooo!!!!!

So today I will be inside all day just conjuring up images of my new shower and breathing comfortably or at least where no one can share if I start to cough!

We have no baseball today so I'll go digging around my streamers for junk to watch while I work on my crochet. All will be fine.

Comments

[bill-schubert.livejournal.com]

I just looked at the Seattle pages and, yeah, that sucks. You could get out if you had to but it looks like a good time to keep safer. I think you logic is sound.

[susandennis]

Thanks. I appreciate the validation. I really did spent way too much time debating.

[annabelle50.livejournal.com]

"Well the tenor and tone of my message got her attention." Made me laugh too!

[susandennis]

I almost feel sorry for her!

[maju01.livejournal.com]

I don't think your #1 sounds melodramatic at all.

Here's hoping your shower will be done soon!

[mairi-dubh.livejournal.com]

Being able versus unable to breathe isn't what I'd call melodramatic. Being unable to breathe, or at least to breathe sufficiently, is A Very Big Deal.
Points #1 and #2 are valid concerns. Well, point #1, anyway.
Regarding point #2, it's very considerate of you, actually, very kind not to be doing all the hacking and coughing and gagging out in public: I've seen it happen, whatever its trigger or cause, and grossness aside, people worry for the one doing the coughing, hacking and gagging. As you say, the impulse is to grab a phone and call 911 immediately. They also tend to want to be more immediately helpful and you can find yourself being hit so hard between the shoulder blades as to have the breath you are able to manage knocked out of you.

"At my age and station in life, I do not need to prove anything. I can afford mentally, financially and emotionally to be as wimpy as I want. If I had to go out. If it were house cleaner day, for instance. I would. I'd strap on an N-95 mask and go kill an hour or more at Costco or somewhere. But, I don't have to go anywhere. So I'm not going to. So there."

There are times when being as wimpy as one wishes to be is the prudent and considerate course to follow.


Good on ye, lass!

[rsc.livejournal.com]

Also, these days lots of coughing in public is likely to scare people.

[susandennis]

VERY EXCELLENT POINT

[mairi-dubh.livejournal.com]

Even during better days however long ago, lots of coughing is likely to scare people. And, of course, it's scarier today. As I said, staying in and not triggering a coughing fit and avoiding throwing several kinds of scare into people is the kindly, considerate and prudent thing to do.

[lostincandyrain.livejournal.com]

We aren't going outside today either, (until this evening maybe, if things clear up, but so far, when we've checked by cracking a window, it hasn't been clearing up,) so you're no more wimpy than we are!

[richaarde.livejournal.com]

Your logic is reasonable. In your situation, with bad lungs and bad air and nowhere you needed to be, I would stay home too.