During an asthma attack, the airways become swollen and inflamed. The muscles around the airways contract and the airways produce extra mucus, causing the breathing (bronchial) tubes to narrow. MAYO CLINAC Website

Prednisone is a glucocorticoid medication mostly used to suppress the immune system and decrease inflammation. Wikipedia. 

Corticosteroids, often known as steroids, are an anti-inflammatory medicine. NHS inform.

I got up the Wednesday morning before Christmas, and I could hardly breathe, gasping for air like a beached fish, feeling like I was drowning. It was scary, and it only got a little better as the day went on. On Thursday, the cycle repeated itself. For a week. I didn’t think I would die, but I was miserable, gasping for air all through Christmas. Not feeling good enough – but not feely bad enough either, a sweet spot, I guess, with constant high-grade misery – to Google the problem.

I think I sort of reverted to an eight year old wanting Mommy to fix it. Curling up and sleeping most of the day, waiting. And she did, sort of. Tuesday, my pulmonologist was back from Christmas Holiday and, among other things, she prescribed a blast – well, 4 teeny, tiny pills, but it felt like a blast when I woke up this morning – of Prednisone. So, while I don’t feel great, I feel much better and I didn’t feel great a month ago when I started Pulmonary Rehab. I guess it is most accurate to say I feel comparatively great.

I feel more New Yeary than Christmasy. Still, I grew up with the Holiday this time of year as Christmas, with Merry Christmas! as the universal greeting. Whether you are a Pagan celebrating Solstice, Jewish celebrating Hanukkah, a Buddhist celebrating a late Bodhi Day, or somebody like me just celebrating the secular holiday, I hope you have a very Merry Christmas.

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