The holiday season always feels special. We get so busy with preparations, gatherings, shopping, all while trying to keep up with normal daily activities. It can be exhausting, even stressful. But somehow, the holidays from Thanksgiving all the way through to the New Year always fill me with gratitude. My husband, Bruce, and I have had a busy year. From his trip out west last holiday season to witness the
Chronic lung diseases like asthma and COPD affect an estimated 50 million Americans. Temporary breathing problems caused by respiratory infections are also common, especially during winter months. Inhaled medications can be effective treatments for all of them. Some inhaled medications are used regularly to decrease inflammation and keep airways open, preventing severe breathing problems that may lead to hospitalization. Others effectively open airways quickly when shortness of breath becomes severe. But
It’s the annual open enrollment season for Medicare once again! Open enrollment started Tuesday, October 15th and runs through December 7th. If you’re a Medicare beneficiary, you have the opportunity now to review your current coverage and consider other options. Any changes you make will be effective January 1, 2025, and if you do nothing your current coverage will remain in place. Although you may be eligible to change both your
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) has been around for a long time. It’s well known that RSV can cause serious respiratory illness in older adults and newborn infants. So why are we suddenly, after all these years, being told we should consider an RSV vaccine? I know there are a lot of questions out there, so I’ll do my best to clear some things up. Three new RSV vaccines since May,