Today is world asthma day, the 7th of May. When diplomats met to form the United Nations (UN) in 1945, one of the things they discussed was setting up a global health organization: World Health Organization (WHO). WHO’s Constitution came into force on 7th April 1948 – a date celebrated every year as World Health Day. Understanding the history of health, especially during the last 60 years, helps the global public health community to respond to the challenges of today to shape a healthier future for everyone.

WHO recognizes that asthma is of major public health importance. According to WHO estimates, 235 million people suffer from asthma globally. Although asthma cannot be cured, appropriate management can control the disorder. The fundamental causes of asthma are not completely understood. The strongest risk factors for developing asthma are a combination of genetic predisposition with environmental exposure.

Asthma is a chronic breathing disorder characterized by recurrent attacks of breathlessness and wheezing. An asthma attack can be triggered by various inhaled agents including:

• indoor allergens (for example house dust mites in bedding, carpets and stuffed furniture, pollution and pet dander);
• outdoor allergens (such as pollens and moulds);
• tobacco smoke; and
• chemical irritants in the workplace

Other triggers can include cold air, extreme emotional arousal such as anger or fear, and physical exercise.

Management of asthma. Although asthma cannot be cured, appropriate management can control the disease and enable people to enjoy good quality of life. Daily pharmacologic treatment includes the use of inhaled corticosteroids, long-acting bronchodilators (beta-agonists and anticholinergics), theophylline and leukotriene modifiers. It should be noted that a strong, healthy body is one of your best defenses against disease.

Interestingly, exercice can induce asthma (bronchoconstriction) with symptoms such as coughing, chest tightness, shortness of breath. However, a proper warm up before exercise, and also to take medicine before prevents exercise-induced asthma.

To summerize, asthma is common and can be controlled by pharmacological treatment and also to learn what triggers astma attacks. I hope you have learnt some about astma on this day of recognition. Sharing a picture I found on WHO´s website. I will write more about allergy later since it really is a lot of pollen in the air right now.

Since it takes time to return to my ordinary life, I do a lot of exercise. I miss my mother and I cannot help that. It is only time that can heal, and also training. Maybe it is only me feeling this way, but these are my feelings facing a loss of a family member. To continue life I focus on exercise. I have started to run a little but my time per kilometer is lousy. So, to raise my motivation I decided to participate in “blodomloppet” in about a month from now. My favourite is Hässelbyloppet but that is usually in October. I know I get a lot of energy from these kind of events, so please join!

It takes time to find harmony again. To think of the past. To think of the future. And to find a balance today here and now. Old memories need to unite with future memories to be. I have a day off and today I am lazy and rest at home. Soon I will go running. Not so fast, but enough so I will increase the pulse and let my heart work. Later this afternoon I will see a friend from Uppsala during university studies. I have always been interested in international relations and that is how we met. We were both active in the international student organizations for pharmacy students.

It is difficult to be happy, but I try to cheer myself up. It is better to be happy than sad. But loosing a family member is very emotional. Sharing this photo, and I hope it will spread some joy this Friday.

First of May. A little rainy in Stockholm. I have a day off and I have been doing some exercise this evening. When big life changes occurs it is good to have routines. Training has helped me a lot during this time. I miss my mother and I think of her every day. I suppose that is why I do a lot of cooking these days. She actually went to school to learn how to take care of a home. The other day, I learnt that there still are these kind of schools in Germany. I don’t know if they exist in Sweden any longer. This evening I will make some pasties. I remember that I made them once when I was little. Childhood memories returns.

My mother had a graceful and simple funeral. It feels good to remember that very sad day as a beautiful memory. It was very strange the day after her funeral, because I felt very strongly that she needed a candle (lantern) on her grave. So she wouldn’t be alone. A friend of mine told me that it is a tradition to have a candle 40 days after the funeral according to the Orthodox church. To help the spirit of the person who has passed away to find the way to the new home. There is definitely something about the holy spirit. When I told my father this, he sad “No Anna, we don’t belong to the Orthodox church, we are Protestants”.

I am not religous, but since I am grown up in the countryside the church is rather important. I like traditions, but not more than that. I show respect to every kind of religion and I think it is important with traditions. Soon I hope my inspiration to write will return. The latests months have been tough.

I wish this day would have been 48 hours. Time has disappeared, and so has my mother. Passed from time. A day totally devoted to my mother. Writing has become a part of my life. I thought I should not write at first, but then, it is good to share my thoughts, and also to share the memory of my mother. My sweetie could not attend the funeral, but early this morning we found some thimbleweed and we made my mother a bouquet of flowers. We said goodbye to my mother before the funeral when the car came to our house. My mother has always had dogs so it was a beautiful moment when we put the flowers on her coffin. And very sad.

My father sang “Panis Angelicus” for my mother. I wish to thank everybody who attended the funeral today, and I hope that we can keep a good memory of my mother. I miss her dearly. It will be empty.

I am not doing much since my thoughts are with my mother. Mostly I remember her cooking and bakery. I try to remember good things, and I need these days to continue life. It is important to slow down for a moment and reflect. In a few days I will go to the countryside for my mothers funeral. I suppose spring has already arrived, so I share this photo from the past with wood anemones. From the buttercup family – Ranunculaceae.