Piff Puff

When I was given an Salbutamol “reliever” inhaler I quite enjoyed it. I take a puff before I ride up a big hill or if breathing gets difficult and it makes it a bit easier. It has a nostalgic appeal, reminding me of when I was a given a inhaler as a child, when running around in a frosty playground or, for some reason, strong orange squash used to start me coughing so badly I would see the veins in my retina as vivid multicoloured lightning across my vision. A “reliever” inhaler is a marvellous kind of medicine that can make you feel better in seconds or minutes, so effective at opening the lungs that it is a banned substance for professional cyclists. What is more, my “reliever” inhaler is the traditional colour of the classic italian racing bikes made by Bianchi. (Legend has it that Bianchi celeste was the result of the bicycle company buying up a lot of military surplus paint after the first world war and mixing it all together).

I have got quite attached to my performance enhancing Bianchi inhaler but my wife has always regarded asthma as being a sign of physical and moral weakness so I was somewhat reluctant to fully embrace my asthma diagnosis. However this week I went back to the doctor and he took measured my “peak flow” (how quickly you can breathe out) at 440 l/min which was a small improvement but puts me on the “normal” line for an 85 year old man. My asthma is mild and I very rarely have what would be describe as an asthma attack but while I had expected this blog to be about the restoration of an 80 year old bike, now I find I have a set of vintage lungs to match.

The management of Asthma seems to have moved in the last 20 years and even people who have very mild symptoms like mine are recommended to take medication regularly to prevent the lungs getting damaged. The doctor has gave me a much less fun “preventer” inhaler that is the colour of a Austin Maestro and can give you a fungal mouth infection and which I am supposed to take day and night.