THE EDITOR, Sir:
LIVING WITH an asthmatic child means learning quickly how to manage his condition to reduce the number of attacks. This entails, among other things, learning what the triggers are and doing your best to avoid them.
It was the management of my son's asthma foremost in my mind that led me to make several calls to the Ministry of Health in September 2003 to discuss the ad hoc spraying of mosquitoes in the Mona area an event that had sent us three times previously to the emergency room with our then five-year-old son.
I decided I could not live in constant fear of one of these attacks being fatal, or the dangers of using too often the steroid which brings his severe wheezing under control. I decided to track down the person responsible for spraying and pick their brain about how we could be forewarned in order to remove my son from the area when a spraying is scheduled.
I eventually spoke with Dr. Karen Webster and followed up with a long letter stating my plight and reached an agreement that we both recognised was not a viable solution to the problem, but it was the only way she thought we could deal with the issue. They agreed to keep a record of our telephone numbers and call us when a spraying was scheduled.
NOT FEASIBLE SOLUTION
I knew in my heart at the time, it was a foolish panacea that there was no way a personal approach such as that could be the solution. In my own mind, if maintenance work undertaken by the state puts some of its citizens at risk, then a broader solution must be found.
But I was eager for any solution and since my approach to the ministry was really a desperate plea, I did not drive home the point that what was suggested was not feasible.
Well I honestly don't know what happened with the spraying of mosquitoes since that date, but we were never unfortunate enough to have the need to desperately evacuate our son or remedy an attack following that letter.
Well, that was until yesterday (February 7) when my 13-year-old called me at work sometime after 6:00 p.m. in desperation 'Mommy, they're spraying, we've taken Jon-Michael into your room and locked up, what else do we need to do'?
Bless her heart, I gave her instructions, but not surprisingly in two hours time, he was wheezing uncontrollably and it was time for another night-time trip to the doctor.
Following one session on the nebulizer at the doctor's office and three more sessions at home without positive results, we gave up at 2:00 a.m. and reached for the steroid.
PREPARING RESIDENTS
I do not know if we are the only ones with this problem, but even if we're not, it's no comfort. I must again ask the Ministry of Health, is there any way we can be advised about the spraying of mosquitoes before it takes place?
Can a schedule be published in the newspaper? Can the old-time town criers drive through the area prior to spraying? This is the age of real time communication there must be a way to prepare residents.
I cannot sacrifice my son to this relatively simple problem. Does anyone have any
suggestions?
I am, etc.,
DESPERATE
MONA RESIDENT
