[Yes] we are in a time warp here: This is a 1960's asthma nebulizer machine. It belongs to Sky's mother, known around here as the lovely and gracious Queen Mum.
We are in the midst of some asthma drama; our nebulizer machine broke a while ago, now that only 2 of the kids seem to be suffering with asthma and considering their ages, we decided not to get a new one but just rely on inhalers.
[wrong answer] !! You lose a turn.
It seems congress, and California in particular, keep conspiring against us as asthma parents. Not being able to order a reasonably priced nebulizer machine in California is old news to us, been there, done that hassle...but a new law passed against our tried and true albuterol inhalers- and then, Sky's employer changed prescription plans on us. I went to pick up inhalers at the pharmacy and found out that the $6 albuterol inhalers were now $40, and the steroid inhaler was $105.
- Yeah, fun times for mom as she decides how badly her children need to breathe..... {insert sarcastic smiley here}
We made do with two older inhalers I found in the house...yes, it was sad, my kids were sharing inhalers... and then I was telling The Queen Mum about the hassle, and she said, brightly and helpfully..."would you like to borrow my old nebulizer?" and I said "yes!" and she went to go get it. I waited for her to bring it out, fully expecting her to walk out with an early 1990's model, like our first one (1990 was the time I remember her asthma being really bad and she was hospitalized quite often) She walked out, instead with what has to be a 1950's or I'm guessing a 1960's model.
I instantly thought of Sky's dad, who believed in buying the best. I looked doubtfully at the old tubing attached, but was optimistic that the machine itself would outlast any new machine we buy- and I knew Sky could rig up some kind of solution for the tubing. The pressure gauge threw me a bit...
Sky was able to rig up our new tubing and mask. So, why yes, we have kids breathing again at our house! It is really, really, loud. Emma-the-wonder-labradoodle heads to my room when I turn it on. It gets hot, too- so I cannot do back-to-back treatments for the kids on it, but have to let it cool down a bit. I am in constant fear that we will be the ones to finally break the Queen Mum's museum quality machine.
Good news, the Dr. brother found us a nice, newer, quieter, faster used machine...it arrives tomorrow, I hope :)
It's never dull around here for long...