Hot season #2

April and May are not only the hottest months here in the Philippines, but also the driest. The lack of rain causes things to be even dustier and dirtier than usual. Things begin to turn brown and leaves fall off the trees. A common practice here is to burn debris that falls onto yards and streets or even whole sections of grasses, not just in hot season, but all year long. Often the smell of something burning hangs in the air. All of this burning combined with the high levels of pollution causes a high percentage of people to suffer from asthma and breathing related illnesses.This is a common problem among many of our patients. One of the things I have had to learn to use at the clinic is the nebulyser. Inhalers are also a common treatment. I always love hearing Allan and Scott explain in Tagalog how to use the inhaler. The word for puff in Tagalog is boomba. I wonder if people find English words funny sounding when they are learning our language?

In another couple of months, the rains will come, and for a brief moment the air will feel cleaner. Unfortunately, it will rain and rain and rain then everything will begin to grow mold. We've lived through that season though so maybe we will begin to get used to the seasons of the Philippines.