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← Return to Gardening with Bronch and MAC
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@sueinmn
I was diagnosed with MAC and BE in July '25. I also have always loved to play in the dirt and I have spent alot of time playing tennis on often very dry and dusty clay courts. I had a single bout of pneumonia 15 years ago, otherwise no other lung issues. I started showing symptoms about one year prior to diagnosis. My weight loss, chronic cough along with my love of gardening helped reach the diagnosis relatively quickly. I also had hemoptisis.
I've often wondered how many other MAC gardeners have similar stories.
My IDS doc suggests I am ok to go without a mask while taking the Big 3 (thoughts?) I wear one anyway. I want it to become habit plus it's been so dry and dusty. I like knowing I'm protected.
cissa
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@cissa I must say that whether on antibiotics or not, I am selective about masking. I live in two worlds, 1500 miles apart.
In the South, I probably acquired MAC from the feral chickens in my yard, as well as the migratory birds. Here I mask, even when weeding, for fear of reinfection.
In Minnesota, I mask while mowing and weedzwhacking, where particles fly. Most of the ti e, while weeding and planting, I wet everything before I begin. I now leave the digging, soil dumping and mulching to my younger, stronger assistants.
My ID doc strongly encouraged me to keep gardening, which I have been doing since I was 9 years old 😅.
Also, to avoid bringing the outdoors in, I dump garden clothes in the laundry room, if not right into the washer, and leave shoes outside.