Heather Bishop
November 2nd, 2007
The ability to breathe is a bodily function that most often is taken for granted because it comes so naturally to most. But this is not the case for me and never really has been. I was diagnosed with asthma at a young age, and very early on, I understood all too well the gift that is given in each breath I take. As I said, I’ve been living with asthma for many years now, and I’ve usually been able to keep it under control by using an inhaler twice a day. It was not until I had children that I realized the importance of controlling it. There have been periods in my life where I’ve had to go without my normal inhaler, and I’ve seen the negative effects.
The effects of my medicine seem simple, but they are incredibly important. Frankly, without my medicine, I can’t be outside. Allergies can trigger my attacks, but it isn’t necessarily safer to be inside either. Normal dust inside a house can also trigger an attack. If I don’t take my medicine, I could end up in a hospital getting a breathing treatment or a shot to relax my lungs.Without my medicine, I wouldn’t be able to fulfill my most important job: being the mom I want to be or the mom my children need. Kids – especially those at age six, three and one like mine – cannot be cooped up inside a house and thankfully, with my inhaler to control my asthma, they don’t have to be. I don’t have to worry about taking my kids outside to play in the park. We just go. I don’t have to worry about the pollen count that day or who would take care of my kids if I suddenly had an attack. I can live without worry when I have the medication to conquer the limitations of my condition, and that is a blessing beyond words. .
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