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“It’s quite the party trick to be dancing and next minute busting out a puffer…” 19-year-old Christiane shares her #AsthmaStory
I think it’s safe to say I’ve grown to accept and confidently make the challenge of asthma a part of who I am.
Over the last 19 years, I’ve worked to not allow asthma to ruin my life, but for it to simply become a daily part of its course.
Asthma has been in my life since I was in year two. I got a flare-up from the dust within the Performing Arts room, not thinking anything of the wheezing until three hours later while I was being put into an ambulance straight for the hospital with a bunch of tubes and needles to help me breathe.
Despite this scare, my parents were always supportive of myself and all my siblings. There are five of us, we all have asthma.
Ma and Dad kept us in swimming classes, it helped immensely with our respiratory system and keeping our asthma at bay. I made State for swimming numerous times throughout school, joined physical/sports activities and competitions, absolutely making the most of it. Dancing has been a huge part of my life, for my social and physical well-being. Asthma has tried to stop me, but it never wins!
All throughout my schooling, a Ventolin was always kept on me. Even now through university and work, I always have an inhaler on me just in case I was to break out into an Asthma attack.
The same goes for parties and social festivities, I mean, it is quite the party trick and conversation starter to be dancing and next minute busting out a puffer – the best of parties requires this!
I’m very thankful for how my parents always kept on top of how I was feeling, especially in winter when my lungs – more times than not – would tend to say ‘no’ to activities and that’s when I would fall sick.
As a young adult, I’ve learned to just always have a Ventolin with me, a smile, and just enjoy life. Asthma is not a burden, nor something I want people to pity me for. I still get up and have a try, even when things get beyond difficult. It is so important that I have my asthma spray with me, but it is just as important I get on with life too.
Asthma keeps me humble and grateful. She’s cool!
Asthma Australia would like to thank Christiane for sharing her story on what it is like to be a young adult with asthma. Your story will inspire others to share theirs. Thank you.