I was so embarrassed about my inhaler when I was younger. I would sit quietly in class if I couldn’t breathe and refuse to take it in front of people. I could never run the mile or participate in high intensity games in gym. I also needed my inhaler if I ever laughed too hard, and that was really embarrassing.
Michelle, 22
Out sick so many times I had to stay back a year
When I was younger I had to have a nebulizer machine when I was at school, and I had to take medication after lunch on a daily basis. So that affected me while I was in school. It also affected me when I was in kindergarten, because I was out sick with my asthma so many times, I didn’t get the education that I needed so I had to stay back a year. Also, when I was in kindergarten, because my asthma was so unstable, the doctors were testing me on a new medication that made me hyper. I also developed a learning disability at the time, so I had to go through testing.
When I was in 1st grade, 2nd grade, and 3rd grade up until my sophomore year in high school I was always in a resource program; I would have a tutor and someone would help me because I was behind in my reading and comprehension.
Bridget, 26