Today in NZ is BALLOON DAY. This day is significant for me for a few reasons. The main one being it is ASTHMA AWARENESS DAY. 1 in 4 kiwi kids cannot blow up a balloon due to asthma is alarming. Many people struggle with varying forms of asthma being it weather induced, exercise induced or even food induced. Mine was a huge mixture of all. For roughly 25+ years I have struggled with extreme asthma. But I say it wasnt as bad as it couldve been. As a kid trips to the ER each night for nebuliser treatment was normal according to my family. As I grew these became less frequent and it was managed by high dose inhalers. Everyday was a battle, one moment I could breathe, one moment I couldnt. But I learnt to deal with it and accept it and eventually (after 15 years) knew what triggered it. Rain was one, dairy products, anything diet with fake sugar was a HORRIBLE trigger but the main culprit was lack of exercise. One side effect of asthma meds is increased heart rate so bouncing off the walls was normal also. I grew up dancing 7 days a week then aerobics took over. But my rest day could never be a rest as keep still triggered the most severe coughs and wheezing. This made travel on planes almost impossible. The best thing I have ever done and most people who have done the same will agree is … move out of Auckland or NZ. Being in Japan for as long as I was helped a lot and asthma became a lot easier to manage. (not in rainy seasons) But since I have moved to Hanoi - not the most cleanest greenest environment as in NZ, and cold turkey off my meds (new anti-doping laws) I have been the best I have ever been in terms of asthma. Until I return to NZ and its back to the doctor for inhalers literally within hours of arriving! For me living with asthma was normal. For the average person without it is FAR from normal. Now I am a lot better and not relying on countless steroids to stay well I am shocked at myself at how I survived and even became World Champion with the function of 1 lung! Being out of NZ currently I am unable to support Balloon Day and I ask any NZders to spare a gold coin or share in the Balloon Day activities around town to help with the research and awareness of asthma. The asthma foundation receives no government funding so every bit helps!
Posted on: Sun, 19 Oct 2014 00:21:46 +0000
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