AsthmaPersonal stories: Faces of asthma
Faces of Asthma - Allison
My name is Allison and I live just outside of Fredericton, New Brunswick with my wonderful husband Jason, and our sons, Eric and Keegan. I work at the Dr. Everett Chalmers Hospital as the Asthma Clinic Coordinator and Educator.
In addition to working with people with asthma, I too have been "blessed" with the disease. "Blessed" you say? Let me explain. I was diagnosed with asthma when I was three years old. At that time, I didn't feel it was a blessing as I was unable to participate in activities with my friends and spent far too much time in a hospital room... but that view changed as I got older. The more I understood my asthma, the less afraid I was. The more educated I became, the less control it had on my life. It amazes me that by following an action plan and avoiding my triggers, I can now do many of the things I want to do. I can go for a walk with my husband and play basketball or fly kites with my children. Of course, I have to avoid people who are smoking or animals, but, to me, that's a small price to pay!
The best part of my job is helping patients with asthma realize that the same quality of life is within their reach. Hope is a powerful thing. Asthma has helped me understand what my patients are feeling and, I think, makes what I say carry more emphasis. Definitely, asthma has been a blessing for me!
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