Personal Narrative: Asthma Attacks

All of a sudden my lungs began to tighten and my legs started to shake. I stop to catch my breath but couldn’t; at that moment I knew I was having an asthma attack. This event happened on a warm sunny day in 6th grade, at Pronghorn elementary school. On that day I learned many lessons, but none as important as what my body’s limitations are. My Wellness teacher took us outside to the soccer field between the playground and a distal row of trees that the school called “The forest gardens”. I could see the grass was still wet from this morning rain and a worn path around the soccer field. My teacher told us to run 7 laps( which is equal to 1 mile) and “NO walking or you will have to do it over!”. “Go”; she said firmly. All the students dashed

I started to get cramps in my sides. Than my lungs began to tighten. It felt like the air was being squeezed out of me. I stopped at the 6 and a half lap mark; It was hard even to stand now. Hands on my knees and gasping for air; but little to no success. I could no longer stand and I fell in my knee. I ask the teacher if could go to the nurse. She said “yes but when you return you have to do the lap over and you must run not jog. And Nicole, this better not happen again.” I summon all of my remaining strength and walk to the door. When I reach the nurse’s office I sat down on a cot cover with grey leather. The nurse handed me my inhaler, I took a couple pouffs. She told me that my wellness teacher thinks kids these days don’t get enough discipline and exercise. She hates the idea of sending kids to the nurse because she thinks it’s an excuse to get out of exercising. I told her that I thought she was more like an army sergeant then a teacher. “She is sort of like that isnt she.” said the nurse. Than the bell ring, meaning it was time to go back to home room. That day I learn my lungs limits and not to push them. Because of that day I no longer run unless absolutely necessary. In other words no running equal less chance of getting an asthma