My Severe Asthma Made Me Afraid to Live

As told to Erica RimlingerI was 19 years old when my first asthma symptoms appeared, but I didn’t know that’s what they were. I thought I just couldn’t get rid of a bad cold. I had a cough that kept me from laughing during the day and sleeping during the night. I felt tightness in my chest and shortness of breath, and I was wheezing.I was a healthy kid growing up, but my dad and my brother both had asthma. As children, we didn’t find it scary because we didn’t know how dangerous asthma was. As an adult, I knew what was going on, and I panicked because I couldn’t breathe. I would end up in the ER a few times per year and was admitted to the hospital for symptoms at least once a year. Each time, I was prescribed a steroid called prednisone. I took it and thought it was great. I could breathe. I’d take it for a while, then stop when I was supposed to.The problem was my symptoms never stayed away for long. I found an allergist, only to have them give me prednisone again. I tried half a dozen inhalers, at least, and any new treatment I was offered. I was always willing to try anything that would help. Sometimes the medications would hold back my symptoms for a short time, but I always e...