She can Breathe Again.

A year and a half ago, Cookie would come inside from playing wheezing and gasping for air. She couldn't breathe. I had no idea what was going on or how to help her. It was scary and as her mother, I felt helpless. Soon after that, she was diagnosed with Asthma and we were thrust into a world of inhalers, albuterol, peek flow meters and medicine. It was all encompassing and so overwhelming since I had no one in my family that had asthma. Watching my daughter suffer and not being able to breathe prior to her diagnosis, cause me to determine that "I would not let asthma ruin her life!" So we continued allowing her to participate in Karate and other activities and just monitored her breathing. Over the course of the year I armed myself with knowledge about pediatric asthma and read and read as much as I could about it from trusted sources. And even though it was inconvenient at times, I made sure she took her controller medicine and gave her her rescue inhaler when she needed it. I have to say during her last doctor's visit, her doctor indicated that she has recovered a lot of her lung function and her lungs have improved since this time last year. So I encourage you to take your medicine, even if it appears as though your asthma is under control and you no longer need it-until you get confirmation from your doctor that it is no longer necessary. Cookie also decided after her diagnoses, that she wanted to participate in a walk-a-thon. We then went on a letter writing campaign to friends and family to raise donations. We even had a few lemonade stands this summer to help raise money. It is such an honor and privilege to partner with the American Lung Association to raise community awareness and funds to help Cookie and so many others like her fight lung disease one breath at a time.