Its just Asthma!!!!

I thought it appropriate to write this experience down and share it. It happened before Christmas but it has played on my mind for a while.

I was playing in a football match and am right wing. The first half I was running down the wing that our supporters manager and coach etc were on. This was all fine. In the second half we switched sides and I had to run the wing with the away teams supporters and managers etc. My team know I have asthma, how quick it goes off and what sets it off. Well I was running for the ball by the other teams group of coaches and they were all smoking I pulled up gasping for breath. It was like someone had shut a door to my lungs. They just wouldn't let air out or in. My team captain came over and helped me but she over heard there group of managers saying "its just asthma why do we have to stop the game" they started laughing and saying i was time wasting. Well my captain nearly flipped at them and a fight nearly broke out. My captain has seen me with my worst attacks so she knows that I don't stop for no reason.

I was told this story after I felt better and I could not believe that they said its just asthma. As sports people they should realise how life threatening asthma can be. I would also have thought that as Managers they would have more respect than to smoke on the sidelines of a football pitch.

I know I have often been wheezing and when people have asked me if I'm OK I have shrugged it off as just asthma but I am the sufferer so know how I feel.

When they said "its just asthma" it has really struck a nerve and made me really annoyed. We now tell the ref that people are not allowed to smoke on the sidelines. however some still do I just spend my time running away from them.

Maybe it is "just asthma" but I never time waste!!!