World Asthma Day 2019

So today is World Asthma Day and it would be very easy to make a post complaining about the symptoms, the medications, the admissions and all of the disruption it causes to my life and others (sorry mum and dad!). Instead I want to take a moment to think about some of the things I'm grateful for.
Firstly my friends and family (particularly all my long suffering housemates and my parents!). Without you all there to listen to me moan, keep me company during long hospital admissions and prompt me to seek help when I'm being too stubborn I'd have gone mad (or more mad) long ago!
Much as I moan about them and would rattle if you shook me I'm grateful for the incredible medications that just about keep me functioning on a daily basis. Yes, side effects and having to remember them sucks but let's be honest I wouldn't be here without them and medical science is amazing!
Also my incredible asthma team (and all the respiratory and emergency staff) at Leicester, they all know me and my life far too well by now! But they've saved my life too many times to count and I will be forever in awe of the amazing NHS and people who work in it. Plus there is nothing better than a friendly face when you're stuck in hospital!
And finally, in a perverse way I'm kind of grateful for some of the experience as a patient. Its made me far more patient as a person, because my god are hospitals boring places! I'm far less fussy, because lets be honest, the food you get can be pretty mixed quality! And when I finally get back to studying I hope it will make me a much better and more empathetic doctor!
Also insert the usual comment about making sure you take your medication if you're asthmatic and making sure you have an asthma plan!!

 https://www.asthma.org.uk/

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