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Beating Asthma

by Shelley White

It began when I was five years old
Tucked up in bed at night
I had a cough, I couldn't breathe,
It gave me such a fright.

My mum came rushing up the stairs
Cried 'What's the matter son?'
I couldn't find the breath to speak
My chest it weighed a ton.

Next night it was the same again
Despite some cough medicine
No breath, no voice, no strength-just fear
My head began to swim.

The doctor said 'A wheezy chest
Is quite a common problem
But don't despair, you'll be all right
By following this system.

I know your asthma is no fun
But drugs help make it better.
Just remember be careful to
Follow instructions to the letter.'

Inhalers treat most people
Of brands there's quite a few
But the most usual types
Are coloured brown and blue.

Brown inhaler for prevention
Used morning and at night
Stopped attacks of breathlessness
Once I learned to take it right.

The secret's take a deep breath in
While pressing the inhaler
Or else it may not do its job
And it could be a failure.

Blue inhaler for relieving
Was taken as and when-
Before I started doing sport
Or exercising in the gym.

From time to time at night
My wheezing would get worse
This proved to be a sign
To see the practice nurse.

'We may need to up your dosage
So take a breath and blow
Into this special meter
That measures your peak-flow.'

So now I take a little more
They've got the balance right
No longer need I worry
Cos Sports' Day is in sight!

When I get a cold or cough
Or at hay fever time
I just take my inhaler
And then I will be fine.

The other thing I need to do
In October or November
Is get a flu jab from the nurse
To ward off influenza.

Asthma doesn't mean to say
You'll be the odd one out-
You still can run and jump
You still can sing and shout.

Asthma doesn't mean to say
You can't win admiration-
You just have to remember
To take your medication.

So don't be sad- be special-
You can stand out from the crowd.
Play football, swim or learn to dance
Or play your trumpet loud!









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PS - Health and Poverty

Perhaps the biggest cause of ill health in the world is poverty. Help to Make Poverty History. For example, why not lend some of your money to disadvantaged communities to enable them to trade their way out of poverty through schemes such as Shared Interest.

See also MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY North East for details and links to campaigns against poverty.

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