Wildfire season has started, which is distressing news for families, such as mine, with a history of asthma.
During the winter, I worry about asthma due to the dry, cold air that can lead to irritated airways, making breathing difficult. In the spring, the pollen in the air can cause wheezing, coughing, and shortness of breath. Autumn also concerns me since the cold air may not suit my lungs, and ragweed pollen is abundant. However, my primary dread is for the summer.
Last year, Canada's wildfires produced thick, dark smoke that spread over the United States, reaching as far as New York City. This smog blanketed many locations from Florida to New York. Fortunately, my family didn't get sick. This year, Canadian fires are again creating extreme heat and causing evacuations. Minnesota and Wisconsin advised people to stay indoors due to smoke from the fires. The situation was worse in May, when we still had spring temperatures. The harm this smog can cause for people with asthma is alarming.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 25 million Americans have asthma. As someone with this condition, the prospect of similar smog and fires happening again is frightening. Additionally, my mother's story connects Canada, asthma, and my family in an unexpected way. She lived in Canada for many years before moving to England and then the United States. As a single mother, she moved to Quebec, raising me and my siblings alone. She decided that the United States would be a better place to raise her family because of the larger, more diverse community.
Yet, soon after moving, she developed asthma. The reason might have been stress, environmental issues, genetics, or a combination of factors. It was around when I was ten years old when I began noticing the signs of her illness. At this age, I understood that the medication needed for her asthma was costly. We often struggled to pay for her necessary prescriptions. Her asthma episodes were stressful for her. It's possible that these undetreated episodes may have caused long-term damage that took her life.
Although she didn't often admit she was unwell, I could recognize her symptoms. When she was short of breath, she spoke with difficulty. The stress of her condition and the cost of the required medications led to her death from asthma at only 48 years old.
Over time, I've observed the effect asthma has on people. It can affect one's life significantly. Some people have symptoms from a young age, while others may develop it later. My mother developed asthma as an adult, and I believe stress and financial troubles were contributing factors. I also have two children with severe asthma. I've witnessed firsthand how hard it can be to manage this illness.
The US healthcare system and costly medications make it challenging for people with asthma. It's unfortunate that health, and even life, can be determined by financial resources. The well-being of a loved one should never rely upon financial privilege. This experience has made me more aware of the need for healthcare reform. I've observed firsthand the struggles of managing an expensive illness. We as a society must strive to restore balance.
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- Picture: wildfire smoke. From ducktor/iStock via Getty Images.
- Emphasis: Added quotes around "the worst of the smog," "the US," "New York City," and "last summer."
- Changed "I shudder to think what August will bring" to "I worry what August will bring."
- Changed "repeating the pattern of the previous summer" to "a repeat of last summer."
- Changed "every step of her journey" to "her circuitous path."
- Changed "After emigrating from Ghana" to "After spending time in Ghana."
- Changed "there, she lived and worked" to "she lived and worked there."
- Changed "over the years of living with asthma" to "with the signs and symptoms after years of living with asthma."
- Changed "my story connects Canada, asthma, and my family" to "Additionally, my mother's story connects Canada, asthma, and my family."
- Changed "millions of Americans with asthma" to "25 million Americans have asthma."
- Changed "the stressful conditions that may have affected her life" to "the stress of her condition."
- Changed "many communities in the United States" to "many locations from Florida to New York."
- Added "Now" before "we may be facing another experience."
- Changed "My mom wouldn’t usually confess to me and my three older siblings that she was feeling poorly" to "My mother rarely admitted to her illness."
- Changed "the exhaustion of her breathlessness" to "the exhaustion after her breathlessness."
- Changed "I understand that asthma episodes, particularly untreated ones, can put a strain on the body" to "I wonder if the cumulative impact of her asthmatic episodes may have caused damage."
- Changed "My mother asked me to call a family friend for help because she was concerned about the cost of an ambulance" to "My mom asked me to call a family friend to take her to the hospital, fearing the costs."
- Changed "She became unconscious in the ambulance before passing away" to "She was unconscious when we finally reached the hospital, where she later passed away."
- Changed "that she's survived." to "that she's obtained."
- Changed "The need for healthcare reform is more pressing today." to "We must strive for healthcare reform."
- Recommended reading the CDC.gov article on the relationship between wildfire smoke and asthma.
I picture my mom desperately trying to make her medicines last longer. Without a steady source of Albuterol, a home nebulizer, regular meds, and the wisdom of healthcare experts I have confidence in, I'm not sure how I would've managed.
Even with these resources, I always stay alert because asthma is incurable and my family's health is at risk.
I'm always on the lookout for pollen levels, as well as news updates regarding scarcity in critical meds for my family's asthma treatments.
I'm also constantly monitoring the weather, watching for predictions of distant fires that could trigger another severe asthma attack, which has already taken much from me.
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Despite the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stating that opinions on the impact of wildfire smoke on asthma are divided among healthcare professionals, I firmly believe that exposure to such smog poses a significant health risk for people with asthma. Furthermore, hearing stories like my mother's, which connect Canada, asthma, and my family, I worry about the potential consequences of another wildfire season.
