10 Things To Make The Asthmatic In Your Life Happy! 

You can't cure your loved one's asthma, but you can make them just a little bit happier.

Here's how:


1    Don't assume having asthma makes us incapable, but be prepared to cut us a little slack on

      a bad day.


2    Ask about your asthmatic friend's triggers. It might be that your perfume/aftershave/ 

      cigarette smoke or even pet makes our symptoms worse, but we are too polite to tell you.


3   If we ask that you don't smoke in our presence, or move away from you while you are

     smoking, don't take it personally or think we are being fussy. Your nicotine habit might,    

     literally, be taking our breath away.


4   Please don't tell us that you 'knew someone who knew someone' who died after an asthma

     attack. We know it can be serious, we appreciate that you care, we just don't want to be 

     reminded about it all the time. 


5    Don't be offended if we cancel or rearrange an event because of the pollen count or weather 

      conditions. It's not you, it's us. Really.


6    Understand that, although we feel fine most of the time, there will be days when we're a bit

       'off-it'. We don't need impatience, or pity. We do need understanding and maybe a hug.

          

7    If you are a screenwriter or novelist, please don't write your asthmatic character as the kind 

       of idiot who forgets/drops/loses their inhaler as soon as a volcano erupts, an earthquake

       strikes or aliens invade. And please remember we are no more likely to sacrifice ourselves,

       on account of our unlikelihood of surviving said disaster, than anyone else. Thank you.


8     You may find it interesting to watch an asthmatic use their inhaler. That's good, but if you 

        stare, we feel even more out of the loop than ever. We'd rather you ask.


9     Take a few minutes to read what you should do if someone in your presence has an asthma 

       attack. I bet you don't really know, few people do. There is lots of information about this on

       the web. It won't take you five minutes and it could prove essential to someone else one  

       day.


10    Make a donation, or organise a fund-raising event, for your local asthma charity.