The Doubting Thomas Asthmatics

Bingo!  That last sentence confirmed it for me:  This man is definitely a Doubting Thomas.

"You should never have trouble breathing," I said.  "If you do you should always see your doctor, because there's no reason anyone should ever have to suffer this day and age."

"What will my doctor do?" Carl asked.

"First of all, the ER doctor is going to prescribe a rescue inhaler that works just as well as the breathing treatment you just had.  You can use it up to every 4-6 hours for asthma symptoms. 

"Then he's going to recommend you see your family physician so to get you on an asthma management plan that's right for you.  This plan may include prescribing long term relief medications that actually work to prevent asthma."

The New York Times wrote a story, "Asthma Medications: Not a Clear Advantage," about former Olympian gold medal swimmer Dara Tores. She had all the classic signs of asthma, even a family history, and yet she chose to ignore the signs.

One day a friend told her she had all the classic signs of asthma, and she went to the doctor. Once on all the right asthma medicines and her asthma was controlled, the article states, she realized "how much, and how needlessly, she had been suffering."

Carl was lucky his asthma was discovered before he had a life threatening attack.  If you think you are a Doubting Thomas like Carl, don't wait until something really bad happens before getting help. 

The first key to getting help is admitting you have a problem.  The second key is to see a qualified asthma physician and getting yourself on a program to manage your asthma.

According to the Gospel of John, after Thomas touched the scars of Jesus, he professed his love of Jesus and was later known as Thomas the believer.

Similarly, any Doubting Thomas who faces his illness, seeks to learn the truth, and is treated accordingly, will no longer "needlessly" suffer. 

What kind of asthmatic are you? Find out about the 11 Asthma Personalities.