Amit has always enjoyed being active. From a young age she took part in gymnastics, and as a teenager enjoyed swimming and running.
At age 18, Amit noticed that she was starting to cough after long runs, so she visited her doctor who confirmed she had mild asthma. A year later, Amit experienced her first severe asthma attack.
“An asthma attack feels like you have no air,” shared Amit. “It’s very scary and the most stressful situation that I’ve ever been in. You are just helpless.”
Over the next two weeks, Amit was admitted to the hospital four times, which ultimately resulted in her being released from her job in the military. On a personal level, she found it hard to adapt to life with more frequent and severe symptoms; she was young and wanted to go out with her friends and keep up her running. But that just wasn’t possible anymore.
The next few months for Amit were admittedly tough. It felt like she had no option other than to stay at home and avoid anything that could trigger another severe asthma attack. But with time, Amit started to change her perspective.
She began to be diligent about taking her medications and avoiding her known asthma triggers. As Amit shared,
“Asthma is a disease that can be difficult and dangerous, so it is important for every person to know his or her limitations. By really focusing on taking care of asthma, it is possible to find control. You can manage the disease rather than having the disease manage you.”
Amit’s experience as a patient with severe asthma inspired her to pursue a nursing degree.
Having learned how to manage her disease, and inspired by the care she received as a patient, Amit decided to pursue a nursing degree. She shared, “Nurses have the ability and desire to help from a real and pure place. The many hospitalizations I’ve had in the past allowed me to get to know the nursing profession relatively closely.”
Amit also explained how her own experience of severe asthma offers her a deeper understanding of what patients may be going through, especially those who suffer from shortness of breath. She explained, “It gives me the ability to really help them from a place of empathy and a true, deep understanding of what they are going through.”
Watch Amit’s story in her own words below and learn more about living with asthma in the GINA Patient Guide.
This blog and video were originally published in August 2020 and are adapted from their original format.
Date of Approval: March 2024 | US.RES.24.01.0012
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