Last July, my family and I visited Niagara Falls on the Canadian side. We had a lot of fun seeing the waterfalls. During our visit, my little sister and I saw an advertisement for “North America’s Largest Indoor Water Park” and we decided we had to go!
Unfortunately, as soon as we walked into the water park, our hearts sank – it was either false advertising or they had the wrong continent. Even though it may not have been the largest waterpark, we decided to make the best of it, get in our swimsuits and have fun anyway.
After the second time down a waterslide, my chest started to feel heavy and it was becoming harder and harder to breathe. I did not have my inhaler with me at the time, because my asthma never comes on so suddenly.
I told my mom I needed to leave. She initially thought the reason was that I didn’t like the waterpark. After my mom saw me struggling to take a breath and listened to my breathing, she quickly grabbed my hand and brought me outside for some air. I felt better after 30 minutes.
It was a scary experience. I am a regular swimmer and I usually enjoy indoor waterparks, so I was surprised I had an asthma flare. I learned later that chlorinated air is sometimes a trigger for people with asthma.
My lessons:
- I should always carry my inhaler, plus a backup.
- Circumstances may be similar, but that doesn’t mean your asthma will react the same. It’s important to be prepared.
Adventures with Asthma 