Andrew’s Story
Hi my name is Andrew, I’m 38. I live at home with my wife and two 2 sons.
I have suffered from Asthma since I was born. Like most children I have spent most of my childhood and teenage years in hospital (EG great Ormond street hospital, and the royal Brompton specialist lung and heart hospital) trying to get better and the doctors trying to find medicine and other things to help me breathe a little more easily. I was told that I may grow out of my asthma by the time I was 11, 14, then 21 but I haven’t, I still have asthma.
When I was 28 I was involved in a very serious road traffic accident where I was severely injured I suffered 2 broken legs, fractured pelvis, 2 collapsed lungs, fractured ribs which punched my left lung and made a hole at the lower left side of the lung wall which had to be repaired by placing a path over the hole. Since the accident I have not been able to keep myself out of I C U and hospital for very long constantly relaying on nebulisers steroids and injection to keep me going.
I now have a very severe type of asthma called brittle asthma. This means I can have an asthma attack with almost no warning at all, I suddenly just can’t breathe. I go blue in the face I have pins and needles all over my body and that normally means I will be put on life support where they take over my breathing because I’m not able to breath for myself, the paramedics will do this. When I was younger I had a few signs that would let me know that an attack was imminent.
Since I have been this unwell I was told by another asthma sufferer whilst in hospital about NARA – The Breathing Charity that they could help me with medical equipment, the latest breathing machines all I had to do was to get my Doctor to fill in a form to get on board. Since I have been dealing with Ann and Marie and all the other staff there I have found it easier to keep on top of my nebulisers and keeping the mask and chambers clean and get replacements for everything I have.
I even have a travel nebuliser which is essential when I have hospital appointments which could be up 50 miles away. I like that all the nebulisers come brand new and with carry cases also I really like that I can ask for a new nebuliser on the Monday and by the Tuesday I have it here ready to go.
I also find it very nice to have someone else to talk to about how I’m felling and what can help me
I think NARA is a Brilliant charity to have, and I’m very proud to help raise money for such a wonderful organisation I honestly think without NARA I would have spent much more time in hospital and now I can stay at home with my family and get better in my own environment.
Thank you so much NARA
Mr A Castle