When I started this site, I didn’t tell anyone except Mr. Asthma Mom. And by “anyone,” I mean none of my friends and none of my family and not even my children.
Not even AG herself, the sometime subject of this whole thing.
I’ve wanted, always, to make sure my daughter thinks of herself as a kid first and an asthmatic second. Her pseudonym (short for “Asthma Girl” if you’re new here) sort of belies that attempt of mine, but whatever. Point is, even if chronic illness is part of her daily life and even if it stays that way forever, she shouldn’t have to view asthma as her defining characteristic.
Secrecy was my compromise. I’d write about her and I’d examine subjects relevant to parents of the less-than-healthy through the lens of my experience with her, but I’d respect her privacy and her possibly future desire not to find her entire childhood history splashed all over the Internet.
Seems reasonable, right?
It worked, too, right up until a year ago, when we had this conversation:
AG: How long have you had a website about me?
Me: Um. How’d you find out about that?
AG: Well, I heard you talking to Dad about Asthma Mom one day and I wanted to know what it was, so I Googled it.
Me: Why didn’t you just ask me?
AG: I wasn’t sure you wanted me to know about it.
Because, hello? We’re living in the twenty-first century, and the child’s not an idiot, right? I’m not sure, looking back with the usual 20/20, how I ever believed she wouldn’t discover the site on her own.
Anyway, we talked. I explained my attempt to raise her not as a “sick” child, but as a kid who just happens to be growing up with a breathing problem. Which led to:
Me: Do you mind if I write about you?
AG: Nah, I think it’s cool!
So there was that.
And now, a year later, there’s this:
AG turned 11 on Monday, and the last year or so have marked her shift away from the kid stages, into the tween years. Starting today, she’ll be writing for Asthma Mom once a week to tell her side of the childhood chronic illness story.
Here’s her first post.
Notes From an Asthma Kid
Hi! You all know me as AG.
Well, my mom asked me if I wanted to write some articles for this site. I said sure (obviously). I like to play volleyball, play in snow, read, do video games, and tons of other stuff. I LOVE designing clothes, singing, acting. . . . Mom calls me a Drama Queen. (Which I am!)
That is the general picture of me.
At my school, we are doing a musical called “Willy Wonka, Jr.” I found out the other day that I’m gonna be Veruca Salt!! Veruca apparently has a solo. Yay! I LOVE performing in front of people. Mom told me to go for Charlie, but Veruca will be way more fun. I’m working on my British accent with Dad, who is an expert on accents. I am definitely gonna love this musical.
Oh yeah, and I have asthma. It sucks.
Hi AG! I’m so super pumped about this! I also love to play in the snow (never mind that I’m 20!) My mom calls me a drama queen too, which I guess is true some of the time.
Congrats on Veruca Salt, she’ll be super fun to play. What’s the difference between Willy Wonka Jr and just regular old Willy Wonka?
Danielle
It’s nice to meet you. Thanks for letting your mom write about you. It really helps us other moms, who have kiddos with asthma.
Congratulations on the part in the play. I was always in the orchestra in all our drama productions, but every play I’ve ever been a part of has a great group of people attached to it. I’m sure you’ll have a blast.
I can’t wait to read more from you. Even though MY AG is only 6, I’ll bet that she probably feels somewhat like you do, and that, too, will help me be a better parent to her.
Hi AG!
I’ve been reading your mom’s blog (about you!) for over a year (you were definitely smart to Google Asthma Mom. That story made me smile
)
I hope you have a ton of fun doing the play! I’ve done a couple, and they’re a blast.
I’m with Danielle–what’s the difference between Willy Wonka Jr. and regular Willy Wonka?
Oh, and I agree. Asthma definitely sucks, but I’ve met a bunch of cool people online because of it, and I’m stoked to have you as part of the community
.
I look forward to getting to know you better!
–Kerri
Danielle —– Willy Wonka Jr. is a SUPER shortened version of Willy Wonka. When mom calls me a drama queen, (which she does a LOT!) it’s always true. I think that’s why I got the part of Veruca……. she is SO dramatic!!!!
Sara—– I didn’t know people played instruments in drama plays!!! Even if I did play an instrument, I think I’d prefer to perform. I suck at reading music anyway.
Kerri—– There is a HUGE problem with asthma. The inhaler part. I mean, every time you have a simple sickness, like a cold, it’s just over and over, “Do your inhaler, do your inhaler”. Grrrrrrrr!
AG–
Totally agree with you. Being sick is one of THE worst parts of having asthma, especially when most people don’t “get” why just a simple cold makes us as sick as it does, and how long it take our lungs to get back to their “normal” AFTER the fact!
Except I don’t have an awesome Asthma Mom like you do, and mine just doesn’t know what to do with me when I’m sick or just plain old flaring. So, I know, even though it’s totally a pain doing the inhaler what feels like ALL THE TIME, at least your mom’s got your back
.
Oh, I kinda suck at reading music, too
. I’ve been doing it since I was seven, and I’m always mixing up notes–STILL, eleven years later 
.
AG-you’re right…no music in drama plays…I was always in the musicals…but it was always the same people doing the fall drama and the spring musical. I have a fear of performing (though, my mom called me a drama queen too) so the orchestra was always safer.
I’m sure my daughter gets tired of hearing “it’s time for a treatment” too…but we moms have to do what we have to do to keep our kiddos as healthy as possible. Sometimes, I need someone to tell ME it’s time for a puff, or a treatment…even when you’re old, it can be a pain to stop to do what you need to do.
Thanks for sharing that story you guys! It kind of makes me want to do a google check to make sure my mom doesn’t have a website about me! But I doubt it somehow -she’s not very tech savvy!!
And Kerri and AG- agreed that getting a cold is a major major problemo in the asthma mix! No fun!
Because I’m me, I just have to poke in and say “Thats my grand daughter!” Now she and faithful side kick will say … “just tell us when you’re done grandpa!”
Congratulations on your part in the musical, AG!!! Great to hear from you!
AG – I’m so excited to read a post from you and hope to read more in the future. My daughter is five and she is in kindergarten. Sometimes she won’t tell her teacher when she needs her in inhaler because she thinks the other kids will make fun of her for having asthma. Do you have any practical advice for me to offer her?
Hi AG! So great what you and your mom are doing here. Looking forward to reading your posts!