I thought it was going to be just another regular fourth grade day, but God had different plans. I had troubles breathing all day. I thought it was because of the torture of having to run in P.E. During lunch recess I went to the nurse and told her I was having troubles breathing.

She told me, “I’m sorry, sadly there is nothing we can do without you having a inhaler.”

I was bummed, but mainly hoped it would go away soon so I could breathe like a normal person again.

After school I tried to “forget” about it, although it was kind of hard because I could not breath, but whatever. I thought it was going to get better, but it didn’t. I tried going to sleep but I could not zonk out. I read until around 3 A.M. then headed downstairs. I found my dad conked out on the couch “watching” the Simpsons.

I woke him up and told him, “I don’t feel well, and I’m having troubles breathing.”

He thought I was being dramatic and said, “I think you’re over exaggerating a little bit.” He continued to say, “Just go to sleep. You will probably be fine later in the morning.”

I was frustrated he didn’t believe me but I did as he said and went back to my room. I tried falling asleep but I simply couldn’t. I continued reading until 6:30.

I thought maybe if I go to my mom she would understand. I told her the same things I had told my dad a few hours earlier.

She replied, “Ok, I will call the doctor's office as soon as they open to try to get you an appointment.” Finally! Someone who actually believed me! My mom got me an appointment for two hours later.

At the doctor’s office we checked in and waited for about 15 minutes, then we got called back. The nurse asked me what I was experiencing and I replied, “I feel like I can’t breathe normally.” She checked my breathing and gave me an albuterol treatment. It did not help.  The next step was a shot to help my breathing. I immediately reacted to the shot. It wasn’t good. I started feeling very warm and dizzy. My mom got the nurse and told her I wasn’t feeling well. They immediately knew there was something seriously wrong. They called the ambulance to take me to the hospital. Five minutes later paramedics arrived with a stretcher. They immediately laid me on it and put a oxygen mask over my mouth. I can’t describe how I was feeling. So many emotions were going through my head. I was worried, confused, and most of all scared. They pulled me through the waiting room, which was the most embarrassing because all the kids and their parents were just staring at me. We headed out the door and to the ambulance. They rolled me in and we were off to the hospital. We arrived and they raced me inside as they do in the tv shows and movies. I was first placed in a very small room where they checked my breathing and oxygen levels. Eventually one of the doctors said they wanted to take an x-ray of my chest to make sure I didn’t have pneumonia.

When we got to the x-ray room the doctor put a really heavy vest on me and told me to stand in a circle while he got ready to take the picture. I stood up off the stretcher and walked over to the circle. While I was walking I felt really dizzy. I starting feeling really nauseous and started blacking out. My doctor noticed this, so he came over before I passed out. He let me sit down on the stretcher for a minute to rest. We quickly took the picture and I moved to a new, and bigger room. I had to stay the night so the doctors could monitor my breathing. I had a new doctor as well, she was so sweet and checked on me often. She even gave me a bear, that I still have to this day. Also, I have to mention that I had orange chicken and rice for dinner and ice cream for dessert. I slept pretty well that night and in the morning I had a surprise waiting for me. My grandma and aunt were the ones that woke me up the next morning with a get well balloon and card. After talking with them for a little bit my doctor came in to test me for the Enterovirus, the virus that had killed several children. I later found out I tested positive, and was one of the first in the state. She also told me that I was good to go home, but just to rest for a few days. Over the weekend I slept constantly and took albuterol treatments twice a day.

I went back to school on Monday. My teacher as well as all my friends were happy to see me. I slowly recovered completely over the next couple of weeks. I definitely learned my lesson that if you think that something is wrong tell someone immediately so it doesn’t get worse. I should have told my parents as soon as I got home, but instead I waited and it got worse as I procrastinated.