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Obediah's Story.
By Karen Lynn Vidra, The Texas Tornado
Monday, October 01, 2007
Rated "G" by the Author.
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A story written by a young man with asthma.
Call me Obie. Obediah's my name: Obediah Winston Sharples.
I'm fifteen; lived here in Tennessee all my days; I live in Nashville with my family; my family consists of my moms and pops, my brothers Oskar and Orton, and my sisters Opal and Orion. I'm the head honcho of the kids; after moms and pops, they answer to me. They'd better lissen or there'll be heck to pay!
I am like most kids my age: that is, I like to chill with my buds, listen to rap (I want to be a rapper when I am older; be like my idol, Snoop Doggy Dogg), play basketball, crump, do hip hop, or any other type of street dancing, and draw. I'm a real good artist.
If I don't make it in rap, I will go into art; would like to be a cartoonist or something. I think that'd be cool, drawin' for the funny papers or television.
I am like most kids, as I said earlier, but somethin' sets me apart. I have asthma. Have had asthma real bad all my life. I've been to the ER more times than you can count; I have been in and out of the hospital many times.
Doctors and I have become real good friends.
I am allergic to most anythin' under the sun: pollen, pet dander, mold, a lot of foods that contain MSG, peanuts (or all nuts), or milk/milk-based products, stings from bees/wasps/yellowjackets/hornets, grasses, and smoke. Seems I'm always chokin' or gaspin' over somethin' that's got my asthma stirred up.
At night, I have to wear oxygen prongs in my nose. Seems my asthma is worse at night, so I wear the oxygen as a precaution. It's a pain, but if I want to breathe, I have to use it. I also have breathin' treatments three times a day (more if the air is full of the asthma-inducers I mentioned above), and I take inhalers three times a day, morning, noon, night. I have to take every precaution to ensure that I stay healthy.
It seems funny when I tell my palz I am sick, have to go into the hospital, because I look healthy. I have muscles chicks would die for, I am good at sports, and I am not no pale, skinny sickly lookin' kid. I am solidly built, like a football player.
Yet when I have an attack or tell 'em about my asthma, they sometimes think I'm fakin' it, which makes me crazy. I am not fakin' it; how can you fake something like gaspin' for air? I tell you, some peoples are so whacked!!
Well, I will write in here again; time to take my meds, then go to my next class. Just killin' some time waitin' for the bell to ring. Take care and God bless!
~Obediah Winston Sharples, aged 15.
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| Reviewed by Ann Scarborough |
10/2/2007 |
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This is really good. You have the 15 year old's dialog to a tee. Wonderful too that he is so aware and in touch with his illness.
Love,
annie |
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| Reviewed by chris stienstra |
10/2/2007 |
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A story of awareness and maturity. Obediah lives in a world with his eyes open and not afraid to live life despite his disability. Such strength we, as adults, should have.
My best regards
Chris |
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| Reviewed by Sage Sweetwater |
10/1/2007 |
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Obediah is alert and knowledgeable about asthma. It is crucial to know what sets asthma off, tree pollen and what not and allergies. I do know alot of asthmatics and they have random attacks. It's why it's mandatory for them to carry inhalers and take nebulizer treatments. Controlled, asthmatics, just like Obediah can lead normal lives and even participate in sports and other activities...the general public needs to be more educated on asthma to understand when one is having an attack and not faking it...thanks for Obediah's Story today, Karen Lynn...be well you and Karla...Blessed Be.
Love,
Sage |
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| Reviewed by Joyce Bowling |
10/1/2007 |
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A realistic write my friend, I have a little boy in my classroom suffers with asthma...he struggles after gym and recess. He had a severe asthma attack the other day, I think this was the only time that I was ever thankful that I had experienced asthma with my daughter...I knew what to do to help him. It was scary...he stays paranoid that he will begin to smother if he runs too much, or overheats... a lot of worry for a six year old! Great write!
Blessings,
Joyce B. |
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| Reviewed by Karla Dorman, The StormSpinner |
10/1/2007 |
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Karen,
Nice to meet Obediah; love the names you come up with, make them real people with real problems. Well done!!
(((HUGS))) and love, Karla. |
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