Genelly1

SkylerGenelly
Ms.Gardner
English10H/Period4
25January2015
BreatheIn,BreatheOut
Igrewupinafamilywithvariousbreathingdifficulties.Myfather,Herb,hadsevere
asthmaasachild,whichsomewhatsubsidedwithage,andasafirefightersufferedfromlung
damagecausedbysmoke.Mybrother,Jakob,wasalsobornwithsevereasthma.Ipersonally
witnessedhimgothroughcountlesshospitalvisitsandsitpatientlyhookeduptohisnebulizer.
Whiletheirdifficultieswerelifethreatening,I,aswell,hadbreathingproblemscausedbyan
entirelydifferentfieldoftroubleanxiety.IfIwouldfeeluncomfortable,stressed,orpanicked,
asharppainwouldresultinmychestwhenItriedtotakelargebreaths.Asonlybeinganaivesix
yearold,thetwingingachewouldfurtheralarmme,andIwouldbreakintoanagonizingcryfor
help.
IrememberattendingasleepoverinmyfriendIsabelsyellowshingledhouse.Wewere
tryingoncustomizableflowerheadbands.Istackedaberylblue,lilacpurple,andsoftyellowon
topofoneanotherandwelaughedatourcrazycreations.Suddenlymyhighspiritedchuckle
transformedintoaknifestabbingchestpain.Ilookedatherwithmyhazelgreeneyesand
quicklychokedout,Izzy,Ineedhelppleasegogetyourmom.Sherandownherstaircasein
afrenzy.ThenextthingIknew,Ihadfoundsafetyontheircouchtryingarduouslytotakeadeep
breathin,andthenadeepbreathout.Hermothertriedtosoothemydiscomfortbyhavingmeput
anicepackonmychestasifthepainwereexternalratherthanmammothlyinternal,onlyit


Genelly2

wasnt.Imadeaworriedcalltohome,yetmymotherdidntknowwhatcouldhavecausedthe
issue.
Surely,Skyler,youhavenothingtoworryabout.Itwillneverhappenagain,mymom
repliedreassuringly.SoIdecidedtostay,andIsabelandIdecidedtoengulfourselvesintothe
worldoftheBackyardigansandtheirvariousadventures.
Withinthefollowingyears,Ideterminedmylungswereajailforeachstressor
encompassingmymind.Theleftlung,amaximumsecurityprison,andtheright,ajailforsmall
crimes.Eachsidewouldbuildup,andpushagainsttheirflexiblebarriers.Theleftwasalways
thefirsttogo,withmyheftieranxietiesteaminguptopuncturethroughandinflictaburning
sensation.Myrightsidewouldthentrytojoinwiththeleft,butfailtodosoastherewerent
quiteenoughconvicts.Bothheldequallysinisterfelonsandalwaysmanagedtosurprisemewith
theirattacks.Ijusthadtoremembertobreathein,breatheout.
InsixthgradeIbecameadecentrunner,competinginfiveandsixmileracesaround
SonomaCounty,sometimeswinningoccasionallyformyagegroup.Asmyfeethittheground
andthebreathtakingsceneryofSonomavineyardsstretchingforwhatseemedlike
milesguidedmealongthepath,songsplayedinmyheadtosetmyrunningtempo,afavorite
beingBreathebyTaylorSwift.Thelyricsweremelodic,myfavoritebeingthechorus,AndI
cantbreathe,withoutyou,butIhaveto....Theygotmethroughtheharderstretcheswhenmy
bodywouldgonumbandtheraceturnedcompletelymental.Afterfinishing,Iwouldclosemy
eyes,irritatedbythewind,andcountmystingingbreathsuntiltheymelloweddown.Atthetime,
runningactedasmyescapefromtherestlessnessoftryingtomakefriendsatschoolandfiguring


Genelly3

outwhyIfeltsoinsecurearoundotherkidsmyage.ThemorebadexperiencesIwentthrough,
themoresquishedmyprisoncellwouldbecome.Itriedsohardtojustbreathein,breatheout.
Inmiddleschool,mychestpainandbreathingproblemswouldoccuralmosteverynight
whileIwouldbegintogooverthedramaandstressoftheday.Ipsychedmyselfout,worrying
overeachandeverymomentandencounterofthedayanddaystocome.Ihidthisdiscomfort
frommyparentsuntilonemomentofweakness,whenIbawledoutallofphysicalturmoilI
suffocatedunder,andmyjailhadreacheditsmaximumcapacity.Theyfeltseeingatherapistas
mybestoptiontocopewithmyanxiety.There,IlearnedbreathingexercisesinwhichIwouldlie
onthefloorandcounttensecondsofbreathingin,andtensecondsofbreathingout.Iengulfed
myselfintoreading,oneofmymostenjoyableremediesforanxiety.Afavoritesimpleread
being
TheFaultinOurStars
,byJohnGreen,wheretheprotagonistHazelGracemustlivewith
stagefourthyroidcancerandmetastasisforminginherlungs.
ForalongtimeIfeltalonewithmyachingpainuntilreadingtheclinicalreasonasto
whychest/lungpainiscausedbyanxiety:
Behavinganxiouslyactivatesthe
stressresponse
.Thestressresponseimmediatelycauses
specificphysiological,psychological,andemotionalchangesinthebodythatenhance
thebody'sabilitytodealwithathreattoeitherfightwithorfleefromitwhichisthe
reasonthestressresponseisoftenreferredtoasthe
fightorflightresponse
.Partofthe
stressresponsechangesincludetighteningthebody'smusclessothattheyaremore
resilienttodamage.Thiscanincludethemusclesinthechestareaandribcage.(JimFolk
andMarilynFolk)


Genelly4

Inowrealizehowcommonmybreathingissuesare.Themixedfeelingsfromevents
whethertheybeexceptional,atrocious,somber,orcontentcaninhabitmymindandhurtmy
body.Ihavelearnedtotakeadeepbreathwhenitlooksasiftheresnoescape.Ivelearnedto
holdmybreathwhenImunderwater.IvelearnedtotakeshortbreathswhenImrunningarace.
AndIvelearnedtotakesteadybreathswhenImtryingsomethingnew.
Withpropermaintenance,mylungsdoasatisfactoryjobofholdinginthejailbirds,but
canalsoreleasethemoneatatimesoacolossalbreakoutdoesntoccur.Istillhavemomentsof
paininmychest,buttheynowallowmetorealizeIshouldbetakingmoretimetositbackand
cogitate,ratherthanworryanddisregardstressfulsituationsinmylife.Thecuretothisanguish
isselfengendering,andbyfollowingsimplecopingmechanisms,Icanconquersuchproblems
andletsomestressesgoongoodbehaviorallIhavetodoisbreathein,breatheout.


Genelly5

WorksCited
Folk,Jim,andMarilynFolk."ChestPainAnxietySymptoms."
Anxietycentre.com
.
Anxietycentre.com,2016.Web.25Jan.2016.
Green,John.
TheFaultinOurStars
.NewYork:DuttonPenguin,2012.Print.
Swift,Taylor,andColbieCaillat.
Breathe
.TaylorSwift.NathanChapmanandTaylorSwift,
2008.CD.