Coping with a Long-Term Condition
Sarah has asthma. She is talking to her friend, Jake, about how she manages her condition…
Jake: Hi Sarah, I noticed that you weren’t at school today – is everything OK?
Sarah: I’m fine now, but I could hardly breathe this morning! My asthma was really bad
today. It’s because the pollen count is so high at the minute and pollen is one of my triggers.
So, I went to the doctors this morning.
Jake: Ah really, that sounds awful. How do you manage it every day?
Sarah: Well, I take lots of different types of medication regularly. Certain triggers cause
flare-ups like pollen, colds, and viruses… certain chemicals and animal fur – it’s difficult to
keep on top of it all!
Jake: It sounds like a nightmare… do you ever suffer from asthma attacks?
Sarah: Well, I had my first asthma attack when I was 8. I haven’t had one since my condition
was diagnosed, and now, I have an action plan to manage it. In hospital, they always say I
come with written instructions! All joking aside, it’s very helpful when I can hand over my
plan with details of my medication, doses, and times.
Jake: It sounds like you have a lot to manage! Does your condition stop you doing certain
things?
Sarah: It tends to mess up a lot of things! For example, we went on holiday last year to a
country cottage and I had to come home early because of the pollen count…Although, I try
my best to stay positive! It's just part of my routine now and being organised with my
medication means it doesn’t take over my life.
Jake: It’s great that you’re so optimistic about it! I’ll hopefully see you back at school
tomorrow
Sarah: Yes, I’ll see you tomorrow! Thanks for calling!
PHRASAL VERBS
Phrasal verb | Meaning | Example sentence | Categories |
---|---|---|---|
To come around | To become conscious again after an illness or an operation | One hour after the operation, she started to come around. | Health |
To shake something off
| To get rid of an illness | I really hope I can shake this cold off before the weekend. | Health |
To pass out | To become unconscious for a short period of time. | When the ball hit her on the head, she passed out. | Health |
To pick something up
| To start to suffer from something | She picked up the cold when she was- on holiday. | Health |
To come down with something
| To start to suffer symptoms of an illness. | I think I’m starting to come down with the flu. | Health |