Welcome to an new episode of Chronic But Iconic. In this episode I am joined by Adam Simpson, who suffers with asthma, dyslexia and a peanut allergy. Allergies are on the rise globally and especially nut allergies. We have also seen over the News and the media how on planes nut products have to be limited and customers MUST inform the airline before boarding if they have an allergy to nuts. I felt it was important to highlight the dangers of allergies and how managing them can be really tough when ordering out or dining out. Labels aren't always clear and members of staff/chefs aren't always as careful as they should be when dealing with allergies & intolerances.
We also talked about asthma, again - this illness affects SO many. Whether it is standard asthma or sports induced. I used to have sports induced asthma back in my swimming days but since retiring, I am so lucky to be fine now and not need to take my inhalers. Adam opens up about the struggles when it comes to exercise, what the future looks like battling asthma, managing his inhalers and how careful he has to be day to day. People often forget how debilitating asthma really is. When you can't seem to breathe properly and are gasping for air, it is the most frightening thing.
We go on to talk about dyslexia and how Adam has used dyslexia to his advantage and not allowed it to be a hurdle. Adam is extremely inspiring as he talks about his difficulties growing up and working with his passion- music. Adam really proves how you can always adapt and learn to add your own spin on things. You don't have to follow a certain path or do things a certain way. If the passion is there you can still become great at whatever you put your hand too. I know so many of you will be able to relate to Adam, and I am sure you will enjoy this episode. Adam will be back on the podcast in the coming weeks to talk about being a carer. We touch on it slightly in this episode but I think it is important to give care giver's a voice. Often we forget it isn't just the sufferer who has to deal with a hard diagnosis. The carer is only human as well and they have the hardest job trying to be strong but they too need support and care. I think so many of you will find comfort in Adam's story and I hope to give you all a place you can reach out and have your voice heard too. NOW, enjoy! You can follow Adam on Instagram: @ajsimpson . Thank you Adam.
