My name is Makayla Standifer and I am a Sophomore at Heavener High School. I currently write for the school paper and participate in FCCLA, cross country, track, and soccer. All my life I have struggled with asthma and the ability to breathe. As many asthma attacks and struggles I’ve had, I am convinced God always had bigger plans for me.

I was born prematurely at 35 weeks. In NICU because I had fluid in my stomach. My doctor did a procedure and it worked! At the age of 4 I got staples in my head. I was playing under a trailer and it did not end very well. When my parents took me to the hospital they told my mom and dad that I would need staples. When they put the staples in my head they didn’t num it or anything and it hurt so bad. My mom couldn’t watch them do it so she walked out of the room, but when they did the staples mom could hear me for three rooms down. It left a scar in the middle of my head. My whole life I have been in and out of hospitals.

 When I was about 6 or 7 I was diagnosed with Asthma and I always struggled with breathing, running for me has always been hard, especially playing sports. I used to play basketball and it was so hard for me because running up and down the court wasn’t easy I would always need my inhaler and it would take it a little bit to work. Playing basketball was always fun for me I always had a good time and I loved my team, but freshman year I played for a little bit, but then I quit because I didn’t really like it as much as I did when I was little and sometimes I miss playing because they always have a fun time as a team and just watching people play brings back memories to when I played and those were good memories. In the 4th grade, I ended up getting allergy tested and was allergic to a lot of things. Like grass, trees, cats, dust, cinnamon candy, and a lot more things. My nurse suggested that I started getting allergy shots because they would help and they did, I have been getting them for 6 years now and they are the best. They transformed my life.

Now my asthma doesn’t control me, I control it! I have done so many new things. I ran cross-country and track and I received Distance Runner of the Year award. I thought that I wouldn't be able to run cross-country because of my asthma, but my family and my friends believed in me and the one who really supported me was God. God told me I could do it and I did, I was so happy when I finished my first race I never thought an asthma kid like me would be able to do that. Now I am currently starting a new journey in playing soccer. I’m also currently learning how to dance. 

I have lived with asthma all my life. I won’t let it control me. I want to do things and be active. All these things I’m trying and learning are exciting. I will continue to try new things and I will not let asthma take over me.