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Asthmatic Sanitarium

Nine year old boy tyring to survive severe asthma and placed in an asthmatic sanitarium for almost two years. Wishes to be well and become a "real boy" so he can go out and play some baseball.

"Every Breath Counts" available on Amazon.

  1. Hi - thanks for sharing this novel with us here at Asthma.net. I haven't personally read this book but have heard nice things about it, about Dennis' journey with asthma and the toll it takes. Very touching book. Rebecca (community moderator)


    1. Hi Rebecca,


      Thanks for your response. Please read it if you get the chance. I liken it to Tom Sawyer meets One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Touching, informative, and entertaining.


      Thanks again,
      Dennis D. Davis

    2. I have been reading quite a bit this summer (sick of the tube) and have ordered quite a few novels from Amazon. I will put this on my list. I am curious about your journey as well with asthma in the 50s as you navigate breathing (or not), the sanitarium, and life in general. Thanks for the recommendation and synopsis below (to John) - wishing you well. Rebecca (community moderator)

  2. Hi. Welcome to the community. Thank you or posting this. Is this a book that you have read? What did you think of it? Do you have your own asthma experience to share with us? This looks like a book that I may enjoy reading. I was in an asthma hospital for six months right at the end of asthma hospital/ sanitarium era in the mid 1980's. There was an asthma epidemic, of sorts, at that time. Wishing you all the best. John. asthma.net community moderator.

    1. Hi John, sorry to take so long to get back to you. Every Breath Counts is a book I wrote about my severe childhood asthma. When I was nine, In the late fifties I went into the Sunair Asthmatic Home located in Sunland, CA. The book covers my time in the home and my family history. Given the severity of my situation I was greatly lucky for all the help I received from kind-hearted folks. It's worth a read. If I had to point you in the right direction about the content I would say it's like Tom Sawyer meets One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Thanks for your interest. If you do get a chance to read it, let me know what you think. The book is available on Amazon.


      Sincerely,
      Dennis D. Davis

      1. Thank you for the update. I remember the conversation we had above and decided I wanted to purchase your book. And by the time I got around to it I couldn't remember the name of it. So, I'm definitely Glad that you got back to us with your above response. I just ordered the book -- will bookmark this page, and will get back with you after I finish. Yours is a book I am definitely looking forward to based on my own past similar experience. Was it quite a challenge to write about your asthma past? Or was this book something that was easy for you to write? John. asthma.net community moderator.

    2. H Dennis - I am sorry - somehow I missed this post of yours (and my colleagues', , and 's responses.
      How cool is this that this book is YOUR story!
      Thanks so much for sharing this with the entire community.
      It looks like the book was just released in April of this year. Lots of luck with it!!
      All the best,
      Leon (site moderator asthma.net)

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