25-year-old, Carey Poindexter has a motto: “Just because you have asthma, you just can’t let it get you down.” Carey has had severe chronic asthma since birth. He has been hospitalized 26 times, not including emergency room and doctor visits. He’s been in intensive care four times and on a intubated once.  He takes seven medications daily to manage his asthma and other medical challenges.

 

He calls them challenges because challenges you can overcome.  Doctors said Carey would not live to see his 10th birthday — on Nov. 20, 2023 Carey celebrated his 25th birthday. “Being the mother of a severe asthmatic, there are so many factors that we have to take into consideration just for Carey to have a somewhat normal childhood, such as homeschooling, checking the air quality, his peak flow meters (how well his lungs function in a daily basis” said Vikita Poindexter, Carey’s mom.

 

“We take breathing for granted.   For Carey, it can be a monumental task. No one should struggle to breathe. Vikita and Carey are ambassadors for many causes throughout Southwest Riverside County.  

 

Following in his mother’s footsteps, Carey has created the role as the Junior Ambassador for the American Lung Association. And he’s wasting no time.  His goal he says is “we all have something that we have to deal with.  Mine just happens to be lung disease. But just because I have asthma, I just don’t let it get me down”.  Although breathing can be difficult for Carey, he maintains a very optimistic attitude. He has his daily routines of checking the air quality to make sure it is acceptable for him to breathe outdoors.  Carey’s amazing medical miracles have been featured on NBC.www.medicinova.com as well as others.  Check out his media link on www.careypoindexter.org for more details.

 

Carey says he knows that God has blessed him to surpass the doctor’s expectations and he gives all honor and praise to Him. He also knows that without the help of his team of physicians to ensure that he has the best medications and treatments that is needed, he probably wouldn’t be alive today.  Carey lives a normal life as he manages his medical challenges. He enjoys martial arts, video games and educating people about lung disease.

 

Carey’s goal is for no child to have to Fight For Air. 

 

#FightingforAir