Viral-induced asthma

Viral-induced asthma is a recurring condition for Bee Branch, but her account distinguishes its unpleasant symptoms from serious impairment: after an illness, she may cough up phlegm for two weeks, yet says she barely notices it and can dance and play the flute. The contrast between Bee’s matter-of-fact experience and the concern her cough provokes at school makes the condition a source of everyday friction rather than a barrier to her activities.

Symptoms and Medical Context

Bee explains that doctors told her she could develop asthma despite having been born with a healthy heart. Her description centers on what follows illness: even a stomach virus can leave her coughing up phlegm for two weeks. She does not describe the wheezing commonly associated with asthma, and says the condition does not keep her from dancing or playing the flute. Though she acknowledges that the phlegm is unpleasant for someone sitting across from her, she emphasizes that she herself barely notices it.

Bee’s account places the asthma alongside, but distinguishes it from, her serious early heart condition. She and her parents return to Seattle Children's Hospital annually for echocardiograms and X-rays, although Bee says the cardiologist regards the tests as unnecessary. The doctors’ attention to her past health contrasts with Bee’s own insistence that she is not currently sick.

The School Pickup Incident

On December 6, Bee stepped into the hall during art class to spit phlegm into a water fountain, as she says she routinely did in that class. Mrs. Webb, the school nurse, came around the corner and became alarmed that Bee might be spreading germs. Bee tried to explain that the white phlegm was dead germs, but regarded the nurse’s reaction as another instance of disproportionate concern about her cough.

The encounter led to Bee being sent home before the end of the school day. She was less upset about leaving early than about missing her volunteer work at homework lab, where she was helping fourth-graders prepare for a debate. When her mother arrived, she did not ask how Bee felt; Bee understood that she already knew Mrs. Webb was annoying. On the drive home, Bee played her flute, a concrete reminder that the cough had not stopped her from pursuing an ordinary activity.

Different Responses to the Cough

Bee contrasts Mrs. Webb’s alarm with Mr. Levy’s practical familiarity. His daughter has the same viral-induced asthma and plays travel hockey, so he understands Bee’s cough as manageable. When Bee’s voice starts cutting out while she answers a question, Mr. Levy quietly passes her a tissue behind his back rather than sending her to the nurse’s office.

For Bee, the difference is not simply between concern and indifference. Mr. Levy recognizes the symptom without treating it as proof that she is in danger or contagious; Mrs. Webb’s response makes Bee feel that her cough is being watched as a threat. The episode shows how a condition Bee experiences as limited and familiar can acquire greater significance when others interpret it for her.