She is n't moving and appears physically sunken in . I grip onto the railing as though it is a lifeline , and after several failed attempts to raise my legs high enough to step over her , I manage to climb up the stairs . As I shamble across the deck to the opposite side , I have the near - overwhelming , cliched urge to just lie down and die . I feel extremely lethargic and every movement is painful , but I am able to ignore it due to a general sense of just not caring about what is going on .

Question: Why may the narrator be struggling up the stairs ?
Answer: They have been having respiratory issues .None of the above choices .They have been given bad news .They have been injured .