My husband was diagnosed with adult onset asthma this past summer, The changes he has personally gone through are amazing and often hard to deal with the results. Our family has also encountered changes since the diagnosis of this disease. Daily life as we once knew it does not exist in this world of asthma. Changes had to be made and sacrifices made so my husband could function in a normal manner.

Bill and I are very close and we do just about everything together since we were married 32 years ago. He is my best friend and soulmate. Rarely were we not together. Now, a simple task like grocery shopping can be a very stressful event. Until you have asthma, you don't think of what is in your local grocery store that can trigger attacks or aggravate your breathing.

You encounter fresh flowers and potpourri and spices as you go from aisle to aisle picking up items on your list. People shopping around you and walking past you in the store aisles can be wearing perfume, strong after shave, or even the dye in their clothing can trigger an asthma attack. I have started shopping by myself so my husband doesn't encounter all of these odors that make him cough, wheeze and have his chest tighten.

We have two grandchildren that play soccer and we have not been in the position to really watch their matches as it depends on the temperature, and lately it has been quite chilly during these matches. Sitting in your vehicle along a road a distance from the action is not like being on the sidelines and seeing everything going on. However, the alternative is to stand or sit on the sidelines and suffer from your lungs filling with damp, chilly air and having coughing fits and the sensation that a tight band has been wrapped around your chest and lungs.

One would think that you could at least go to church services and practice your faith in the Catholic Church. No, that is a trial in and of itself. While we realize that the sweet little old lady sitting in the pew loves her perfume, I must assume it is Lilies of the Valley or some other older concoction, it is impossible to sit through mass and inhale not only her perfume but that of every woman there in the church. Add the mens' colognes and other odorous compounds, it is a perfect place to have a major asthma attack. I have fought allergies for years and spent most of my time at mass in the vestibule in the fresh air. Now my husband is finding even practicing his religion is a task.

At this point, we stay at home and try to avoid tirggers and give Bill time to adjust to this new way of living and breathing. He is in pulmonary rehabilitation and we are hoping this helps bring better control to his asthma in addition to his medications. Our vacation plans for this summer are in limbo and we are hoping this winter will not cause too many problems for him at work.