Late Bloomer

I am 62 years old and I started having severe asthma symptoms about twenty years ago. The problem was that no one seemed to know what it was. I was scoped many times, x-rayed (too many times to count), had MRI's, CT scans, stomach surgery, you name the incorrect procedure, I have had it! I have had so many doctors, diagnoses, and hospitalizations to count.

One day, I was headed into my allergy appointment for a shot. I had to walk past several people who were sitting at a table smoking (not allowed). By the time I made it upstairs to the office, I could not breathe. Immediately the nurse gave me a treatment and called my doctor. Hence the diagnosis of asthma. It changed my life.

I was put on some appropriate medication immediately. Given a rescue inhaler-- yay. A few appointments later my mom was with me and the doctor said something about it being odd that I didn't have childhood asthma with my history of many childhood illnesses. Mom said, "Oh she was but we didn't say anything because we didn't want her labeled."

I would like to say that from then on the road has been smooth; however, as most of us know it never is with asthma.