Kerry is a 54′year’old community health worker who lives in a Victorian seaside town.My asthma history is quite unusual, according to my doctor. I was a chronic asthmatic as a child and spent a lot of time in bed. I was unable to exercise and missed a lot of school. I always seemed to have a bad cold or bronchial infection and I have clear memories of lying on the kitchen table waiting for the ambulance to come and take me to hospital.I remember my mother taking me to a Dr Sinn in Collins Street. He suggested I try swimming, and I used to go regularly to the old Olympic pool. The swimming was very difficult at first, but gradually I became quite a good swimmer. I was never completely free of asthma, but my attacks became less frequent.Then I took up long distance running and, to my amazement, I was a good athlete. Sometimes I could not train due to asthma, but between attacks I was very fit. Then I moved to an area where there were dusty, unmade roads and lots of wattle trees. I assume it was the pollen in the early spring and the dust from the roads, because my asthma got much worse. One day when I was nearly 28,1 had a massive attack and nearly died. I was in a critical condition and when I finally recovered and left hospital, the doctors told me I would have to be very careful.The amazing thing is, I have never had another attack. Since then I have had pleurisy a number of times, terrible colds and flu, but never any asthma. Today I lead a healthy lifestyle. I feel good and I don’t expect to have asthma again. I am aware, though, that it could return unexpectedly. If it does, I’ll be pretty wild.*56\148\2*