As I write this, my recent college graduate, similar to the kind Ms. Ephron described in her book, is fast asleep across the apartment in the bedroom where she grew up.

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She's here to see if something in this tiny one-bedroom apartment is triggering asthma attacks for this family.

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"She had set a countdown to the concert on her phone, and her bedroom wall is covered in Justin Bieber posters, " he added.

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"We live in a modest three-bedroom house which is in negative equity and we will lose our house, " she said.

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