Apologies to my 14 loyal readers, who have been waiting with baited breath, for the long silence. I have had the Worst Allergy Season Ever and have been avoiding anything that requires use of my eyes. Spring has sprung, in all of its abrupt, explosive greenery. The trail where I posted the photos of the rutile ice thoroughly melted out and lost all of its snow and ice within one week. Nowadays, our morning run looks like this!
Then rainy weather came, and I had an appointment with the allergist. I have to admit that I was skeptical. I mean, I have known people to suffer seasonal allergies my entire life: White people, Black people, Asian people, Alaska Native people. People with access to resources (money and good health insurance), as well as people who know indigenous plants and lore. And I didn't know anybody who had ever overcome allergies? But... it turns out my skepticism was misplaced. When I got to complaining to my friends, it turns out that quite a few have overcome allergies! So uh... yes, indeed, there were things that could be done. I got a blood draw so they could figure out precisely what I was allergic to, and the idea is, in future years, a few months before allergy season, I start desensitization. So, birch drops. Or ragweed injections. Or whatever it turns out to be. Taken either orally or via injection, my nose and throat and eyes will not react. Then when the real allergen hits, my body will say, "Hey, I know this! It's nothing to freak out about!" and I won't get the horrible reactions. But it's too late for this year, so all we can do is adjust my antihistamine drugs, which we did. But this is good news for subsequent years!
I feel much better now. Of course, with allergies to pollen, it's so hard to know what did the trick: The rain? The new drugs? Or that birch is done reproducing? DL says it doesn't matter, as long as I feel better. I guess that is valid!
I'll catch you all up on Puppy News next post. I wish all 14 of my loyal readers a great week!
5 comments:
Good to hear from you. Sorry to read about your allergies. My brother is allergic to everything that produces pollen and anything with fur or feathers. I am allergic to nothing and count that a big win in the dna game of chance.
@obifolder, thanks for your sympathy. My upside is I have zero food allergies, and, of course, I'm not allergic to any critter, which is a blessing. :)
So glad you're feeling better! EVERYTHING is budding & blooming here- an abundance of beautiful flowers, shrubs, trees, but oh the spring allergies that come right along with it *sigh* I completely empathize - hang in there, it soon will pass.Happy it's plants and not the pups!
I sympathize and empathize with you and anyone else with seasonal allergies.They were awful in N. Florida this year. I left to come visit my daughter in Anchorage, got off the plane and sneeze, sniffle, etc. I wasn't expecting it. After seeing all the beauty of the new buds and flower, it makes it worth it. I'm glad your fuzzies aren't bothered by seasonal allergies!!
@e and @gina: Yes, it is visually very beautiful, but not so great on those of us sensitive to pollen. It appears that I am in fact allergic to birch. My allergist said it's very common, and I'm a good candidate for desensitization therapy, starting with birch drops in March or so.
Nowadays, it's aspen, cottonwood, and spruce pollen that are flying, and I feel just fine! Definitely too good to be "cured" by just the drugs. It's obvious I'm not allergic to those!
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