Allergy day

[urbpan]

Everywhere you look in the greener parts of the city, there are green weeds with green flowers.  I don't know why they bloom at this time of the year, but I'm sure there's an evolutionary reason for it.  Green flowers mean that the plant has decided not to invite flies, bees, butterflies, moths, or beetles.  No need for pretty colors or sweet aromas, they just need a gust of wind to push their pollen to the next plant's female organs.  The most notorious of the green flowered plants is ragweed.  All that pollen moving through the air makes life difficult on those of us allergic to that particular alien protein.

Today I had to shoulder my way through a stand of mugwort that was easily a foot taller than I am.  As the stalks bent, a visible cloud of pollen erupted into my personal space, and the personal spaces of my head.  Suddenly my tongue felt much too large and dry to belong in my mouth.  My usual allergic sneezing, charming in its way, was joined by what sounded like a smoker's cough.  These symptoms constituted an elevated level of suffering that I haven't felt from pollen before.  Soon I was finding some Benadryl and dry-swallowing it.  Talk about a cure that's almost worse than the disease.  You have to say one thing about diphenhydramine HCl: It prevents lethal anaphylaxis.  Beyond that, it's a good tranquilizer, but I won't take it unless I'm on the verge of the verge of death.

After work I laid down for a minute and woke up an hour later, feeling like I had the flu.  Alexis even made me chicken soup for dinner.  I'm about to go back to bed for the night, and I'll hopefully feel better tomorrow.  I'll take some Claritin, and I'll avoid the green flowers.

Comments

[urb-banal.livejournal.com]

i had symptoms similar to that and thought I must just be having allergies. Then I found out there was a flu/cold going around so I just thought it would run it's course but a month later I am on heavy antibiotics (i never took antibiotics even on chemo I manage to avoid infection) and two puffers, on that makes me feel like a nervous rabbit in Mr. Macgregor's garden.

I am still coughing. I cant believe this.

[cdozo.livejournal.com]

I take Chewable children's Benedryl. That way I can take a lower dose and I can chew it if I don't have any water.

[caelidh.livejournal.com]

I have had something for the past several days that is causing me to clear my throat non stop and cough. I don't feel ill otherwise.. just this irritation in my chest like I am breathing it in.
I am not used to having allergies. I think I am going to have to take Claritien or something. ugh.

[momomom.livejournal.com]

Perhaps since the green flowers don't need polinators and since they put out huge investments in volume of pollen they maximize nutritional "intake" by having the flowers photosynthesize.

Hope you feel better soon.

I loved your pup in cute overload! Not sure if the photos were yours or cottonmanifesto's but congratulations to you both.

[buboniclou.livejournal.com]

Oh, mugwort. How I loathe you. If only I could make some absinthe from you...

[urbpan.livejournal.com]

Wait, what photos in cute overload?

[donnad.livejournal.com]

You could also wear a mask if you have to be near that particular plant again. Even a surgical mask would help with the pollen getting into your nose and lungs.

Gah, too early in the morning.. I mean help keep the pollen from getting into your nose and lungs.

[urb-banal.livejournal.com]

what sort of mask? I mean, like the kind you can get at a hardware store?

[morgi.livejournal.com]

You have to say one thing about diphenhydramine HCl: It prevents lethal anaphylaxis. Beyond that, it's a good tranquilizer, but I won't take it unless I'm on the verge of the verge of death.

And if you take too much you can experience the wonder that is restless legs syndrome!