While growing up I was always coughing, not like a little cough, but a deep bronchial cough that earned me second glances from those nearby. I remember my parents taking me to the doctor's office and trying to convince them I had asthma and I needed to be treated. I don't have asthma and didn't get treated for it. However, I didn't get treated for anything. I don't know if the doctor only looked for asthma or what but I was never diagnosed with anything for my horrendous cough.
I have memories of years upon years of dosing myself with cold medicine to try to relieve my cough and nasal congestion (any ideas yet what the cause could be?) I almost always claimed the family humidifier at the beginning of fall and kept it through spring. When I went to college I kept the same routine, cold meds and my very own humidifier.
It wasn't until I was 23 years old, and practically on my death bed that I drug myself out of bed and drove myself to a med clinic (not the wisest choice when your vision is a bit blurry). It was there that I was told for the first time I had allergies, that they looked pretty bad, and b/c my immune system was so focused on the allergies it wasn't defending well, and had I waited another 24 hrs to come in she most likely would have hospitalized me with pneumonia.
Hu. Allergies. Who'd have though!
I never considered allergies to be my issue b/c I didn't have the itchy/watery eyes, runny nose, or itchy throat. I had a horrendous cough and congestion/ sinus pressure all over my face. The allergy commercials don't talk about that. (ok, now they do, but 4+ years ago they didn't)
Anyway, I was told to go buy some allergy medication with the D on it. "Remember the D. That's important otherwise it won't do anything for you" said my saving grace doctor. It was amazing how much better I felt just 24 hrs later.
That was about 4 years ago. I've switched meds about three times since b/c I become immune to them. So I looked into what allergy shots do. Did you know that within 2-5 years of taking allergy shots 90% of people no longer need to take medicine to control their allergies? Um.... Sign me up!
I made an appointment and was told I had to stop taking my allergy medication a week before the testing to get accurate results. Let me just say. I have been miserable and useless for the last 4 days, and yesterday was my test day. The appointment took 3 hrs. Two years ago I would have been annoyed with a three hr appointment. Now? Nope. It was three hours free of responsibility of Babycake. She got to go play with her friends and had a blast and I got to sit and catch up on reading in the doctor's office.
For the testing, they did 69 scratch tests on my back. I reacted to 57 of them. Because I reacted to so many, the doctor wanted to be sure my skin wasn't overly sensitive and that I wasn't actually allergic to everything. So 20 mins later I received 10 shots on my arms. 20 mins after that it was confirmed that yes, I am allergic to everything.
They then did the run through of what I need to do to care for myself. No mowing the lawn, if I'm near someone mowing the lawn windows are to be closed and if I'm outside I need to wear a mask. My cat can no longer sleep in our room (yeah like I could get that to happen. Anyone know of a good home w no kids we can give her to?) The list seemed to go on and on, in the end it was a lot of washing, dusting, cleaning and avoiding I was told I needed to do.
Now I don't have a filthy home. I dust at least once a week and clean regularly. But I don't think the people at the doctor's office realize how impossible it is to have a pristine home with a toddler. There just isn't time to do it all. Also my husband is out of town for work for the next three weeks, so I'm the one left to mow the lawn. Maybe I'll mow while everyone is at work so they won't see the ridiculous mask.
In the end I left the office with five prescriptions and a promise that in a couple weeks I can begin receiving my allergy shots. I'm still feeling crummy 24 hrs after the appointment, but I can tell the meds are doing something b/c it's not as horrible as yesterday. I guess this is what I get for living in the Midwest. Maybe we should move to AZ.
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