Getting air into our lungs should be a natural thing that we don’t even have to think about. Right? Well, I gave it some serious thought yesterday afternoon when I was struggling to finish mowing a small portion of the lawn before our next storm arrived last night. Last year I had very few problems with seasonal allergies. This year they have plagued me for weeks. I don’t know if the culprit is the abundant ragweed that our weatherman reports on each day, or hidden mold because of the rain, but something is interfering with my breathing and I don’t like it. I also don’t like the coughing, wheezing, and watery eyes! And yes, I AM taking Zyrtec. Without it I wouldn’t even function.
When we first moved here in 1980 I had to take shots in order to breathe. The kids also had to get them and we were miserable together. We went to the clinic and got tested to see if we could avoid the things that were bothering us. There were five or six things on the list that we could avoid. However, when my tests showed I was allergic to at least 40 things growing in the nearby woods and prairies I decided that medication was probably my only hope. We slowly adjusted and of course by the time we were getting better we returned to CA.
When we moved back here in 1991 I was prepared for the adjustments. A year of shots and medication didn’t surprise me. The next year I only required medication in October and March. Now that is the norm for most years. But as I get older I guess I resent the fact that my body still protests living where I am. I love the prairie! Why do I have to be allergic to it? I’ve lived in the desert, and even though I can breathe, it’s not nearly as much fun. Return to CA? No, I’d just be breathing chemicals all day.
One of our students had to have a breathing treatment Friday after just a couple of minutes out on the playground. My heart sympathizes with her and I hope her condition improves as she gets older. I have friends and family members who suffer from allergies and asthma. One is ninety and still has to be careful outside. At least my problems aren’t life-threatening.
So those of you who are breathing in and out without giving it a second thought, be thankful today! Some of us have to have help.
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