Spring

It is allergy season. I am allergic to all species of grass, trees and flower pollen. Several years ago, I had an allergy test done and almost needed an epi shot! For reals, my back swelled more than it should have in response to the grasses and trees.

For more than a year, I visited the college clinic and received allergy shots. Twice I needed epinephrine shots to counteract anaphylactic shock. After the second, I gave up - I'd take allergies over the loss of breath. There isn't anything quite as frightening as the inability to take a normal breath. Breathing, that's life, people. You don't appreciate it much until it escapes you.

The only good thing about the allergy shots is that for three years after, I only suffered minor allergies (and contact allergies when I handled hay or straw...which I still react to). I used to suffer the ill-effects of allergies for about six months out of the year. Pretty miserable. Now it's about 2 months out of the year, so I figure the allergy shots have really done their job.

So I love and hate spring. It's beautiful, both in scent and sight. But having to drug myself up with nasal sprays, eye drops, decongestants and regular allergy pills like Allegra or Claritin kind of suck.