How nice it is to have real sunshine. The world is brighter and warmer and I can not help but look out and feel cheered. Meteorological spring is here. For some reason I can not say the word, meteorological, trying to is quite funny. We are in the nearly, not quite, zone, the sun shines but winter traits may still take over. The sunshine, therefore must be taken advantage of, ‘make hay while the sun shines’. It can still go cold and miserable again.
I love spring, I love looking around and seeing all the plant life beginning to burst out. Beauty can be seen every where. The warmth suits me so much better, I role up my sleeves in the sunshine to let the vitamin D in. It all helps. Mentally I make a shift, the weather is like a marker, encouraging me to think forward, leave the past behind, shake off the winter blues and cold that causes me to shrivel inwards. I stand straight and uncurl like a crocus.
Caught up in the loveliness of the season, I forget the draw backs. I am drowsy and groggy and very tired. Tiredness feels annoying as the nice weather encourages me to get active. Why am I so droopy?
Aha, of course! Allergies! While the plants burst fourth, their pollen and scents secrete into the atmosphere. Its all around and my eyes and nose know it, while my brain has failed to notice. One eye has been watering in protest constantly and my nose is either blocked or running. The drowsiness has prevented me from thinking. I have been drawn back to bed on days I have timetabled activities. My throat and glands are swollen. I thought I was fighting off flu symptoms and gave into rest.
Now I know its hayfever, that’s a broad term for it, I should look into it more someday, but for now its time to battle it. In time I will adjust and it will get easier. Yesterday I looked out my nasal light therapy, stick it up my nose thing. I replaced the batteries only to have it beep repeatedly and not work. I decided I would buy a new one, as I collect my prescription at the chemist, then fell back into sleep, like Dorothy in the poppy field, that is my favourite reference, it sums it up perfectly.
Today, I have been more determined. I found another pack of batteries and tried them and hey ho, it works. I sneezed and sneezed and sneezed again, signalling it is definitely working. I tried it several times to be sure, and just for good measure I took another loratadine, just in case. I take anti histamines nightly, fexofenadine and loratadine, but times like this I need all the help I can get. So now here I sit, writing this, conscious of my need to produce more and catch up. I was still unsure earlier but the difference in me now makes it obvious, I must fight the drowsiness and push through, there should be no payback, flu isn’t on the way. One year I will be prepared for all this, but still, currently it occurs to me as a surprise, like I don’t know about it, like the cause and solution is a magical revelation. The solution is simple, though it takes time to adjust. There is no escaping the allergy triggers and so I dose up. I have done the local honey and nose barrier gel to little avail. I do recommend the nasal light therapy, and know its time to buy in the nasal spray anti histamines as back up when out and about.
I know allergies make some people wary of the outdoors, I say don’t be wary, just be prepared and get out there!
Spring is busy springing and anti allergy measures are needed!
Wow, I am back to add to this, I went off to a move it or Loose it class, very good, quite dancey, I felt groggy, drowsy and spinney and the room had a kind of foggy glaze. Following the class I went off to the chemist, I collected my usual drug bag and then sought out the allergy products. I went for a new dual action nasal spray, beconase plus something to work as a preventative, it said on the box it works in three minutes. As I left the store I ripped it from its packaging and squirted it up my nose, thinking no more of it. As I entered the supermarket I was suddenly taken with how everything looked, just like that I could see with clarity and felt solid, it was as though there had been a veil over my head and now it was lifted. If I needed any more evidence of the impact of hayfever and allergies, this was it.
Get squirting those noses!
Chris.xx
Living With ME 