Allergies - I Hate Them!

My eyes are really bothering me this morning - burning and tearing. There's not any smoke in our area, so I blame this entirely on pollen, which DH says is heavy right now. So, it's my allergies coming to the forefront, just when I didn't need them to step up to the plate. *sigh* Of course I also can't stop sneezing, so I'm a mess today. 

Right now I can't stop sneezing and my eyes are 
watering enough to create a river. I really hate 
my allergy seasons. 

I'm continuing on my housecleaning list today. The upper level is 90% finished. I still need to move my bathroom items to the larger double bathroom before Thursday, but that's plenty of time. DH actually cleaned the larger bathroom. It probably isn't quite as deep a clean as I would have done, but frankly, it's good payback for the 5+ hours it took me to clean his bathroom up last year. LOL. It actually looks quite respectable this year. 

I do need to do a few things on the computer today, but most of my day will be spent on grocery shopping, getting gas into the car, and some more housecleaning. I also have some framing that I need to do. The art I wanted to call finished last week needs a new mat. The current mat is perfect on the sides, but approximately 1/8" off on  the top and bottom opposing corners. It's not much, but it's really bothering me. 

So, it's just going to be one of those days - annoying, filled with watery eyes and sneezing, and I'll be reaching for pharmaceuticals to help me over the hump. I think every flower in nature has sent out it's spores and pollen, and I'm allergic to every bit of it. *sigh*. So have a great day. Minimal photos today because I'm sneezing too much to search them out. Slava Ukraini. 

I'm Apparently Allergic to a Lot of Environmental Triggers

Yesterday's visit to the allergist was quite interesting. After a lot of questions about various foods and my reactions to them, he declared that I wasn't allergic to any food items (a relief, to be sure). I then shifted the conversation over to environmental triggers, told him I hadn't had a full panel since I was eight, and wondered if I could, perhaps, have one of those scheduled. 

The prick test itself is pretty easy. My PA numbered down 
my back with a removable marker, then pricked at each 
spot with the appropriate allergen. The first two were 
reserved for Histamine (guaranteed to have a reaction) and 
Saline (guaranteed to not have a reaction) as a baseline. 
Then I had to remain on my stomach for 15 minutes until 
the PA came back in to measure and record the results. 

He agreed with that, and said they could do it right away. He explained the procedure of scratches, wait for 15 minutes, then measure the results, to me and sent his PA in to get me settled. After the test had been administered and the results calculated, he would come in and explain the results and any recommendations he might have. 

I adore cats, but have known I am allergic to them 
since I was a child. Nonetheless, I've owned three 
cats over time, and even though they made me 
uncomfortable at times, I wouldn't have changed 
a thing. 

The test consisted of 38 pricks on my back, testing for general reactions, animals, dust mites/roaches, trees in Spring, grasses, and weeds and molds in Fall. Out of the 38 pricks, I reacted to 21, some of which were not a surprise. My general allergies to cats and mice were already known to me (it hadn't stopped me from getting cats on and off through the years - I truly love the little beasts). Dust mites were a problem, with a serious sensitivity to those. The doctor recommended I purchase dust mite shields for all of the beds. So Amazon got a bit richer this morning with a new mattress cover, six pillow protectors and a couch protector ordered. Oh well, it's only money, right? LOL

I ordered a new mattress cover (I needed a new 
one anyway) as well as six pillow protectors 
and a fitted couch protector since I sleep on 
a couch (it's extremely comfortable and far 
removed from DH's loud snoring - win/win). 

I have sensitivity to Ash, Birch, Box Elder, Cottonwood, Elm and Oak, also Timothy grass (no, I have no idea what that is either - LOL). I have sensitivity to Cocklebur, Lamb's quarters, Mugwort, Pigweed, and two types of Ragweed. Only three molds tripped me up - Alternaria, Helminthosporium/Drechslera and Hormodendrum/Cladosporium. Surprisingly, five other molds were completely innocuous to my crazy body. But, my highest sensitivities were to the two different dust mites, and Ash, Birch and Oak trees. Of course, I have a lot of birch around me, as well as some oak, but the predominant tree around me are maples and birch trees. No wonder I have a drippy nose at times. It's not life threatening, but it can be inconvenient at times. 

Since I was passing by my local Vitamin 
Shoppe, I stopped in for some Vitamin D 
in the 5000 u dosage. They actually had it 
on a 2-for-1 sale, so it was a total SCORE! 
I use this shop a lot for my various Trace 
Minerals and other additives that I put into 
my daily veggie smoothies. 

He also recommended I increase my daily dose of Vitamin D from 2000 u to 5000 u. I knew I was getting low on my supply of Vitamin D anyway, so while out and about later that day, I took a quick stop into the Vitamin Shop and picked up a bottle of 5000 u Vitamin D, which actually turned into 2 bottles because they were on 2-for-1 special. Score! 

The day was slipping away from me. It was 3:30 pm and 
I still hadn't eaten lunch. I quickly put a pouch of 
"Everyday Dal" into the microwave. I love this 
company - the meals are really tasty and only take a 
minute to heat up. A total win/win when I'm tight 
on time. 

So, the various tests and conversations with the doctor took my entire morning. The rest of the day passed in a blur, with my not even getting time to have "lunch" until 3:30 pm. Thank goodness I was able to relax for a while, chatting with Aearwen for our weekly catch-up chat. We'll have to skip next week, I'll be working on Chickie's final day of vacation. I'll miss it next week, because it's always a pleasure to just shoot the breeze with an LJ friend who has become a sister of the heart. 

Here's hoping your upcoming day is wonderful, filled with joy and light. I'll research whether the couch cover I just ordered (along with the mattress cover and six pillowcase covers) will actually fit my couch. If not, it will be going back to Amazon almost as quickly as it arrives at my door - LOL. But I wanted to get these items in hand as soon as possible. Dust mites - ICK!!! Have a great day, I'll be back for a quick check-in before tomorrow's swim. 

Today I See the Allergist - and The Newest Release by TJ Klune

Today I have a 7:40 am appointment with my allergist. I knew I'd be fighting time, so I didn't take my usual two-mile run this morning. Sure enough, it's 5:45 right now and if I had chosen to run, it would be much closer to 7:00 am - the time when I really need to be getting into the car so that I could drop off my laptop before heading out to the clinic. As much as I hated giving up my morning run, it was the correct decision. Now if the doctor can only figure out something that will work to tame my allergies, I'll be grateful forever. My skin right now is extremely painful and unattractive, and I'm certainly NOT on board with that! 

Hopefully I won't have to find out. I'm really 
trying to be one of the first people through the 
door when they unlock at 7:30 am, so that I won't
be late for my 7:40 am doctor appointment. 

This weekend is our annual Gem and Mineral Show. It's on a different date (it used to be in October, after Ren Fest had ended for the year) and at a different location (it'll actually be in one of the buildings at the State Fairgrounds instead of one of the far southern bedroom communities for the Twin Cities). Nonetheless, despite the schedule and location changes, we're still looking forward to going. It does mean we'll be skipping a week of Renaissance Festival, very unlike us. And missing Ren this weekend means we'll have to attend on closing weekend, weather be damned, since it will be our only opportunity to purchase our 2022 Season Tickets. 

DH and I aren't especially fond of agates, but just take 
a look at this photo. I might make an exception for this 
agate if I ever saw it. It looks like a lakeshore in the 
late fall or early spring, with windswept waves cresting at the 
near bank, and the hint of the far shoreline appearing 
mid-view. This example of an agate is simply stunning. 

Although I think my current allergy attack hinged on a food trigger, I think my body just decided to puck up that ball and run with it, and that there are a lot more things going on right now than a tomato sensitivity. I'm hopeful for a couple of things. (1) I'd like to get a full allergy testing regime done. I haven't had one of these since I was a kid, and I know allergies change over time. I really need to know what's going on with me now, 50+ years after my first round of tests. (2) I also hope there will be a prescription (or several prescriptions) that I can use on my current flare-up. Normally, things that can be used on the body, can't be used on the head, and head medications, often can't also be used on the face and eyelids. I need it all, so I may be looking at several different meds, but I need something that packs a punch to get this under control. 

It's the "Happily Ever After" part that's the real fairy 
tale. In real life, that actually take a lot of hard work. 

So, I dream of a happy ending. I don't want my Prince to coming riding up and whisk me away. I'd probably leave him with a black eye, steal his horse, and return to the dwarves who love me. No, what I want is to look and feel like a human being once again - something that's been out of my control for the past few weeks. Crossing my fingers that I can get some solid answers. I'll be back tomorrow, hopefully with some good news. 

Go and buy your copy of "Under the Whispering Door" 
today. I've been waiting for months, and I'm settling my 
always-open Barnes & Noble account right now and getting 
this into my in-box. As soon as I've finished with my 
current book I'll dive into this one (or maybe I'll
shelve my current book and read this first). 

Oh ... and for those of you who adore TJ Klune ... his latest "Under the Whispering Door" has now been released. I'll be finalizing my order as soon as I've finished today's blog. Run to your latest store (or website) and get this book. It's going to be fantastic. I'll be back tomorrow, please have a glorious day and be kind to those with whom you interact today.  

Contemplation and Endings Ahead - Summer Is Giving Way to Autumn

It's going to be a hot one this weekend. After 2-3 weeks of an early Fall, we're returning to Summer this weekend, with temps in the 90's and high humidity. It's steambath time, people, and we'll be sweltering in the humid heat tomorrow at Ren Fest. We've already decided to leave around 2:00 pm, to beat the crowds, and watch football at home, but also to get out of the heat. I'm totally in favor of that. 

Tomorrow's football game is the Minnesota Vikings 
vs the Arizona Cardinals. I haven't studied this matchup 
at all, so have no idea how well the Cardinals play, but 
it's football, so it'll be wonderful. 

My skin doctor got back to me yesterday, suggesting I see an allergist instead. Shortly afterward, I had a shout-out from one of the allergy doctors with two early times at my local clinic on Tuesday. I chose the earliest time, so I'll be seeing Dr Aldahan at 7:40 am on Tuesday. DH and I also discussed the time line. He reminded me that the whole allergy thing had actually kicked in about a week before the State Fair. The Fair and my food choices there might have accelerated the issue, but I was already having problems earlier in August. 

I'll be seeing Dr Aldahan early Tuesday morning on 
my way in to work. Hopefully he'll have some 
possible avenues to explore to eliminate the skin 
problems I've been experiencing for the past few 
weeks. I normally see all female doctors, so 
having a male doctor will be a real change for me. 

I had hoped to get some cleaning done yesterday, but I was completely exhausted, and ended up taking it easy for most of the day. Even my Friday stop at the grocery store was pretty minimal - more bottled water and a carton of almond milk. I caught up on computer work, joined a new group for spinning (hopefully it will inspire me to sit down and produce some yarn on at least one of my days off), and generally relaxed for the day. I needed that down-time. Of course, the phone call for my new doctor appointment took about an hour on hold with various people before finally getting shunted to the appropriate people to get it done. 

We attend the show every year (except last 
year, of course). In prior years they were 
located at one of the National Guard Armory 
locations south of the Twin Cities, and the 
show was held in mid-October. Now they're 
renting a building at the Fairgrounds and moved 
up the dates, so it might not be as cold outside 
as prior years, and we certainly won't see 
snow as we work through the outside dealers' 
selections of interesting stone. 

We'll be missing Ren Fest next weekend. The Minnesota Mineral Club's annual show and sale has been shifted on the calendar and now also has a new location. They will be at the State Fairgrounds, in one of the buildings on the south side, and instead of an October date, the sale will be held from Friday the 24th through Sunday the 27th. We never miss this show on a Sunday if we can help it, so we'll skip Irish Weekend next week, and go look at rocks instead. That will leave us a final week of Ren Fest for the 2nd and 3rd of October. It's hard to believe the summer has flashed by so quickly. 

It's always bittersweet to reach the end of the summer here 
in the Frozen Northlands. We're starting to see the trees 
turn scarlet and golden - so beautiful - but those brilliant 
colors also mean that Winter is Coming! Ick! 

Have a truly wonderful day and a good weekend. I'll be back on Monday with more of my saga, or maybe there will be something that will pull me into another tangent. I have a drabble to write, books to read, a house to clean, and festivals/shows to attend. Life is good. Take care, be safe and please be kind to others. We all need kindness in our lives. 

Dental Issues and Food Allergies - I'm A Mess!

One of the things that happened within the past week was a tooth of mine falling apart. Fortunately the filling stayed in place, so the 1/3 of the missing tooth didn't actually hurt, but it was just at the start of the extended Labor Day weekend, and actually getting in to a dentist for a new crown was impossible. I talked to my dentist late that night, but she was on vacation until Tuesday. The office was able to get me in this afternoon, however, so I get to spend an hour or so in the dental office at 1:00 pm today. Oh joy. Still, I really need this done. The sharp edges of the remaining tooth are cutting my tongue to shreds. Ouch! 

I suspect they'll want to replace the 
filling in the broken tooth with a crown. 
I'm fine with that - I have several other 
crowns and they work fine. I just want 
something so that my tongue isn't getting 
cut every time I chew. Ouch! 

I've also been dealing with an outbreak of rashes on my skin. I know this is related to food sensitivity and allergies, but I have no idea which foods. So I researched it a bit yesterday and purchased a blood test which I can take and send back to the lab for analysis. It should help me pin down what foods I'm sensitive about, and what foods I'm allergic to. I'd like to get this under control again - it looks awful, and feels even worse. 

This is the oven we're getting. It's small - a 24" oven 
on the exterior, so the interior is considerably 
smaller than that. I don't use it a lot, though. It 
needs to fit my Thanksgiving turkey and our 
holiday Chex Mix stock pot, everything else is 
fairly small anyway. 

My new oven was supposed to be installed today, but we're pushing that off until next week because of my dental appointment. I had a long conversation with my installer yesterday. He's concerned that we might have purchased an oven that will be too small for us. But, after a lot of back and forth, I think we're still going to go with what we've got. It will be small, but we don't use the oven a lot, and it will fit the space with minimal adjustments. I don't think there was a 27" version available in-stock anywhere either, so if we decided to move up from the 24" to the 27", it might not be possible. I'll know more next week. 

Time to put the bed away for another year and reclaim 
the room. I can move the sports memorabilia and the 
comic books back into this room for temporary storage 
while DH continues working on the Library area. 

Sharon arrived back home safely yesterday evening. It was such a joy having her visit again. Her towels are currently being washed, and I'll disassemble the bed and get her room back in order later today. I'm already looking forward to next year, when I'll have a MUCH better idea of what foods I can and cannot eat. 

I know one of the foods I'm sensitive to 
is tomato. That isn't even listed on this 
chart. But there are lots of other things 
that I might be sensitive to that are 
listed, and I'm hoping this blood test 
will help me pin down my triggers. 

On that note, I'm out of here. I might not be getting an oven today, but it's still going to be a VERY busy day. I hope you have a wonderful day ahead of you, and that you are kind to others and happy with your life. I'll return tomorrow.