It's been a challenging winter here in the Boston area. The succession of weekly snowstorms that marked the first 6 weeks of the year finally ceased, replaced by intermittent melting and freezing, a couple of teaser gloriously warm days thrown sometime in mid-February (it's hard to remember now), gusty frigid winds, sleet, freezing drizzle, and generally inhospitable weather. This morning a Facebook friend commented that "boils, gnats, and flies" are next.
Meanwhile, a couple of weeks ago I developed a persistent allergic reaction to something in my apartment and have been miserable, with a couple of clear days thrown in randomly, like the weather. I had dreams about scrambling exhaustedly up and down staircases that went nowhere, Escher-like. I finally cried uncle and saw an allergist last Friday and today started getting allergy shots again, which I haven't had since I was in my early 20s.
I had to be off antihistamines for a couple of days before testing, so I started the weekend pretty stuffed up and wiped out. Saturday, D and I drove out to a Home Depot and bought a new HEPA air purifier for my place and one for his. It instantly made a major difference in my apartment -- which is not especially dusty (unlike, ehem, D's), so it's a bit mystifying what could be floating around here, but it's all getting sucked into the filter now. Lorianne posted something last week on FB about the recent thaws leading to mould allergies. However, I tested positive less for outdoor moulds than indoor, plus the trigger really seems to be indoors, behind the shut-tight windows of my apartment. Maybe some mould came in with the lovely Valentine roses? (sigh) Anyway, having regained a little energy, I also washed every sheet, pillowcase, blanket and duvet cover in my bedroom and (face-masked) vacuumed the bedroom spotless. And the air purifier hums away. I'm hoping that when spring comes (when? when?) the shots will already have some desensitizing effect to ward off spring seasonal allergies, which also make me miserable every year. If not, I have flonase and the HEPA filter at the ready.
Ouch. Sounds miserable. Here's hoping the shots are effective...and yes, spring will be here EVENTUALLY, someday (at least I keep telling myself that...)
Posted by: Lorianne | Tuesday, March 01, 2011 at 07:37 AM
Thanks, I hope so, too. And I think New Englanders are collectively wishing this spring into being.
Posted by: Leslee | Tuesday, March 01, 2011 at 08:43 AM