I've been on sabbatical. I broke out in hives--and yeah, I know I keep mentioning it, but it's one of those overriding, all-consuming, seriously life-changing experiences. It wasn't just one of those quickly over, run across your body, take some Benadryl and it goes away. It was almost a week of full body, all over the place things I've never experienced before. I've never had hives on my nose. It's not something I want to do again.
Being allergic to stuff like Tang and base metals, I usually carry a couple of pills in my purse. So when I broke out the first time, I popped a couple of Benadryl and took a nap. Three days later, I tried other antihistamines, because seriously--you can't sleep your life away, and Benadryl is notorious for making you drowsy. Claritin, Zyrtec, Chlor-Triaminic. The thing they don't tell you about non-drowsy meds is that it takes time for them to build up in your bloodstream, and with the way it was going, I didn't have time to wait. It was two pills, four hours, another two pills--wake up in the middle of the night and take another two pills.
By the time I got rid of the rash, I totally freaked the next time I saw a hive. I thought for sure I'd stopped every allergenic food known to mankind. But, it was the tension, and stress--and I've been repressing stress like crazy.
I can't remember a time when I wasn't stressed out. I'm not just a type A personality. I'm a A++
It turns out stress causes histamine.
I tried qigong. I tried meditation. I like the giqong, but meditation is hard right now because I don't have a quiet mind. I know I need to toggle back, but--it's like running all the time only to break a leg. I kept trying to run, only to trip on my crutches.
The hives migrated to a new place. Under my hair and on my forehead, which makes me look like a combination of the mad scientist in Back to the Future, with the forehead jut of the Incredible Hulk. *sigh*
It's snowing right now. It was raining, then this winter storm moved in and dropped the temperature. I've never lived in a place where people ran around in shorts and t-shirts in 20 degree weather. There I was, slipping and sliding on the ice outside work, (bundled up in a parka and gloves) simply walking to my car, and people were strolling in like it was 90 degrees outside and the wind wasn't ripping. There is so much ice on the road, it's a solid two inches. It took fifteen minutes to drive a mile from the main drag to my house (down a hill, up a hill, and down another hill), and I ran over my cable box. Luckily I managed to put it back together. I thought I'd be able to call out, but my boss had made the trek in, and he said, "it'll be busy. You'll see. People in Seattle are crazy. They'll come out during the day and disappear before it turns dark." In an ice storm.
It was so busy, I thought it was buy one get one free day at a car dealer.
On the plus side, I'm learning Spanish. So far, I can ask where the toilet is--tell people I'm going, and introduce myself. I can also say fish and chicken, and "over there". The swearing doesn't count, because that's extra, but I can curse ninety ways to Sunday.
Christmas is coming, and I've been baking. It's one of those surreal experiences giving someone from Mexico City lebkuchen. I have this funny feeling I'm setting myself up for Christmas tamales.
It's supposed to be eighteen degrees tomorrow. I'm very glad I'm off.
7 comments:
Definitely crazy people out here in the west. I've no doubt you're the sanest one. I'm glad you have today off, too. I've no excuse, working at home, but what will I accomplish? Nada.
Christmas tamales are the best! I spent my Christmases in Texas while growing up. We traded tamales for pecans with the family down the way.
For me, the all time best form of meditation was a computer game. By the time I got my score up over 100,000 I was in a zen state. Unluckily, I've only ever seen he game on and Apple IIE.
lol, Deanna--I'm fighting inertia. But I hope to put in another 2k today. Your blog entry was so elegant. *envious*
YAY! Alice, Alice--I'm in tamale central here. People keep asking me, "Yodi, you like spicy?" (I'm getting used to people calling me Yodi) Hmmm...computer games? There's this shoot 'em up game my kid likes where space marines go through an alien city--maybe I should give it a try. Although...then again. Maybe pong, or if I can find that target-shooting game. Pull! Plink plink
The one that worked for me was a target shooting thing. You had to use your peripheral vision at the higher levels and act without thinking.
Aw, Yodi, ye be funny when ye be sickly. I swear I almost laughed the entire way through this post. You should've heard me!
"Hi, my name is Andi. Where's the toilet? I'm going now."
I think you're feeling better, no?
(Pong! Man, that game GAVE me hives. I loved playing Mario Brothers in the mid-90s. My thumbs were always sore. What's even worse is that I never saved the damn princess, either. Not once.)
I feel for you. I had hives for 2 months one time. Stress is a bad thing:) But at least I had an excuse to nap often since I was doped up on Benadryl.
yes, Andi--I think I'm better. Or at least as better as I can be, considering I'm always like this, lol.
Hi Merry--geesh, two MONTHS of hives? Ugh.
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