Musings
an Online Journal of Sorts

By Alyce Wilson

This is one of the two big allergy seasons of the year. Not that I'm complaining, but this year it's hitting me differently.

My allergies used to primarily manifest themselves in sniffling, sneezing and head congestion. I would often be forced to take allergy medicine. I often took only a half dose because I can't stand the way allergy medicine affects me. I get punch-drunk.

Even though I've been told drinking a lot of water can't help allergies -- apparently, allergens aren't as easy to purge from the system as toxins -- I have to give my water drinking habit at least partial credit. Or maybe it's the wide array of vitamins I take each morning (multivitamin, chromium picolinate, vitamin C, vitamin E, glucosomine chondrotin, baby aspirin), which takes an entire glass of water to wash them all down.

This year, instead of the sniffling and sneezing, my allergies are making me itchy. Before I take my morning shower, I feel as if I've been rolling in itching powder.

The problem with these new symptoms is my habit of waiting until after I hit the gym to take a shower. This makes sense, of course, because otherwise I'd have to take two showers. But lately, it takes enormous self-control not to bounce around the gym, scratching wildly, like a Warner Brothers cartoon.

This is further proof, of course, that I'm turning into my dog. I asked my vet once why my dog was scratching a lot when I knew she had flea protection and didn't have any skin problems. The vet said she had sensitive skin and allergies. Una spent all of last fall with a bright pink belly due to her allergies. I had to keep a close eye on her, to prevent her from scratching.

When the itching gets the worst, I'd almost be willing to exchange it for my previous symptoms. However, I do think that it's best not to medicate and with these symptoms, meds are less necessary.

I remember once, as a reporter, when I was in the county courthouse writing down the week's real estate transactions, marriage licenses and divorce decrees. My allergies were particularly bad that day, and I had taken a Benedryl for relief. Suddenly, as I'm pouring through the black binder of property transactions, I'm thinking, "I'm really enjoying this! I feel really great!" A pause while this sunk in. "How in the hell am I going to drive home?"

I guess it's better, then, that I'm turning into my dog, because at least I can avoid Benedryl head.

The neighbors on the corner finally put a fence in their backyard for their two dogs. They got these dogs because they loved Una and used to love petting her when she went by. Then they got two puppies who rapidly became big dogs with puppy mentalities. Una always wants to play with them, but if my neighbors have them on a leash, this makes a heck of a scene, dogs pulling wildly and dragging humans after.

So they finally got themselves a fence and can now let their boys out in the yard. The fence isn't very tall. It's like a standard split-rail fence that you'd see in a field, with green chickenwire to cover the holes. When we walked by the other day and Una went up to the fence to rub noses with them, one of the dogs got up on his hind legs and put his paws on top of the fence. So, really, the only thing that's really keeping those dogs in the yard is psychology. It's because they don't really want to leave. And that, after all, is the most effective fence you can build.

Copyright 2003 by Alyce Wilson

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