What's Up with the Allergies?

A few days ago, I noticed that I was sneezing A LOT!  Yesterday, my throat started hurting A LOT!  I really thought I was coming down with something - I mean, I've been told over and over that now I'm working in a school, I will pick up all kinds of germs and ailments in my first couple of months.  Now, my eyes are all puffy, my head is pounding -and I know I'm not coming down with anything... it's allergies!!

I really don't know what's going on.  Usually, during the months of April and May I can barely see because my allergies are so bad.  Up until this year, every year for the past 15 or 16 years my allergies have gotten so bad in the spring I've had to use a nebulizer because my allergies give me seasonal asthma - which in turn has turned into pneumonia on some occasions.  This year, that didn't happen.  I had the sniffles a few times, but I was outside running most days in April and May and never had a problem.  I had a lot of people tell me that being outside helped.  Not sure all that's true, but I didn't have many problems.  Now, it's September, and those allergies I usually get in April and May are happening now.  This has never happened before!  Why, all of a sudden, is it happening in September?  I've never had allergies in the fall.

I've noticed that other allergies have started popping their head up, too.  Up until this year, I've NEVER been allergic to anything - except having seasonal allergies.  Now, all of a sudden, I get hives anytime my body comes into contact with metal.  If I wear a belt with a metal belt buckle, I get a nasty rash on my stomach.  I bought a really cute, metal watch a few weeks ago.  I wore it a couple of days, and noticed that my wrist looked like I had been attacked by a swarm of fire ants.  What in the heck is going on with me?  Is it common for people to suddenly develop allergies at 28 years old?  I guess so, cause it's happening to me!

There's a reason I share this whine fest.  The reason being, I couldn't run last night because my nose was so stopped up, my throat was so sore, and my eyes were so swollen - I didn't want to add insult to injury.  It's really ticked me off!  The cardio circuit work-out was cancelled again last night, so I really needed to get out and run.  When I took the kids out at the end of the day to wait for their parents to pick them up, I was outside for maybe 10 minutes.  By the time I came back inside, my allergies has kicked in to high gear.  I knew that there would be no way I'd make it around the track like that - and being that I was wheezing... I thought it best to just come home. 

I woke up this morning looking like I've been in a fight - and I got my butt kicked.  Two swollen eyes, a red nose, chapped lips, and my voice sounds like I've been crying for three weeks.  I'm miserable!!  Now, I get to go spend the day in my University classes.  This is going to be fun! **Insert sarcasm**

For those of you that are so wonderful at being supportive - it really won't help suggesting allergy medicine for me to take.  I have a very weird situation when it comes to medicine, too.  Medicine knocks me out - and I mean any kind of medicine.  Just taking an Advil for a headache will have me passed out for 2 hours.  Plus, in the past 16 years, my body has built up quite a tolerance for every kind of allergy medicine out there.  I've taken them all - and have no luck.  Some might take the "edge off" but for the most part, I end up taking some medicine, get knocked out for a few hours, and then wake up just as bad as I was before I took the medicine.  I really hope that this is all temporary - just while the weather is changing.  I usually really enjoy fall -and don't want this year to be any different.  Plus, I have a competition to win - and that means getting outside and RUNNING!!!!  I really wanted to test the theory that being outside a lot will help - well that's not possible if just stepping outside for a few minutes sends me into full allergy attack.  Got to be safe, rather than sorry I guess.

OK - enough for today.  I've been quite a negative Nelly this week... that's not how I like to be.  So, I will just suck it up - or should I say sniff it up - for now, and see how long this mess lasts.

Till next time.  ;)