I never had allergies of any kind in my life (aside from sulfa drugs—big ol' yikes how I found out about THAT) until 2018 when I ended up in the emergency room not being able to breathe. At first, docs were afraid I had deep vein thrombosis because I'd just returned to England after being on a plane for 15 hours (the first six+ hours were spent on the ground in Minneapolis because of snow and ice) and it turned out to be a sudden, violent onset of latent adult asthma. Since then, it's been a series of inhalers of ever-increasing strength, a trip to the ER at least once a year, reduced exercise when the weather gets nice enough to go outside, and days when I literally think I'm going to suffocate. My 28-year-old stepdaughter, who has also been healthy and allergy-free her whole life, also developed breathing issues a couple years ago and now her 5-year-old son has developed a wheeze. This shit is serious and no one is referring to it simply as "hay fever" anymore.
My asthma showed up when I was in an enclosed space with moldy hay. Almost went to the ER but got through it. Crazy stuff. My body really reacted to a forest fire we had with what seemed like a bad cold. When I moved from a busy main road to a side neighborhood with much less traffic, I stopped needing a daily inhaler and rarely use the albuterol inhaler (except for cats, dang it!). Vehicle emissions! So bad for you.
My probalem actually started when I was sitting on that damn airplane—immediately after our THIRD de-icing (which you can actually smell in the cabin). I've always been curious if anyone else on that particular flight ended up as sick as I was by the time we landed in London. I've cut down from my two-puffs-twice-a-day to just two puffs once a day and rarely use my blue (albuteral) inhaler unless I'm having a really bad day—and even then, it doesn't do much good.
My allergies are so much worse this year. Am taking 4 Allegra a day on allergists advice. Also prescription nasal spray 3 times a day. My Dr thinks the increase in my allergic reactions is also the cause of my viral infection. I have a combo of burning tongue syndrome, eye infection and cold sores thst have all been gracing me with their presence for the last 3 weeks
"The growing season starts earlier now — in North America an average of 20 days earlier"
Yeah no shit. We've got irises in full bloom around here; time was, they bloomed around Father's Day. I should have tomatoes in the ground already (tho to be fair, the ground I'd put them in will be changing in the next couple weeks). Winter starts later and ends earlier and we can now only talk about consecutive days with snow on the ground, not weeks (little say months). I used to wish I lived somewhere that got what I think of as Carolina winters, but I never expected them to happen in Northeast Ohio.
Thank you for citing Margaret Renkl. She is a national treasure, her writing both an oasis of calm and a rallying cry for the protection of nature (including humans!). Everyone should read her.
It's lawn-mowing season in New England. I have to drive with the windows open (for reasons) so I now have to wear a mask in the car. I can't wait for some bozo simmering next to me at a red light to say something.
On the coast last week, we could comfortably watch sunset at pescadero beach and not freeze our desert bums off. Great for allergies too. Oh almost forgot, made public restrooms down HWY 1 usable for me (don't know exactly what it is about surfer poos but holy hell is it rank)
jejeje. I mean when I was in undergrad int he 90's (and a teen in 80's) you'd also see that at natural Bridges. If you went at low tide southwards past the 'natural bridge'. Also caves there that if you say went tidepooling cuz you're a biologist nerd, you may, um find some peeps engaging in other biological drives so to speak.
Now that brings up how much I miss pre-2010's Santa Cruz & peeps. On the beach was the best study/learning area for my chemistry/math/physics coursework.
same. Even though not born there but in arid AZ. Does it count that my mother is central coast born and raised till she met my dad? So been visiting all the N. Cal coast to S. Cascades in Oregon all during my 70's childhood & beyond.
Moss Landing/Monterey/Seaside/Salinas is the center of my heart now if truth be told. In undergad, as a CSU school student, I took ALL the 1 unit classes at the marine laboratories. (you only got credit for your degree with only 3 units total but I didn't care) This was before CSU Monterey was even a glimmer in the CSU systems eye.
I was there post Loma Prieta and how long it took to clean up. Moss Landing had a state of the art facility that had JUST opened the spring semester prior to the quake. All gone in an instant due to liquifaction. I hope peeps recall that as I see so much contruction & new development there in places where the ground just ate the homes if you will. The short sided ness of real estate will never cease to amaze me.
The instant the tree pollen popped in Chicago I got a sinus infection. I do a Neti pot twice a day, every day, all year, and take Zyrtec and Flonase and allergy eye drops daily as well. I’m terrified to find out what a 200% increase in pollen will do to me.
I think we humans should be very afraid of the green things at this point. The mast manipulators of light & chemicals to get their needs met. That cut grass smell and the why we humans enjoy it should be a warning. Don't fork with the green things. When they figure out how to fork with us, they will. We gave them no choice. Humans are the monster ALL life forms (even us humans who are voiceless) are forced to survive. Evolution can happen quickly if given enough stressors (KPG anyone?) We humans gave ALL the living things a hell of a reason. I think we humans are now dab in the middle of the finding out stage. May we survive (alas, only if humans learn some humility first, but since 10K years of history show us not able to do that, my hope/faith in humans is neigh on non-existant).
I eagerly clicked on the link expecting to see Eugene, OR on the list. But no, they only looked at the top 100 cities in population. Eugene, according to Wikipedia, ranks 146th in population in the U.S.
I didn't know what allergies were until I moved here. I don't have it too bad, but I've known people who really suffer here.
Nice to know it's going to get worse in my senior years.
I never had allergies of any kind in my life (aside from sulfa drugs—big ol' yikes how I found out about THAT) until 2018 when I ended up in the emergency room not being able to breathe. At first, docs were afraid I had deep vein thrombosis because I'd just returned to England after being on a plane for 15 hours (the first six+ hours were spent on the ground in Minneapolis because of snow and ice) and it turned out to be a sudden, violent onset of latent adult asthma. Since then, it's been a series of inhalers of ever-increasing strength, a trip to the ER at least once a year, reduced exercise when the weather gets nice enough to go outside, and days when I literally think I'm going to suffocate. My 28-year-old stepdaughter, who has also been healthy and allergy-free her whole life, also developed breathing issues a couple years ago and now her 5-year-old son has developed a wheeze. This shit is serious and no one is referring to it simply as "hay fever" anymore.
My asthma showed up when I was in an enclosed space with moldy hay. Almost went to the ER but got through it. Crazy stuff. My body really reacted to a forest fire we had with what seemed like a bad cold. When I moved from a busy main road to a side neighborhood with much less traffic, I stopped needing a daily inhaler and rarely use the albuterol inhaler (except for cats, dang it!). Vehicle emissions! So bad for you.
My probalem actually started when I was sitting on that damn airplane—immediately after our THIRD de-icing (which you can actually smell in the cabin). I've always been curious if anyone else on that particular flight ended up as sick as I was by the time we landed in London. I've cut down from my two-puffs-twice-a-day to just two puffs once a day and rarely use my blue (albuteral) inhaler unless I'm having a really bad day—and even then, it doesn't do much good.
Happy spring, I guess?
Ta, Sara. I've never suffered from seasonal allergies, but I sure AF sympathize with those who do.
I got a no-reason bloody nose today and have decided to blame it on The Air.
Dry weather can be the culprit also
if it happens frequently, you need to get checked out, it can be a sign of something more serious than The Air
This is very good advice. I haven’t had one in a very long time, but I’m going to keep an eye on things. Thank you for this.
There's a distinct East Coast Bias to this study...I OBJECT!!!
Reading this story as I blow my nose for the tenth time today...I can back from vacation and, oh the congestion!!!
My allergies are so much worse this year. Am taking 4 Allegra a day on allergists advice. Also prescription nasal spray 3 times a day. My Dr thinks the increase in my allergic reactions is also the cause of my viral infection. I have a combo of burning tongue syndrome, eye infection and cold sores thst have all been gracing me with their presence for the last 3 weeks
"The growing season starts earlier now — in North America an average of 20 days earlier"
Yeah no shit. We've got irises in full bloom around here; time was, they bloomed around Father's Day. I should have tomatoes in the ground already (tho to be fair, the ground I'd put them in will be changing in the next couple weeks). Winter starts later and ends earlier and we can now only talk about consecutive days with snow on the ground, not weeks (little say months). I used to wish I lived somewhere that got what I think of as Carolina winters, but I never expected them to happen in Northeast Ohio.
I am now on a permanent daily regimen of Zyrtec-D. Which reminds me, I'm fresh out and need to get my ass to the drugstore today.
Thank you for citing Margaret Renkl. She is a national treasure, her writing both an oasis of calm and a rallying cry for the protection of nature (including humans!). Everyone should read her.
Just reading this made me sniffle, but I think that was the hot peppers in my salad. Take THAT, plants!
It's lawn-mowing season in New England. I have to drive with the windows open (for reasons) so I now have to wear a mask in the car. I can't wait for some bozo simmering next to me at a red light to say something.
PPE are so good for so many things.
On the coast last week, we could comfortably watch sunset at pescadero beach and not freeze our desert bums off. Great for allergies too. Oh almost forgot, made public restrooms down HWY 1 usable for me (don't know exactly what it is about surfer poos but holy hell is it rank)
So many uses.
Growing up, Pescadero was our nekkid beach!
jejeje. I mean when I was in undergrad int he 90's (and a teen in 80's) you'd also see that at natural Bridges. If you went at low tide southwards past the 'natural bridge'. Also caves there that if you say went tidepooling cuz you're a biologist nerd, you may, um find some peeps engaging in other biological drives so to speak.
Now that brings up how much I miss pre-2010's Santa Cruz & peeps. On the beach was the best study/learning area for my chemistry/math/physics coursework.
That part of the Central Coast is and will always be my spiritual home, even if I can’t afford to visit, let alone move back home…
same. Even though not born there but in arid AZ. Does it count that my mother is central coast born and raised till she met my dad? So been visiting all the N. Cal coast to S. Cascades in Oregon all during my 70's childhood & beyond.
Moss Landing/Monterey/Seaside/Salinas is the center of my heart now if truth be told. In undergad, as a CSU school student, I took ALL the 1 unit classes at the marine laboratories. (you only got credit for your degree with only 3 units total but I didn't care) This was before CSU Monterey was even a glimmer in the CSU systems eye.
I was there post Loma Prieta and how long it took to clean up. Moss Landing had a state of the art facility that had JUST opened the spring semester prior to the quake. All gone in an instant due to liquifaction. I hope peeps recall that as I see so much contruction & new development there in places where the ground just ate the homes if you will. The short sided ness of real estate will never cease to amaze me.
I grew up just north of Devil’s Slide in what became Pacifica. To me, it was San Pedro Beach and Pedro Valley.
I'm never giving them up.
same. Just makes even being around humans a bit easier.
Not being told to 'smile'
Not having to worry about my face and expressions.
as an ND person, masks have made my life so much easier beyond the not getting sick part.
Right? Bonus.
The instant the tree pollen popped in Chicago I got a sinus infection. I do a Neti pot twice a day, every day, all year, and take Zyrtec and Flonase and allergy eye drops daily as well. I’m terrified to find out what a 200% increase in pollen will do to me.
I occasionally glance in the mirror to confirm that my eyeballs are not aflame. So far, so good.
As George Carlin said "planets gonna do what planets gonna do."
We went the first 4+billion years without humans.
Probably soon without them anywhere. In the life of a planet, we are just a blink in time.
After 100,000 -200,000 years of humans, we still haven't learned to not kill each other.
And no, after all things considered, we did not have a good run.
I think we humans should be very afraid of the green things at this point. The mast manipulators of light & chemicals to get their needs met. That cut grass smell and the why we humans enjoy it should be a warning. Don't fork with the green things. When they figure out how to fork with us, they will. We gave them no choice. Humans are the monster ALL life forms (even us humans who are voiceless) are forced to survive. Evolution can happen quickly if given enough stressors (KPG anyone?) We humans gave ALL the living things a hell of a reason. I think we humans are now dab in the middle of the finding out stage. May we survive (alas, only if humans learn some humility first, but since 10K years of history show us not able to do that, my hope/faith in humans is neigh on non-existant).
Yes, well said.
If anyone survives, I put my money on indigenous peoples around the world.
Australia, S America, Africa maybe central Asia.
Western Civ countries will be the first to go.
Grubs and tubers anyone?
Cut grass smell: no es bueno.
Yes. I know.
I eagerly clicked on the link expecting to see Eugene, OR on the list. But no, they only looked at the top 100 cities in population. Eugene, according to Wikipedia, ranks 146th in population in the U.S.
I didn't know what allergies were until I moved here. I don't have it too bad, but I've known people who really suffer here.
Nice to know it's going to get worse in my senior years.
But you do get to live in Eugene, which I truly truly envy.
Reel purdy country up thar that a way.