Sneezes!…by JoAnn

A woman is holding her head and has the word achoo written on it.

I have allergies.  For as long as I can remember I have had itchy eyes, itchy skin, an itchy nose, and what I call “sneezing fits”.  I have always needed to take medication throughout the year.  Most especially during the peak seasons of Spring and Fall.

I had it pretty much under control until we moved to Northwest Tennessee.  Here I was thrown into a cesspool of pollen.  Coming at me literally from every direction.  Surrounded by farmland, I endure crops rotating year-round.   Grain in the Spring, corn and soybeans for Summer, and cotton for Fall.  And let’s not forget the bountiful weeds and huge variety of trees.  The acres upon acres of these beautiful crops can be breathtaking to look at, but also take your breath in an asthma sort of way.

There truly is beauty here, especially to a girl who did not grow up around it as my norm.  I’m always in awe of how these scrawny little plants in the Spring become a huge field of lush green vegetation months later.  There is nothing prettier to me than a drive in the sunshine and enjoying the view of the local farmers’ hard work.

That being said, my nose does not agree.  After moving here, I began to have what I refer to as sneezing fits.  Usually a fit begins before I even get out of my driveway.  I will sneeze one after another, after another.  My highest count, that I remember, is 25 sneezes in a row.  Many times, I have to pull over, blow my nose, and get my bearing to continue driving.  Blowing my nose vigorously seems to be the only thing that halts this fit once it gets going.  I’ve read that it is impossible to keep your eyes open when sneezing.  In the hundreds of sneezing’s I have experienced, I can honestly say I was only able to keep my eyes completely open, while driving, one time!

Keep in mind that I do not have a little, lady like, mouse squeak of a sneeze comparable to most women.  My sneezes come with the intensity of a train if my body were able to be a train!  Science has clocked sneezes at 30+ mph and I expect mine fit into the highest category.  I feel sorry for my steering wheel as it catches the brunt of my sneezing, as it is difficult to drive and cover my mouth with my arm every time.  I think I will take the Lysol out to my car after thinking about it.

My kids also do not enjoy being with me when one of Mama’s crazy sneezing fits occur.  Too close for comfort I guess.  I’ve been told by my daughter Chelsea that she can hear my cough and sneeze from across the Walmart store and know that it is mine!  Ha, ha, ha!  I admit I get a chuckle out of that 😊.

I once had a doctor tell me, after I requested a “full cocktail” allergy shot, that I am living in the worst place possible for my condition.   Over the years my body has become immune to many of the triggers.   Thank goodness for that, along with the ever-growing shelf of medications in the pharmacy. â€¦Gesundheit!