MONITORING AN ALLERGY

On Sunday, I noticed that the skin around my left eye was itchy and that both eyes were tearing more than usual. I spread some Dream Cream on my face (this is an awesome product, made on Salt Spring Island) and this seemed to ease the discomfort after initially causing stinging in the area around my eye. Because I am allergic to cottonwood pollen, I have been taking Aerius since early March in preparation for this time: I have been told that one needs a build up of antihistimine in the system for it to work well. On Monday morning when I woke up, I realized that my left eye was so puffy that I was unable to open it. I decided to accept the situation and have a quiet day at home, staying in the house and away from the cottonwood pollen except to walk Sadie.

Usually when this allergy comes upon me, or any sickness for that matter, I go into battle against it. I research the Internet for ideas that might help and I try much of the advice received from friends and family. Recovering becomes a very hectic time. I am not certain if my efforts speed up the process or not. It is possible that if I allowed the problem to run its course, it would be over just as quickly. This time, as I accepted the situation, I found myself at peace with it. This is quite different from the frantic wars I have waged in the past. I feel uncomfortable if I think about my face, and I must say that I will always use whatever is available to make my body feel comfortable whether it be Tylenol, herbal teas, vitamins, minerals, heat, cold, homeopathic remedies and Schlussa salts, Reiki, or massage.

I am undecided as to whether making the body feel comfortable is a form of waging war on it or not. This time around, I continue to apply Dream Cream to reduce the prickly feeling in my facial skin and I continue with the Aerius which I presently take five times in twenty-four hours, and I have increased my intake of Vitamin C and calcium. At no point do I feel I am waging war. Rather, I seem to have a somewhat matter-of-fact approach to the treatments and there is a sense of love for the body as I minister to it.

This morning, Tuesday, as I stood in the shower -- showering frequently when there are allergens in the air is supposed to help and I will sometimes shower twice a day when my body is reacting this badly -- I tenderly offered the left side of my face to the stream of warm water and bathed the cheek and eye for three minutes. I can now open my left eye and the swelling seems to have reduced enough that my glasses no longer sit at a rakish angle and I can see with my left eye over the shrinking mound of a left cheek. Today, I even have the energy -- energy sometimes becomes diverted to fight for a sick body leaving me feeling tired -- to sweep floors, launder all Sadie's mats and towels, and who knows what else I will take on. As I mentioned in a previous post, I am planning less and less and doing more and more as spirit moves me, a system which remains very efficient and doesn't tax me.

I am finding it interesting to go through something as uncomfortable as this allergy can be, in such a relaxed and accepting state. I have never felt so at peace with a sickened body as I have been throughout this cottonwood episode. It helps that I am not sharing my situation with others as others always want to fix me and that sometimes causes me to feel worry or that I am not doing enough or that I have failed or will fail somehow. I had to mention it to my mother as she wants me to drive her to her hairdresser and I had to let her know that she would be well advised to line up another driver in case I can't open my left eye. She is at an age where she can't remember me ever having suffered from a cottonwood allergy, even though she was very involved with it last year. I was able to tell her that I had accepted the allergic reaction and was allowing it to run its course and my mother more or less left the subject alone after that and there was none of that business where two people worry a problem to death.

Namaste