misfitmonkey

Last Thursday, I finally went to an allergist after two months straight of being sick, having a constant hacking cough that was allowing me only about twenty minutes of sleep at a time before I would wake up in a panicked choking state.

Things that are not fun about allergy testing:

-What the crap do they make those little pricking sticks with? They hurt worse than… (50 of them)

-The needles that come after the prick sticks (about 16 of those).

-Finding out you definitely have severe allergies, after 28 years without them. (Severe dust being the worst, severe mold being second, and mild dog/cat being added bonuses.)

-Finding out that you’re allergic to the mold at work that has not been cleaned up, despite many people having allergy/illness symptoms, and this is the reason you’ve been so severely sick for two months. (I have already sent a lengthy email about this issue to the appropriate people.)

-Finding out that you might have asthma if your hacking cough doesn’t go away with…

-Steroids. Lots of steroids for the next week (and I get very ill and very constantly agitated on steroids) to get rid of the two month cough.

-Leaving with prescriptions for two nasal sprays, eye drops, and supplies for giving one’s self twice weekly shots. (Total at the pharmacy, after insurance, not including the needles they had to order: $102.00.)

-Learning to give yourself shots of you’re-not-even-sure-what, one in each arm twice per week.

-Itching like mad from all the needle/stick pricks the entire way home.

-Being told by allergist that stat care doctor was an idiot when he sent me home with a whole bunch of antibiotic crap and several diagnoses that all added up to these allergies two months ago. (Remember that?)

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BUT. (There is a BUT!)

I have not woken in a choking/coughing fit for two days, and while I might be cranky and horribly upset to my stomach, I can breathe… finally. I gave myself the shots today for the first time and it was totally fine, and the steroids are done in a couple days, and I can live with all of this if it means I won’t be as sick as I have been lately.

Lesson to myself for the future: Go to the damn doctor SOONER. Why can’t I get that through my head?