Blog-a-long day 2 - Hay Fever

Six years ago I went on a life changing adventure.  I moved 2100 hundred miles by myself from Detroit, Michigan to Henderson, Nevada (about 10 miles from the Strip in Las Vegas).  It was a gutsy move I must admit, but one I do not regret.

I was born and raised in Detroit.  In fact I spent the first 57 years of my life there.  It was a good place to grow up.  Museums, the Detroit Zoo, Bell Isle Park in the middle of the City; dynamic shoreline on the river; watching the freighters sail up the River heading to Lake Huron on the trek toward Lake Michigan and Chicago.  My Father worked at Fort Wayne one of the few working Forts at the time.  It had been turned into the Army recruiting station, processing young men going into the armed forces for the state of Michigan.  My dad administered eye and hearing tests to many of my high school friends when they were drafted.

I went to Catholic school for 12 years.  My mother, ever the protective Momma Bear, ensured that her children went to private school and had the best education she could afford.

I raised two children in Detroit, both are college graduates and I am proud of them.  Worked for 33 years at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and like any company it had its good and bad points, but it afforded me a good living and I was able to help my children through college.

There are a lot of trees and grass in Detroit.  We have a myriad of tree lined avenues; streets with beautifully manicured islands; parks in neighborhoods with majestic grass.  In fact many home owners take great pride in having the best manicured lawn on the block.  There are contests to determine who is the best.  It is also very humid in Detroit, well in the mid-west in general (excuse me, have to sneeze).

So how does this all relate to Hay Fever????? I have it, in fact I have a rare form of it.  I do not normally get itchy eyes, no, no, no.  I get a form of bronchitis with a cough that sounds like a mack truck is coming through.  For six years I have not had to suffer with this malady, sure my allergies act up from time to time, but is minor compared to Hay Fever. 

I have been home visiting my daughter for five weeks.  I was fine for the first three weeks and then like a bolt out of the blue----Friday, July 25th, the cough began.  Uh oh, where is my Sudafed?  Could not find it must have let it at home....It was all down hill after that.  Four days of the cough from hell, woke me up and everyone else too.  Felt tired and sluggish, then the sneezing started and runny nose with itchy eyes.  Today, Aug. 2nd, one week after this attack began, I am starting to feel human again.  Still sneezing but the cough has subsided, had a good nights sleep with no wheezing and I actually feel peppy.

I love to come home and visit during the summer because I do not travel to Michigan in the winter.  Did I mention the reason I moved? I DO NOT LIKE SNOW!!!!!  As I said, I love coming home to visit, last year I was home for three weeks and no hay fever.  This year it will be 5 and a half weeks by the time I leave next Wednesday - hay fever attack.  So what does that tell me dear reader?  Either do not stay any longer than 3 weeks OR do not forget my allergy medicine.  In fact I think I am going to buy some before I leave and put it in my room (did I tell you I have my own room at my daughters? Oh Yeah, grandma privileges), that's the ticket. 

Well, I am going to end this post because I feel another sneeze coming on.