A Perfect Storm: Animals, Dust, & Pollen

The trip to California to receive the USS Yorktown painting was interesting. We left home in time to be with our son, Ron, and his family in San Andreas on Resurrection Sunday to hear his family sing a concert. To make the trip easier, we didn’t take our trailer.

We stayed in Ron’s house with …. Hmmm, perhaps I should give a bit of background information.

I am allergic to animals, dust, pollen – and nuts. When I was four years old, my parents were eating walnuts and Mom suggested that I try one. I took one bite, began to violently throw up and ran for the bathroom. No nuts for me. I love animals but, in my twenties, I became allergic to all of them.

Here’s some information from the Carolina Asthma & Allergy Center.

“The body’s immune system generates different antibodies to protect us from illnesses. For allergies, the immune system generates Immunoglobulin E, also known as IgE, to aid in combating your allergy symptoms. IgE is a chemical messenger that travels to cells to relay information that a chemical defense against a foreign invader is needed. Allergic individuals have high IgE levels against benign environmental exposures such as pollen or dander. Food can also cause high levels of IgE.

“With time, the immune system develops what’s known as immunological memory. Normally this is a helpful immune response which can enable your body to respond more quickly. This is what allows vaccines to work. In allergy, however, this response is magnified, and your repeat exposures cause recurrent overreactions of the immune system. This produces an allergic response that may include sneezing, coughing, sniffling and congestion or increased asthma symptoms. IgE antibodies are custom-made for each type of allergen.

“Which foods triggered the most allergies? Peanuts, shellfish and tree nuts. We know that milk, egg and soy allergies most often improve with time while peanut, tree nut, fish and shellfish are less likely to improve. In the case of food allergies, the best treatment is avoidance. For pet dander, pollen and other standard allergy triggers, you can try medications, including steroid nasal sprays and antihistamines, to alleviate uncomfortable symptoms. You can also try to keep yourself away from these allergens via lifestyle adjustments.

“Allergy shots and allergy drops are the only current treatment methods that reduce sensitivity to an allergen itself, instead of just treating the allergy symptoms.

“Many times when we receive a diagnosis, we are given medications which can help our body heal and, with time, we are sometimes cured. Yet, allergy medications usually work only for symptom control.”

“If you have allergies, allergens can cause your nasal passages through the sinuses to swell. If allergies are causing inflammation in your nasal passages and are not treated, it can lead to sinus infection.

“This infection can be misdiagnosed and lead us to think we have a cold, flu, covid or other illnesses. The sinuses are hollow air cavities connecting the nasal passages called ostium. One of the sinuses’ many purposes is to create mucus secretion to eliminate foreign particles such as dust, pollen, etc. Sinuses are our personal air filters.”

With all that in mind, back to my story.

We stayed in Ron’s house for a week where a dog, rabbit and several birds also live.

After receiving the painting in San Diego, we headed home.

We encountered heavy smoke from the fires near Prescott and Flagstaff as we drove throughout Arizona. The next day, driving from Gallup, NM, to Pagosa Springs, CO, we drove through a major dust and pollen storm. The atmosphere and the highway were yellow with pollen.

In Pagosa Springs, we stayed with Carol’s sister for five days. Yes, her dog lives in the house too. I continued taking allergy pills.

Because of all the allergy medication, my sinuses had been prevented from doing their job and I developed a sinus infection. The worst part was that some folks thought I had covid and were afraid of my presence.

Nevertheless, that perfect storm of animals, dust and pollen is over now, and life continues. I keep a positive attitude, which helps, and my focus in life is on Jesus Christ. That helps a lot! In heaven I won’t have any allergies so I won’t need medication. I will continue to trust God with my entire life until the day I die … then even more throughout eternity.

But for now, it’s good to be home.