Allergies this year.

Every year I end up writing about allergies and how awful spring is for me because of pollen.  This year I decided to spare you my usual rant.  Instead I'll tell you what I'm FINALLY doing about this lovely time of year.

Allergy shots.  Immunotherapy.  I've gone to an allergist, been scratch tested, and learned what all my allergies are!

(This is the grid they drew on my back and then all the red spots are where they poked me with allergens and I reacted...not much white space!)

I'm allergic to cats, dogs, mold, weed pollen, grass pollen, and tree pollen (basically all pollen).  It seems like my tree pollen allergies are the worst because trees pollinate in the spring.  Grass is a summer pollen, and weeds are a fall pollen, but I don't usually have allergic reactions those times of year.  I guess it just doesn't compare to the spring.  I have noticed a reaction to cats too, but it still isn't as bad as trees.

So far, I go to the allergist two times each week, and the give me one shot in each arm (cats, dogs, and mold allergens in one, and all outdoor allergens in the other).  The arm that gets the outdoor allergens has reacted more than the other arm.  It looks and feels like I got bit by a mosquito, and sometimes I get a headache.  This will continue for a few months with occasional increases in the strength/purity of the allergen used.  Then I'll go once a week, then once ever other week, etc.  The goal is to make myself immune to all these things I'm allergic to.  Let's hope it works!

Mail, Toe, Meds

Today David went to pick up the shipment from his Mom. Check it out... media mail.

They are the text books he ordered to help him study for PhD qualifying exam. This is actually one of two big bag packages he'll be getting. This was spray painted on the other side of the bag...

To me it looks like something that would be sent for the military. It was "tied" at the top with a big brown belt thing. When David carried it he looked like Santa Clause. I guess we get to keep the bag too...

Secondly, I jammed the little toe on my right foot this morning on my way to the shower. I've done this many times, and usually it just gets black and blue for a while, hurts, and goes away. But, this time, with the jam, I got a nice big slice across the top of my toe. It's pretty deep, and stings. Get what we don't have around our apartment...band aides. Time to go to the pharmacy... It's bad though because it is in a very inconvenient place. I don't want it to get infected...but you should see the door where I cut it...the wood isn't smooth, it's jagged - which is why I think I got a cut this time. Ew... (sorry no picture...that just wouldn't be right...)I still am a little stuffed up, but my nose isn't running away from me. And, I've actually been able to breath out of it a few times! It's wonderful. So let me tell you how it works over here with over the counter medicines. You know how in the US you can usually buy things like Advil or cough medicine right from the grocery store? Well here, the grocery stores don't even carry that stuff. You have to go to the pharmacy, and you usually have to ask for it...because they don't have many things sitting out on shelves for you to just pick up. It's kind of annoying because you have to wait in line behind people that are asking questions about certain ailments etc, but that is what it is like.

Lastly, David and I are getting pumped up about the new Harry Potter book and movie that will be coming out this summer. He's started reading the 6th book (Half Blood Prince) again but still wants to get all of the books to read before the last one comes out. There are now trailers available for the 5th movie (Order of the Phoenix)... I've been trying to finish the first Lord of the Rings book, and I'm getting there, but with all this talk about Harry Potter I have the urge to read those instead. I'm glad I got back into reading...it's a good thing.

Easter Weekend

I'm back in France! I was lucky enough to get a flight out on Thursday the 5th so that I could be home for Easter Weekend. I was in Georgia for a full 2 weeks, but under the impression that I could be there for over a month. Thankfully that wasn't the case - I think David would have gone crazy. But it was very nice to see my family and David's family, and my sister's family, and everyone while I was home, so I'm grateful I was able to make the trip. Although I did miss David's birthday...but we already know what we are going to do to make up for it - Luxembourg...SpiderMan 3...ChiChi's (Yummy Mexican food).

Friday, when I got home I was very sleepy from traveling. I wasn't able to get the kind of sleep I had the first time traveling to France by myself. The other passengers on the plane with me were a little bit more rowdy, and I couldn't sleep as well as I would have liked on the train. This time, I flew into Frankfurt, Germany. It was much less complicated than having to navigate with lots of luggage through Paris, but I do have one complaint. All their information booths were electronic. Sometime's you just need to talk to a person. I ended up having to ask the currency exchange lady a question. But, most people in the Frankfurt airport speech very good english...except for a little old lady that was standing outside one of the doors...

Friday night David made a quiche for dinner. It was delicious. I was very impressed - see, he can survive without me! We slept very late on Saturday morning. I don't know if it was because of my jet lag or just because I was tired from traveling, but either way it felt great. Saturday we had plans to go ice skating. The last time we tried it was closed and we didn't realize it. See:

("Dimanche" means "Sunday" and we tried to go in the "evening" = "soir") See the problem? Katherine and David were very surprised. :o)

Now that we knew the hours of operation we were able to go at a time when they were actually open. It was fun.

Then, on Sunday, Easter Sunday, we woke up early, prepared some deviled eggs and a roast and headed off to church...a little late. Our service was pretty good...I guess. I read the scripture that he was speaking on, but still can't understand enough to fully listen to the sermon. We also had the Lord's Supper (my first time here in France) which was neat. Instead of whatever kind of bread we use at home, they used baguette. Yummy. But I shouldn't have been surprised - we ARE in France! After church we came home to an apartment full of guests (we had given them our key so they could come in after their service). Our roast was cooking, mashed potatoes were being started, and veggies were being munched on. We continued cooking and then ate a huge and yummy Easter Lunch. We also shared some Easter Traditions with each other. Alex brought some to share about her French traditions, Katherine brought some eggs to color and some eggs to hide, and David and I shared about the Swafford tradition of taking a nap after any holiday meal :o)

Alex brought a huge chocolate Easter Egg (the size of a small football) that each child in her family usually gets (but we all shared it) along with some other candies. After all the eating we all talked for a long while and then sat down with full stomachs to watch a movie. At this point the Swafford nap time was demonstrated by David and picked up by a few others. Then everyone left. David and I went on a walk because it was so nice outside then went back home. We didn't have much for dinner that night because we were still pretty full, especially from chocolate.

Since I've been back my allergies haven't been that bad. My eyes have definitely felt better but I'm still a little stuffed up and my throat has been very scratchy. I can't tell whether my allergy symptoms are slowly going away or am I also allergic to some things here. There has to be something here I'm allergic too... We'll see how the next few days treat me. David had a holiday from work again today. I think it was the perfect weekend to come home to.