Some people have asked for an update, so here it is: I still have allergies.
But they're better. I hope. Virginia is one of the worst states for allergies (son of a gun!), so our West Coast extravaganza did give my lungs a chance to heal a bit. Since coming back to the VA, however, the congestion and nasal voice have definitely returned. I haven't had a coughing fit, though, so I have my fingers crossed... perhaps I'm on the mend.
I've started exercising again, but my lung capacity is still horrible (the nurse was NOT impressed with my numbers). But I've noticed that I can go a little bit longer each time until my chest gets tight or I get short of breath, so that's encouraging.
Our apartment still seems to be a culprit (the mold, the dust mites, the oldness), but we're trying geeky things like hypoallergenic pillow and mattress covers, filters, and lots and lots of vacuuming. I'm trying some new medicines and I'm still trying to avoid some different foods to see if any of them affect me. I even finished yet another antibiotic (my fifth or sixth of the year) to treat yet another sinus infection, and of course... it didn't seem to work. (What else is new?)
But at least I'm sleeping more, I'm learning how to manage my looong list of allergies, and Addy has stopped doing her fake cough so often.
PS- One other anti-allergy step we've taken is sending our houseplants outside. But these peace lillies are like pets to me... pets that I got before we were even married and that we brought with us from Utah and that freaking THRIVED in our apartment here in Virginia. Shoot man, we even NAMED them. And now Igor and Froderick are sitting on our back porch and burning in the scorching heat. So if any locals want to give them a place to live, please oh please let me know.
