So, apparently I really AM allergic to watermelon. Who knew??? About 15 years ago, I noticed my throat would tickle and feel a bit sore after I ate watermelon. So, I tried what any rational person would try and I ate a whole bunch of the stuff just to see if it was my imagination. Nope, I really was allergic to watermelon. So I stayed away from the stuff as much as it pained me to do so. I love the taste, the texture, the watery juice, the coolness of a chilled piece of watermelon sliding down my throat on a hot summer day. But, I didn't want to run the risk of going into some allergy-induced throat swelling or something.
Well, fast forward about 12 years or so, and wouldn't you know it, curiosity got the better of me. I tried some watermelon. Just to see. And guess what? NOTHING! No tickling throat, no soreness, no itching, no nothin'. So, I 've happily been eating the nummy gourd for about 3 or so years now symptom free.
Okay, fast forward again to about 10 days ago. There I was, doing my best to set up my classroom and get ready for the new school year at a new place. I was eating pretty well, mostly because my teaching partner is eating well and I didn't want to down the usual chips and cookies in front of her. How embarassing! So, I bought me a nice, juicy watermelon, cut half of it up into bite-sized cubes, and threw it in the fridge for a quick serving of fruit here and there. I was eating the stuff a couple of times a day. And, dang, it was good!
Anyway, first day of school rolls around, and I start to itch a bit. Second day of school comes, and I itch some more. The middle of the night before the third day of school arrives (which happens to be my FIRST day of teaching due to my part-time schedule), and I wake up with a mild case of hives. Could it be stress? Could it be the portable I'm teaching in? I dunno. Fourth day of school rolls around, and I am scratching like there's no tomorrow! At this point I'm more hive than normal skin. I have a fever and my whole body feels like I'm being attacked by bees. Killer bees. I go into the doctor the minute the kids leave the portable. The doctor seriously does a double-take when he walks in the room. Poor Deana. Swollen eye lids, patchy bumpy skin, tingly lips and tongue and throat. Needless to say, I was immediately given a steroid shot, and prescribed 3 medications to take for a week to stop the allergic reaction.
I'm still not 100% sure what's caused this reaction, but I've narrowed it down to a few culprits. Could be my portable (very musty smelling, and a new environment), could be the watermelon (still remembering my previous reactions to it...although they really weren't a big deal), could be the cinnamon gum I had been chewing (I occassionally get wheezy with it and the cinnamon toothpaste I use, but DANG I love me some cinnamon!) So, what's a girl to do?
Well, never NEVER wanting to meet Hivey Deana again, I needed to figure out exactly what did this to me. So, I did what any rational (are you seeing a pattern here???) person would do and waited for the hives to subside and the steroid prescription to run out and tried me some watermelon! I've taught another hive-free week in the portable, so it seemed like the best thing to do. And I very responsibly only tried a little bit tonight. But, guess what......I'M ALLERGIC TO WATERMELON!!! As I write this, my lips, tongue and throat are tingling. My skin is itching, and I'm MAD! I love watermelon. But, apparently it is not to be between us. I'm going to have to give it up for good.
Sniffle, sniffle.
I just count my blessings I'm not allergic to chocolate milk. :)
4 comments:
I can't empathize with you because I can't stand watermelon! The smell, the texture everything makes me cringe with nausea! ICK! But I do feel for ya to be unable to have something you really like.
Goodness...well that stinks! It must be only certain kinds, being that you went several years without any problems. Wonder if there's a way to find out. Poor thing, sounds miserable!
That's hilarious! Leave it to you to keep on tryin' it out! I saw your dad and Cory at the BYU game up here. Fun to see them! Wish you were here!
OOOOohhhh, hives! I join you on the hive adventure. It STINKS! I'm allergic to Tylenol and Sudafed. Watermelon is SO yummy. It will be hard to give up, but worth it. I think everyone should experience hives at some point in their lives so they know what we go through, don't you?
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