Keep walking, I'm breathing

[sovay]

I did not get sheep-dipped in Benadryl, but I am full of antihistamines and eating a pumpernickel bagel with chopped liver and a coconut-milk milkshake.

I have not become allergic to my cats. My long-time allergies to dust mites have worsened to the point where the mitigation strategies in which I already engage are not cutting it, so I have some further suggestions, an alteration to my medications, and we go from here. I also seem to have become allergic to pigweed, which I had never even heard of until I looked it up, at which point it turned out to be amaranth which I have both eaten and admired as an ornamental plant. I am decorated with surgical marker and punctures. I had been scratch-tested before, but never intradermally injected.

The fog at dawn was an astonishing suffusion of gold, glinting like rainbows around the Prudential. Afterward I took a couple of pictures from MGH and the Longfellow Bridge. I believe my plans for the afternoon involve a nap.

Comments

War between him and the day

[choco_frosh]

I am glad that you have gotten tested for every conceivable thing! (Well, allergy-wise.) (And that you are now full of antihistamines.)
Hopefully next, sleep?

[gwynnega]

I am glad you aren't allergic to your cats and that you were able to take antihistamines again! Your meal sounds delicious.

[asakiyume]

The fog at dawn was an astonishing suffusion of gold, glinting like rainbows around the Prudential. --Reading that sentence fills me with joy. Seriously, I could feel myself get lighter, like a helium-filled balloon.

that's too bad about the amaranth! Too bad in general that your immune system wants to pick fights with so much in the environment. But a relief that it's not the cats.

[minoanmiss]

makes a note to make sure not to put amaranth into anything I cook for you

In a land of the daybreak

[sovay]

I am glad that you have gotten tested for every conceivable thing! (Well, allergy-wise.) (And that you are now full of antihistamines.)

Thank you! It was at least many common things in this part of the world. Lots of seasonal trees and wildflowers.

Hopefully next, sleep?

Is plan right now.

[sovay]

I am glad you aren't allergic to your cats and that you were able to take antihistamines again! Your meal sounds delicious.

Thank you! It was very satisfying.

[pameladean]

Oh, those autumnal skies!

I am glad you aren't allergic to your cats. I did not know that amaranth is called pigweed too. I've eaten it just once, a lovely mess of greens at a now-defunct Greek restaurant. It was a special, and they never had it again -- it was too hard to get enough amaranth greens to offer even occasionally.

P.

[sovay]

--Reading that sentence fills me with joy. Seriously, I could feel myself get lighter, like a helium-filled balloon.

Thank you. If I had to be awake before the sun came up, at least it was beautiful to see.

that's too bad about the amaranth! Too bad in general that your immune system wants to pick fights with so much in the environment. But a relief that it's not the cats.

My mother pointed out that if the cats had been an allergen, I would have been more physically troubled than emotionally soothed by Autolycus curling himself up on my chest on nights I couldn't sleep. But since they were the major unknown factor among potential allergens of my daily life, I am still reassured. *hugs*

[sovay]

makes a note to make sure not to put amaranth into anything I cook for you

I am not actually sure I can't still eat amaranth! It wasn't part of a panel for food allergies; it was a panel of environmental allergies, e.g. seasonal pollens and year-round molds. I can ask the allergist, though. I would be sad to lose all future chance of callaloo. (Thank you.)

[sovay]

Oh, those autumnal skies!

All the fog burned off and they were blue as space!

I am glad you aren't allergic to your cats.

I went immediately home and picked up Autolycus and put my face in his fur.

I did not know that amaranth is called pigweed too.

My father had been thinking about buying an ornamental one for the front yard and has very kindly scotched this plan. I never had Greek amaranth! That sounds really nice.

[thistleingrey]

Yay for a definitive result that doesn't include felines. *hugs*

[choco_frosh]

Every-fucking-thing is named pigweed. The Wikipedia disambiguation page lists three non-Amaranth genera, and I'm not sure it's comprehensive.
And normally when people say pigweed, I think Chenopodium.

[minoanmiss]

yEAH, cALLALOO IS THE BEST. BUT i HAVE HAD SUCCESS COOKING OTHER LEAFY GREENS IN A SIMILAR MANNER. i WOULD LOVE TO HAVE A jAMAICAN DINNER WITH YOU SOMETIME.

[pameladean]

Blue as space! A perfect thing.

I think putting your face in Autolycus's fur is a great celebratory move.

The Greek amaranth was amazing. I am not sure what all they put in it. I mean, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and I think some oregano were discernible, but there was a very unfamiliar complex of other flavors that could, I guess, simply have been the amaranth.

I noticed above a mention of amaranth in callaloo, and I've been lucky enough to have that when we had a Jamaican restaurant close by, but I think theirs was a mix of taro, okra, and spinach. Possibly they had trouble getting amaranth too.

P.

[pameladean]

That's what I think of when I hear pigweed, too! I guess pigs... eat a lot of... weed?

P.

[kathmandu]

At least the 'not allergic to your cats' is a relief. Yay for kitties.

[sovay]

Every-fucking-thing is named pigweed.

Oh, good Lord.

It can't have been Chenopodium album, because I was tested for lamb's quarters (it had a dot and shot of its own) and had no reaction. If other Chenopodium are called pigweed, shrug?

[sovay]

Yay for a definitive result that doesn't include felines.

Thank you!

*hugs*

[sovay]

At least the 'not allergic to your cats' is a relief. Yay for kitties.

An essential part of my medicinal support structure! Also, very sweet.

[choco_frosh]

No. if they say you're allergic to an Amaranthus, you're allergic to an Amaranthus.

[sovay]

That's what I think of when I hear pigweed, too!

This is very confusing and I wish the test had come with scientific names.

[sovay]

if they say you're allergic to an Amaranthus, you're allergic to an Amaranthus.

The test said I'm allergic to pigweed. It used common rather than scientific names—for example, I know now that I am not allergic to English plantain, but this information means nothing about my relationship to bananas. (I have no reason to believe that I have any problem with bananas.) The internet said pigweed was amaranth. I need to find out what MGH actually shot into my arm!

I am also allergic to cockroaches, which I forgot to mention because the allergist thought it wasn't relevant to my problems and I'd heard of them.

[choco_frosh]

FFS.

[chanter1944]

Your afternoon sounds like a significant improvement, given your description of the previous few days.

I'm not sure I knew amaranth had an alternate name. Dust mites be gone! Also, thank God for a lack of cat allergies, truly. I know what joy the soot sprites of legend bring your household, and I speak as someone whose only familiarity is via journal posts.

[sovay]

Your afternoon sounds like a significant improvement, given your description of the previous few days.

I even slept for a couple of hours! I have this theory of doing more of it tonight!

I'm not sure I knew amaranth had an alternate name.

After conversation with choco_frosh and pameladean, the identity of the pigweed seems incredibly unclear on a taxonomical level and I am going to ask the allergist for details. It may yet be amaranth! Watch this space.

Dust mites be gone! Also, thank God for a lack of cat allergies, truly. I know what joy the soot sprites of legend bring your household, and I speak as someone whose only familiarity is via journal posts.

Thank you. They remain my best doctors.