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ruhrenh1
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Name: Rachel
Country: United States
State: Nebraska
Metro: Lincoln
Birthday: 9/27/1985
Gender: Female
Interests: I have so many interests that I won't elaborate here... but I will tell you that I'm planning to be a nurse at some point, either neonatal or pediatric. I have no idea where I'll end up, but I'm trusting God to lead me
Expertise: Crocheting, sleeping, cooking, writing, native plants of Nebraska, take-downs and restraints ;)
Occupation: Direct Support Professional
Industry: Group Homes
Message: message meEmail: email me
Member Since:
10/24/2004
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| I'm Excited!In just a little over 55 hours I will be arriving in the Philadelphia airport, where I will be picked up by my amazing boyfriend :) I am so excited! The closer I get to that incredible hour, the more incredible it seems that I will actually see him, and the more I miss him! I have never in my life been so excited to see someone! Everyone around me is becoming increasingly sick of hearing me say I'm excited, but I can't contain my excitement within! If you are around me for more than a few minutes you will probably hear me say I'm excited at least 5 times. I am sure the entire trip will be thoroughly enjoyable, mostly because I get to spend time with an amazing man, but also because I get to spend time with a good friend who has been out of town all summer and another that I haven't seen in a few years! Along with all that I will be experiencing so many new and exciting places and people! My stomach is in knots with excitement, and the nearer the time of departure comes, the less I am able to sleep! I don't sleep well before I travel anyway, but this is the most excited I've ever been! Thank goodness I don't have too many events scheduled before I leave so I can have plenty of time to try to relax before I go--try being the key word there ;) Amazingly I will have no problem fitting everything I want to take with me into my suitcase and carry-on. Yay for summer clothes being smaller... lol... In case you can't tell yet from this post--I'm excited! These next two days are going to drag until I leave... Good thing I have two incredible nephews and two sisters to hang out with!
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| ReliefI was able to get in to see the allergist sooner than expected due to a cancellation. I went in yesterday, and was told that along with severe seasonal allergies, I have asthma. I now have 5 different prescriptions, 4 of which I take daily, and 1 is for emergencies. My meds include not only one, but two inhalers (I now officially qualify as a dork! Lol). But I feel so much better! I think this has been an issue for a long time because the headache I've had for 12 years was suddenly pretty much gone after using a bronchiodilater (medicine to dilate, or open up the lungs). Another thing I was able to do: I took a truly deep breath for the first time in my memory. How amazing to realize the full capacity of my lungs for the first time! I can truly appreciate breathing! It is a miracle :)
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| More on being allergic to the Midwest...It is incredibly frustrating to be so allergic to corn pollen. I can't get away from it, even in the middle of the city. I walk outside and immediately my eyes start burning. If I'm outside, including driving in my car for 15 to 20 minutes, I become shaky and extremely dizzy, as well as my throat being somewhat tighter. Today it's the worst it has been yet... I woke up shaky, and even with taking allergy meds I'm still a little shaky. I get dizzy off and on throughout the day, even when I stay inside. I'm going to see a nurse practitioner tomorrow and get an albuterol inhaler in case I have a severe emergency, but unfortunately the soonest I could get in to see an allergist is next Friday, August 1. And even more bad news with that... I have to be off of my current med, Zyrtec as of this Friday, and then off of all allergy meds as of the following Tuesday so that I can go through testing. I have to call and see about the inhaler, but I think I can still use that if needed.
What does all this mean for my life right now? It means I try to stay in the center of the city as much as possible... I can't go to some of the stores I normally go to, or even go see my sister and my nephews, who live on the edge of town. I limit my driving time to 10 or 15 minutes, with long periods of being inside at a time. I try not to go anywhere or do anything extra--I go to class, work, and home. I can't ride my bike, which is an activity I really enjoy... I can't go swimming outside. I enjoy being outside, but right now I'm afraid to... I don't like staying inside all the time, but I can't be outside. I normally drive with my windows down, but I can't do that... so I spend more on gas so I can have the a/c on in my car. It's really scary to be so shaky all the time... and know that there's really nothing more I can do about it as of now. I hate this feeling--that I can't really be myself right now. I honestly don't know that there's much that an allergist can do for me since it's such a severe allergy. They could give me allergy shots, which wouldn't help in the short term... it's more of building up long-term resistance, and possibly steriods, but even those are risky and not to be taken on a long-term basis, especially since I have a family history of severe reactions to steroid treatments.
All this just makes me feel like crying all the time... I don't, but I hate being so emotional all the time because usually I'm not. It's so hard to feel so helpless in such a serious situation. Depending on how much the allergist can help me with this, I don't know if I'm willing to be around the Midwest at this time next year. I really don't want to have to go through this again. So if they can't do much for me, or even if I have to feel like I do right now, I will be moving away from the Midwest probably at the beginning of July next year. I refuse to have to go through this again.
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| Allergic to NebraskaIt has become apparent over the last day that I am going to have to move away from Nebraska. At least from July through about mid-November every year. I have the unfortunate problem of being severely allergic to corn pollen. Do you know how hard it is to live in Nebraska when the corn is pollinating? I'm afraid that if I drive past a fully pollinating field I will go into anaphylactic shock. Yesterday I drove past a field that was almost to the point of pollination, although the tassels had not yet emerged, and yet my eyes instantly became itchy and my nose burned. Several hours later I drove past the same field, this time with my car windows up, and began feeling nauseous. My voice became scratchy and my throat started feeling tight too. I have found from experience that I cannot share a room with unshucked corn or my eyes will be itchy. I'm going to try to go see an allergist this week, and hopefully we'll get something figured out. I'd rather not die because I'm allergic to my state... not cool!
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| DistanceSo I found out how hard it is to be away from someone you really care for and not be able to be there with them when they're having a bad day... It makes me cry. Especially since it's in my nature to want to comfort people... to hold them when they need it. But I can't because he's so far away :( I miss him.
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