Patience, I admit. Is NOT one of my strong suites. So this round of hives, hives and more hives, emergency room visit after visit so I can breathe, and sores in my throat, mouth and stomach and all over my body? Not fun. They’re putting a definite crimp in my trip. They started - the first round, in 1996, in Virginia. They lasted for 6 weeks and the doctors thought they were stress related. Every two years after that, for 6 to 8 weeks, they return, always in August. I can eat shrimp or anything for two years and nothing kicks it off. Then wham. This is wham time. And I rack up huge medical bills. Doctors apparently don’t know a lot. They know what they can do to stop or reduce a lot of things, but admit that medicine is mostly a lot of “cause and effect.” They can explain why a shot of adrenaline and prednisone slows the reaction, but not what causes it, what will cure it or what will stop it permanently.

So while my face keeps swelling and the itching climbs up my legs, back and arms and the whelps continue….I’m sitting here learning to be patient. Our thoughts about things create our emotions. If I react, ” Oh no, not again, why me?! I don’t deserve this ….” I’m going to feel differently than if I just observe, then say, “I have whelps and itching again. What can I do to reduce it or slow it down now?” It may not seem like a lot, but the emotions can make it worse than it is.

There are a lot of home remedies and over-the-counter cremes and soaks available. None have worked thus far. Not only does the medication make me sleep all day - even the non-drowsy brands like Claritin, but feeling ill, itching, not being able to focus makes it difficult to do anything. I feel like things are passing me by - then stop. And see that being in the moment with this, being patient, thinking differently - MIGHT help. It can’t be any worse than fretting, scratching, moaning and bitching.

So….here I am. Being. Patient.