Allergic Reaction

Already, it has been an odd week. Yesterday in the early, early morning (approx. 4:00 a.m.), I awoke to the strangest sensation. I was dreaming that my two cats were licking and biting my hands and feet. In my half-asleep, fully-annoyed state, I started to kick them both off my bed....when out of the corner of my scrunched up eyes, I realized that neither Penny nor Simon were near my hands. They weren't even THAT close to my feet, for that matter.

That's when I became fully aware that all my fingers were bright red and were almost twice their normal size. My palms were swollen, burning and itching. And, as my feet swung out from under the covers....yep, same story. I don't know to what or how...but I realized I must be having an allergic reaction to something.

I immediately ran to the tub to fill it with cold water, and then ran to the freezer so that I could also empty every ice cube tray into the tub. Sometimes, the ice water reduces the swelling and burning. I've had this odd situation happen before - usually after pulling weeds or walking in the woods. And, once it happened after taking a new medicine. But, never has it happened in the middle of the night, hours after being outdoors, eating, or touching anything new.

After the swelling reduced, I then covered my hands and feet with a special ointment, or salve, (2 of my least favorite words of all time) that I keep for eczema in the winter. I was relieved to see that the "stuff" helped....for about an hour. But, soon after, the swelling, burning and itching returned.

Long story short: The doctors are still stumped. I've gone through so many medicine changes in the last few weeks...but none that should cause an allergic reaction to appear 7 - 10 days afterward. I haven't changed soaps, detergents, fabric softeners, or cleaners recently. I didn't do anything out of the ordinary on Sunday except attend a family reunion. (Could it be true? Could I really be allergic to my family?!?!?)

Per doctor's orders, I took a super-dose of my allergy medicine, and by mid-afternoon, all seemed to be back to normal. Another day missed at work, and another weird ailment.