Yesterday, my husband and I went “over the mountain” to spend the afternoon in Charlottesville, VA. We shopped for table lamps and a new entry light, ate at a crowded Chick-Fil-A (I love their grilled chicken sandwich), and went to Alamo Draft House – a unique movie experience.
We ordered food and drinks to enjoy while we saw Captain Marvel. Good movie! Delicious Brie pizza and champagne cocktail. A very fun time.
My main purpose for our trip to C’ville was to go to Wegman’s – an enormous grocery store with everything you can imagine! We were looking for a particular item – grilling cheese, or Halloumi – which we couldn’t find here. Not even at The Cheese Shoppe!
After wandering through the bread department, we circled around the huge cheese section – finally asking for help in locating grilling cheese. And we found it! I’m so excited, because I love the Grilling Cheese recipe we’ll be making. With grilled sweet potatoes and tomatoes and avocado. Yum!
As we made our way to the checkout, we walked through Wegman’s gigantic produce section. Everything was neatly arranged and absolutely beautiful, unless it was sold out, like the broccoli heads. We passed the stacks of apples and paused at the prickly pear fruit, right next to the yucca root. My husband picked up two cactus fruits and I grabbed a papaya. Then we checked out and headed home.
As we were driving through the fog at the top of the mountain, I noticed that the roof of my mouth was itchy. I thought it was strange – it’s too early for my seasonal allergies to start breaking through.
By the time we got home, my face was itchy. I took off my makeup and put on my pajamas. I took an allergy pill – the one I take for spring and fall allergens. But the itching didn’t go away.
Pretty soon, my eyes itched. And my head. The inside of my nose. My feet all the way up to my hips. There was no rash or swelling, just the feeling that the inside of my skin was irritated!
I crawled into bed, hoping the cool sheets would help. Instead, I felt immediately hot. After texting my sister and daughter, I knew I needed some Benadryl.
My darling husband went out into the rain to get the antihistamine from the nearby grocery store. I took two, and crawled back into bed. Then I googled produce allergies.
It turns out that food allergies can come on suddenly, and are most common in folks who have seasonal allergies. Something about being allergic to the trees, and the fruit that comes off those trees.
I thought back to what I had touched in the store – only packaged cheese, the yucca root, and the papaya that I carried. Hmm.
It was fitful sleep until the middle of the night when I woke up completely. I was still itchy, so I took two more pills. Then I went back to bed, to restlessly sleep some more.
When I got up this morning, I still had some mild irritation, but nothing as crazy-making as last night. Even now, my tongue is “scratching” the roof of my mouth.
I had a banana for breakfast – no bad reaction. I’m nervous to eat the fruits in my fridge, but may run a little experiment by trying them one at a time to see if I can figure this out.
Time for some investigative work!
Sunny with a Chance of Clouds 