(HAY) fever pitch

‘Ag, it’s my allergies’ is a tired phrase I’ve been employing for years, having long since accepted that I’d have to live with the symptoms of allergic rhinitis, of which hay fever, a seasonal allergy, is a common form: a sometimes runny, sometimes congested nose; itchy, watery eyes; a scratchy throat; and sneezing. Over the years I’ve tried to pin down which seasons ramp up my symptoms (they all do) and whether they’re worse inside or outside (affirmative on both fronts). I also discovered I’m allergic to cats (not a fan, so that I can live with). So I assumed my allergies were hereditary – my mother is a champion sneezer and almost all my cousins have asthma, hay fever, eczema or all three – and that every allergen in the air was my nemesis. Case closed.

Not even steadily worsening symptoms when I moved to a 100-year-old house set between the mountain and the sea deterred me from my assumption that snotting and sneezing were my normal. My thinking was I’d dose myself with antihistamines, not have pets or flowers in the house and vacuum regularly – all of which I did; none of which helped. I felt frazzled during a flare and drained