November's Leaves
It’s close to December, already, and yet we have no snow on the ground. (This photo is from five years ago, when winter was similarly late.) I was in the gazebo, earlier in the day, on the exercise bike, and the temperature was close to 60°F.
I have no photographs from this autumn’s onset, having been much troubled by breathing problems. During the first few snowfalls—no ground accumulation—I was in hospital and viewed the gigantic snowflakes drift down past my third-floor windows. Those weeks passed, the snow melted, and we continue to enjoy unseasonably warm weather. Almost enough that one wonders if we might even make it to Christmas Day without snow cover. I remember a year when we did. During our winter school vacation, the ground was bare but frozen. There were thin layers of clear ice on the school ground where rain had fallen earlier. I believe I was in junior high school, then.
The tensions of the last weeks have caught up with me, and I feel extremely tense, filled with adrenalin, as though I would explode. Rather as I felt the first day or so that I was in hospital…until I finally got rid of the nasal cannulas and the accompanying nosebleeds. It is an odd feeling, being in a chemically hazardous environment such as a hospital or clinic while being treated for respiratory problems due to airborne toxins and allergens. I found myself wondering if I would recover from the assault that brought me into the emergency room and out of the hospital again, before I fell victim to the fragrances and other chemicals that abound there. I was extremely tense and barely slept during the whole time I was there. (About 62 hours in all, I believe.) With the cooperation and vigilance of staff, the treatments were successful, and I actually made it out, again, without too many ill effects other than burns from adhesive. And I made the discovery that I am not necessarily allergic to Benadryl; perhaps some anti-itch cream would be good for the itching from the adhesive tape.
Not being able to breathe is somewhat unnerving to begin with, and coping with that while additionally being subjected to fragrances is not pleasant. It is nice to sit here being able to breathe freely and comfortably, now, more than a week away from the experience.
I do wonder what it would take, though, to clear out from healthcare facilities, at least, all the toxic, aromatic compounds that interfere with pulmonary functioning. We could start with Purell® hand sanitizer. Please!
