The Vent and Rant Thread

[nekokami]

Originally Posted by GeoffC

Just throwing a few lumps of my darkest into the cauldron to see who bites...(and who doesn't)

CHOMP!

Marc, that's terrible. In the name of science, though, I think you should try the chili variety... just to be sure.

Rwood, my husband does all the laundry, all the time. Plus the cat boxes, the shopping, and the cooking (not all at once, however). I, on the other hand, provide the income with my tekkie skilz. It works, mostly. I'm still able to afford occasional power tools (I favor the miniature variety, though actually I'm more into electronics). A pre-nuptial agreement entitles me to any chocolate that comes his way, as well. (He doesn't like the stuff, poor benighted fellow.)

Yes, I'm feeling better today, but it was a long haul. (And this morning I had to get injected with powdered dust mites or whatever they put in that stuff. Ugh!)

[montsnmags]

Originally Posted by nekokami

...
Marc, that's terrible. In the name of science, though, I think you should try the chili variety... just to be sure. ...

How's that saying go? "Only a fool tests the depth of the water with both feet". Just because I know it's a trigger, doesn't mean I stop doing it.

Yes, I'm feeling better today, but it was a long haul. (And this morning I had to get injected with powdered dust mites or whatever they put in that stuff. Ugh!)

Maybe it will react in your bloodstream and turn you into Super Dust Mite, having all the little buggers at your command. Don't worry though, as this would obviously include "Get the hell out of my house".

Cheers,
Marc

[zelda_pinwheel]

Originally Posted by montsnmags

Maybe it will react in your bloodstream and turn you into Super Dust Mite, having all the little buggers at your command. Don't worry though, as this would obviously include "Get the hell out of my house".

ooh, i hope so (i have to put ground-up dust mites* under my tongue every morning on an empty stomach, keep them there for 2 minutes, and then swallow them. it is foul). i will start watching for signs that that the transformation is in progress.



*is that what they're called in english... it sounds so innocuous compared to the french name, "acariens". almost like they would be cute little things you'd want to cuddle... which they emphatically are NOT.

[montsnmags]

Originally Posted by zelda_pinwheel

ooh, i hope so (i have to put ground-up dust mites* under my tongue every morning on an empty stomach, keep them there for 2 minutes, and then swallow them. it is foul). i will start watching for signs that that the transformation is in progress.

It starts with ... ... exoskeleton.

*is that what they're called in english... it sounds so innocuous compared to the french name, "acariens". almost like they would be cute little things you'd want to cuddle... which they emphatically are NOT.

Yes, I'm pretty sure it's the same thing. Dust mites are acariformes, so it sounds right, and they're a pretty well-known allergy vector (got the pillows, the mattress, the vacuum cleaner, et cetera, yeah?).

Cheers,
Marc

[zelda_pinwheel]

Originally Posted by montsnmags

It starts with ... ... exoskeleton.

stop it.

Yes, I'm pretty sure it's the same thing. Dust mites are acariformes, so it sounds right, and they're a pretty well-known allergy vector (got the pillows, the mattress, the vacuum cleaner, et cetera, yeah?).

i'm pretty sure it's the same thing too. i think i used to know that was the english name, but i forgot. see, yet another reason to hate the nasty buggers (arachnids in general, i mean. they just torment me in every way they can).

and yes, i have the synthetic pillows, and the special hermetic cover that enveloppes my entire mattress (and let me tell you, putting that thing on is just a laugh a minute, especially since like an idiot a few years ago --before i knew i was allergic-- i bought a futon mattress which flops around and folds inconveniently and seems to be actively resisting throughout the process... i'm just counting the weeks until the 10 years is up and i can buy a REAL mattress), and the vacuum with a hepa filter... and many many other rules.

[montsnmags]

Originally Posted by zelda_pinwheel

stop it.

~sigh~

[goes and sulks in corner]

...and yes, i have the synthetic pillows, and the special hermetic cover that enveloppes my entire mattress, ...and the vacuum with a hepa filter... and many many other rules.

I have had one allergic reaction in my life, when I was about 10, which put me on hospital with itchy welts all over my body (including palms, soles, scalp, armpits, and so on). I remember them not being able to identify the "allergic reaction", but in their experience they got a couple of reactions like mine every year and in general the person never got it again...and I haven't (though my skin does tend to overreact in a pretty boring, unworrisome way to the midgies, the mossies, or just certain plant matter when I'm crawling around the garden doing my usual slash-and-burn style pruning).

Actually, my salivary glands overreact to dairy products too (especially a large, caramel thickshake...well, not that size or flavour particularly, but I feel like one at the moment). But, no biggie, and I looooooove dairy (especially in frozen form. Mmmm, icecream).

Like I say though, both reactions are pretty boring and inconsequential. I do more damage to myself in the garden or the surf or while bushwalking than I ever get reaction.

Cheers,
Marc

[zelda_pinwheel]

Originally Posted by montsnmags

~sigh~

[goes and sulks in corner]

oh now, don't be like that, you know i love you.

I have had one allergic reaction in my life, when I was about 10, which put me on hospital with itchy welts all over my body (including palms, soles, scalp, armpits, and so on).

good heavens. that sounds horrible. i've never had anything like that ; mine usually mainly gives me really itchy eyes, when it gets out of hand (which will hopefully be less and less often, thanks to the noxious ground up arachnoforms i ingest every morning).

I remember them not being able to identify the "allergic reaction", but in their experience they got a couple of reactions like mine every year and in general the person never got it again...and I haven't (though my skin does tend to overreact in a pretty boring, unworrisome way to the midgies, the mossies, or just certain plant matter when I'm crawling around the garden doing my usual slash-and-burn style pruning).

so, you're incredibly allergic to some unidentified substance, with which you have definitely already come into contact with (so it clearly can be found where you live), but the doctors just shrugged it off and said "meh, we don't know what's wrong with you, but you should be fine" ??? yeah, okay...

Like I say though, both reactions are pretty boring and inconsequential. I do more damage to myself in the garden or the surf or while bushwalking than I ever get reaction.

actually my reactions are boring and (mostly) inconsequential as well, in the sense that they're not life-threatening, but they can make me so uncomfortable as to be somewhat debilitating. i suppose it's a "posh developped country quality of life" thing.

[GeoffC]

May I?

[nekokami]

So now I have an itchy spot where the stupid acariens got injected, and a sore throat (typical the day after I get my shot). I imagine an exoskeleton would make it hard for them to give me the next injection. That sounds good! But the other presumed powers (the ability to make others sneeze and feel drowsy) don't sound all that great. Too bad I'm not getting feline injections (but I'm not allergic to them, thankfully).

Perhaps after I finish Marc's avatar, I'll update my own to show what I might look like after receiving injections of radioactive feline serum.

[zelda_pinwheel]

Originally Posted by nekokami

Perhaps after I finish Marc's avatar, I'll update my own to show what I might look like after receiving injections of radioactive feline serum.

yes please.

you know, my version may be foul, and i have to take it every day, but it doesn't give me nearly such strong reactions. do you have a medication to take for the symptoms ? because it almost doesn't seem worth it to get desensitized, if those are the side effects...

[Justy]

Originally Posted by nekokami

So now I have an itchy spot where the stupid acariens got injected, and a sore throat (typical the day after I get my shot).

aarrrrggggg, now I'm itchy!!! Brings me back to the days when I cared enough to try and get rid of my allergy reactions and got shots twice a week, then once a week, then every 2 weeks until the next time they changed the mix of allergens to shove under my skin. The itchiness of it all! As if walking outside in the spring wasn't bad enough.

I was/am allergic to cats, dogs, feathers, cigarette smoke, dust mites, grasses, tree pollens, moulds, and dairy. They didn't even try to get me desensitized to dairy, just told me to avoid it... now how am I suppose to avoid ice cream?!?! It's just insane to think that this is possible!!! I will just have to live with "hay fever" type reactions to hagen-dazz... I think this is a fair trade.

At least the injections brought my reactions down from "WOW, I've never seen a reaction that bad before" (said by my allergist when I first went in to get tested and all the scratch sites turned red and puffy and tried to meld together) to "I can now tolerate a cat in the house and someone mowing the lawn in the same day as I have a shortbread cookie make with *real* butter." There is hope.

Now Zelda, what is this about putting put ground-up dust mites under your tongue? I've never heard of that treatment before.

[zelda_pinwheel]

Originally Posted by Justy

I was/am allergic to cats, dogs, feathers, cigarette smoke, dust mites, grasses, tree pollens, moulds, and dairy. They didn't even try to get me desensitized to dairy, just told me to avoid it... now how am I suppose to avoid ice cream?!?! It's just insane to think that this is possible!!! I will just have to live with "hay fever" type reactions to hagen-dazz... I think this is a fair trade.

well in any case it's clearly your only option. i mean, avoid ice cream ? that's just crazy talk. (and : holy cow, how is it possible for one person to be allergic to ALL that ? it just doesn't seem fair.)

At least the injections brought my reactions down from "WOW, I've never seen a reaction that bad before" (said by my allergist when I first went in to get tested and all the scratch sites turned red and puffy and tried to meld together) to "I can now tolerate a cat in the house and someone mowing the lawn in the same day as I have a shortbread cookie make with *real* butter." There is hope.

puts things in perspective... i'm allergic to acariens (sure) and a type of pollen (platane trees) probably. oh, and bees, definitely.

Now Zelda, what is this about putting put ground-up dust mites under your tongue? I've never heard of that treatment before.

well, maybe it doesn't exist over there... it's pretty common here. they have the injection variety as well but i'm a big baby and hate shots so much that i'd rather have to swallow the foulest-tasting liquid you can imagine, every morning on an empty stomach (well, i get sundays off ), knowing that it's full of ground up arachnoforms :shudder:.

it has to be made to order by a special lab, which takes 15 days, and it costs a fortune (luckily, it is reimbursed by the social security, or i wouldn't do it). when it arrives you have to keep it refrigerated. it comes in 3 little glass vials in a special box ; to start the vial you have to break off a plastic disk (color coded to indicate the concentration) which reveals a ring to pull which allows you to break a metal collar which is sealing a rubber stopper. after you take out the stopper you click a pump in.

the dosage is determined by the concentration of allergens in the liquid and how many pumps you take. so far i take 4. i don't know how long i'll have to continue the treatment but it is counted in years. i only started last september.

[yvanleterrible]

Dust mites feed on dead skin flakes.

Most mite allergies that people get are from their dejections. I find it weird that they issue a treatment made from the beast bodies themselves.

[nekokami]

Um, the allergy treatment is probably not really made from ground up dust mites. But we'd rather not discuss the alternative.

[zelda_pinwheel]

seriously, because isn't that bad enough ??? don't torment us any more please...