5.06.2009

Bananarama

It was another tough day for me.

I'm still struggling with this person, and it's just not fun. I'm nonconfrontational to the core, so this kind of tension and stress just makes me weary. And uncomfortable. And makes me un-smily. Which was NOT my goal for today.

In addition, we've been slammed with rain. And I spent most of the day on the phone to the husband trying to figure out if I was even going to be able to get home today. We live out in the country...on a country road...that floods if someone sneezes wrong. And we also live on the other side of the river....that floods....all.the.time. Or at least it seems like that. So you put all of that together, and everyone who lives out our way starts hunting for gopher wood to construct arks. Because it is just about that bad.

I hate rain, and I hate driving. But I really hate driving in the rain. And I really hate driving in the rain over roads that are flooded. Does nothing for my stress levels.

So I double medicated today. Because I needed it.

And it was probably that extra medication that caused me the momentary lapse in what brain function I have.

Which allowed me to eat...

A banana.

Because it came with my lunch. And no one else would take it from me and eat it. And the lunch ladies didn't send me a cookie today. So the banana was the closest thing to comfort food I could find.

One problem.

I'm allergic to bananas.

Seriously.

I haven't had a banana in years. Because I know what it does to me. But something misfired in the whole noggin today, and I decided that I would "check and see" if my allergy had disappeared.

Uh...it hasn't.

I downed the whole banana. And then my mouth started to itch. And the insides of my ears began to itch. And then my tongue began to swell.

Nice.

I'm in a class with kids, so I can't just leave. So I scrawled out a hall pass and fished a dollar out of my pocket. I mumbled through swollen-tongue for one of the kids to go to the coke machine and bring me a "Diet Coke."

"A Diet Coke," I repeated. Because the last thing I need is to gag on some non-diet version whilst my tongue is swelling and my ears are itching.

Another lapse in brain function, because I slipped the dollar and hall pass to the ssslllooowwweeesssttt kid in the whole school. My tongue had grown to ginormous proportions and I was barely refraining from sticking a pencil in my ear canal to reach the itch when in walks Mr. Go-Get-Me-a-Diet-Coke with a...

Coke.

Not Diet.

Coke.

If I could have screamed, I would've.

But when in a banana crisis, the only thing to do is go ahead and pop the top. I swigged the nastiness and began to feel some relief. After I could swallow again, I went and found a Benedryl and eventually everything returned to normal. Except I still want to claw my eardrums out...because they itch. And I can't reach the itch.


Moral to story: Don't drown sorrows in bananas.


Note: Lest you think I'm crazy (like my husband does), I have an actual food allergy. I have spent my life thinking I'm nuts, and allowing others to chastise my weird tendencies to want to scratch the inside of my ears, until I heard of others with the same fate...on Oprah. It's a ragweed/hay fever allergy. For reals. I also can't eat watermelon, cucumbers, or cantaloupe. I also can't peel raw potatoes without my hands swelling. Still think I'm crazy? You can read an article about it here.... I'm not nuts. I'm tellin' ya.

17 comments:

Mich said...

Of course you are not crazy! You are my sister and I'm allergic to EVERYTHING!!! Hope you stop itching real soon. You may have to start taking all those wonderful meds for allergies with me. :)

Sorry about your "friend." Want me to send Kev over to get 'im? I would myself, but I think you also got that nonconfrontational (did I even spell that right?) thing from me too.

Love ya!

Stephanie @ My Answered Prayer said...

I'm assuming you made it home. I'm sorry you've had a bad day! I understand how you feel b/c I felt that way a lot at work...That's one reason I hated it so much!

Carpool Queen said...

My ears have itched my whole life! Maybe I'm allergic to bananas, too. Oh, and don't drown your sorrows in a box of Jose Ole Chicken Taquitos, either. Trust me.

Sorry about your bummer day. That would have been my very slow kid getting you the Coke. He probably would have consumed half of it before getting back, too.

Tiffani said...

Oh sweetie..

I'm so sorry! I KNOW that feeling so deeply as I would run into a jungle in the Amazon to avoid confrontation!! It literally makes me sick!

I'm almost certain a donut would NOT have caused a reaction in you. Please, for peetsee sake, stay away from the bananas!!

I <3 U!

The Bowden's said...

Oh man! Sounds like you had a rough one too. No more bananas though, ok? Hope tomorrow is better for ya! :)

Lori Motl said...

Girl, I need to vent. You give me the ID of that person giving you trouble and I'll come vent on her. I'm non-confrontational too, but today, baby, I'd confront! I can't get to mine, so I'll take on yours!

Itching ears...I feel your pain. I'm allergic to sunscreen and when you were describing it, I could feel it! I hope it goes away soon. Zyrtec works great for me.

Stay away from bananas! Go for pineapple instead! I'm thinking we BOTH need that Sonic run. Let me know when you can do it. I'm there!

Jessica said...

FYI, I hate to drive. And I hate the rain. And I hate to drive in the rain, too! And Friday I learned that I REALLY hate to drive in hail. On the interstate. Pretty much I hate weather in general. And driving. Just something else we have in common.

lisa@littlesliceoflife said...

I am ROTFL about the banana! What were you thinking?! Maybe you were thinking that eating a banana would result in having something funny to blog about? But no, you are not crazy about the food allergies. Raw or undercooked onions make me sleepy...like I've been drugged sleepy.

Do I need to come down there and kick somebody? Who's being mean to you?! I think I can take 'em.

Becca~CapturingSimpleJoys said...

That is a rough day to say the least! Glad the Benadryl kicked in.

I feel you about being a nonconfrontational person. I avoid confrontation like the plague! People like that make me sick to my stomach. Sorry, I know that's not any help:) Hang in there!

Kendra said...

I'm confrontational. I'll do it! I used to tell a friend of mine she either needed to grow balls or borrow mine. HA!

I have reactions to bananas that have a hit of ripening to them. One brown spot and they make my lips, tongue, and the roof of my mouth develop sores and peel off. Anything with red pepper does the same. I feel your pain!

Gretchen said...

I hope today was better for you. Allergies are.the.worst.

So are slow folk who bring the wrong medication...er...libation.

Enough about you...

Can I just say, that it's such an encouragement to me to see posts like yours and Amy's because I totally feel like Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible...lately? So much so that i can't even be bothered to post about it all. So...really, I'm empathizing with you and thanking you all at once. It's a gift to know that sometimes...it's okay to plod along...for his mercies really are new each day.

Glo said...

Wow! I am so sorry you had such an awful day! I hope you are feeling better today and that your day is much better than the last two. Do you know, after reading your BOOK of comments that you get for every post.....I just have to say that you are FARRRRRRR from invisible girlfriend. I would faint if I had that many comments one of my posts, much less every one that I put on my blog. You are pretty much famous! Can I have your autograph?!!LOL I am lucky to get 4 in one of mine, and at least one of those is me responding because I don't know how to respond another way. What a loser I am!!!LOL

buscher3 said...

Wow, what a day, huh?

Michele said...

Girl, you may not be nuts, but you sure are funny. I always love popping over here b/c I always laugh.

I am so sorry you had a crummy day. I HATE confrontation and avoid it like the plaque, so I know how ya feel. UGGHH . . . if people would just get it together. I'm so sorry for you and your banana allergy . . . no wonder you love junk food -ha!ha! Do I need to send you a case full of Diet Cokes since the kid got it wrong? What about a gift card to Old Navy since I know it's your love language? I'll be praying for you and the situation with the person at work.

You know my ears will itch me at times too and my tongue. . . i've never put 2 and 2 together, but i think I'm going to start.

I hope you have a super-de-dooper Happy Friday!!!!

Christi @ Writing the Waves said...

What a rough day! Hope you are doing better, and try to steer clear of those bananas from now on!

Elizabeth said...

I'm finally commenting on this post! I just had to say that I have thought about it since I read it a few days ago because food allergies fascinate me and I've been reading about them. This one in particular because I never go a day without eating a banana. I hope your allergy goes away someday. How do you eat smoothies?

really.truly said...

I'm so sorry about the banana scare. I had to comment because I am having one of those days today....the tough,nonconfrontational person in my life days. I'm sorry that you have one too...but it does help in a crazy way to know that I'm not the only one.

OK, done with that long, run on sentence :)