After 2 weeks of fighting the desire to rip out my eyeballs and rub them with steel wool, i decided to go to the MD to figure out why they are so itchy.
Now, I have allergies which manifest as "itchiness," so I am pretty much ALWAYS itchy. i cant remember a time in my life when benadryl cream wasn't a part of it. But after overdosing on zyrtec eye drops and alaway eye drops, and PO allegra and zyrtec with no relief from the middle of the night awakening grinding of my eyes, it was off to student health.
A word about student health- its super convenient, no real appt needed, but probably NOT the highest level of care. I was spoiled back at NYU where student health is an actual hospital, with wings and departments (like a women's health center, an allergist, a derm, radiology, etc.). When I got to Pitt in 2003 for my master's degree, I was shocked that student health is literally a hallway. about 5 exam rooms, an MD and 2 NPs. THATS IT! Ive since learned that there is also a pharmacy and a dietician, but still, it is NOT NYU. (btw, I could have written a book with that as a title I've said it so many times in the last 6 years since graduating from life as a fighting violet!). To prove my point, in 2004 I went to student health with weeks of abdominal pain and general GI grossness (Ill leave that to your imagination), and was told I was likely lactose, or gluten, or soy intolerant and to go on 3 months of elimination diets. I did, nothing changed, I went for a second opinion in a "real" GI clinic and had my gallbladder removed 2 days later. So, yeah, little faith in student health.
Anyway, I stroll into student health and plop myself on the couch in the waiting room, surrounded by all levels of hacking students wearing swine flu masks and proceeded to try to catch up on school work while also watching the "cough on your sleeve" infomercial on repeat.
Finally, I got in to see the MD.
"allergies, likely," he said, "my eyes have been feeling the same way. people always come in here with symptoms and I realize I have the same thing!" (im glad its diagnosis by association!)
"hmmm," i reply," but the drops, the pills! nothing is working!"
"has your living situation changed?"
"well, i bought a house and then 2 weeks ago...." AHA!!!!
RAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!
it was suddenly all clear! I could have cried. I spent 2 complete days cleaning! I scrubbed every surface! We even scrubbed the walls!!!!! but that damn white dust had won. I had to admit it. I had been defeated. Rad's work was still there, long after our check had been cashed.
The MD prescribed eye drops, which cost $100, so I left the clinic, having missed class and exposed myself to swine flu, empty handed.
We left the next AM for a swing through Atlanta (I spent my 28th birthday in a laryngeal dissection lab- YES! seriously, YES! i loved it! I put my fingers in an esophagus, created supraglottic hyperfunction...anyway, I digress, and likely lose all non-slps/ents at this point!) and wouldn't cha know?? the itchiness stopped. I enjoyed Atlanta much more than I expected, including a brunch at Gladys Knight's chicken and waffles, and didnt want to pull out my eyeballs once!
We got home to Pittsburgh around 930 last night, and yup- woke up scratchin.
"I guess we have to clean the whole place again," Reg said, defeated.
The house may be trying to kill me, or drive me crazy, but I am determined not to let it. I will be the conqueror!! (insert sound of allegra bottle being popped open).
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