Allergy Testing

"Empty yourself and let the universe fill you."

So reads the quote on the little paper attached to my Yogi tea bag (Berry Detox - piquant and relaxing).

I visited an allergist today, an appointment I would recommend to anyone with pesky or mysterious health issues. (In my case, I first saw an optometrist and presented what I thought was a pretty severe case of chronically dry eyes; he suspected the underlying problem might be an allergy, so I did the first round of testing today.)

And it turns out I'm allergic to...dust mites!

The nurse handed me a booklet on dust mite allergies, and a magnified photo of a dust mite was sufficiently terrifying to send me scurrying in the direction of Bed Bath & Beyond, where I purchased a mattress cover and pillow cover. My bed sheets are swishing around in the washing machine as I type this, and I'm hoping the temperature of the water reaches 130 degrees Fahrenheit (the better to annihilate the dust mites!).

I've promised myself not to become over-the-top neurotic in my fervent effort to remove my immediate surroundings of these nasty pests, though I confess I'm looking forward to a new routine of dusting and cleaning my bedroom. (It will be very zen, I tell myself.)

One of my younger brothers is also allergic to dust mites, and his health is much improved since he outfitted his own bedroom to be dust-mite--unfriendly. I hope I'll notice positive results too, and I wish any allergy-besieged readers better health as well!

The best part of my visit? I'm not allergic to any pollens, so I was told to go out and play...doctor's orders!