Ree's musings

My throat is driving me crazy.

I am insanely over-sensitive to tobacco smoke. Meanwhile, my grandfather is of a generation that got packed off to war with boxes of cigarettes and came back with an addiction. Houston, we have a problem.

I love my grandpa to itty bits pieces and I don't turn down a chance to hug him. But. I spent several hours yesterday at my aunt's birthday party, with Grandpa. And then headed home, in the same direction as Grandpa, and ended up meeting him again at a restaurant. In the smoking section, since that is where a smoker will naturally sit, and he got there before I did.

I'm not the least bit sorry, but my throat sure is. This particular body part seems certain that I deliberately arrange my life to achieve maximum respiratory inflammation. Accordingly, it has decided that I must be punished. Again.

Unfortunately, I've looked time and again for something to help me be less sensitive to smoke, but nothing works. Symptoms are similar to allergies but the immune response isn't the same as an allergy would cause, so allergy medications have no effect.

If my choices are angry throat or sad Grandpa, I'm quite satisfied with my decision – but if there's a third option where I can enjoy my grandfather's company while maintaining healthy airflow, then want!