I've spent most of the past week itching. From the palms of my hands to the bottoms of my feet, I've been a splotchy swollen mess. I've had a severe case of Urticaria, better known as hives. I will spare readers the vile pictures and offer only one--one of the milder ones. I documented the eruptions for the doctor because the thing about hives is that they appear, hang around from minutes to hours and then disappear, leaving little or no trace of their visit. Sometimes, the eruptions are brutal as in my case, when the welts and raised and swollen red skin debilitate you for days, unresponsive to the over-the-counter anti-histamines. You spend your time wanting to rip off your skin or shoot yourself. Instead, you itch and scratch. Eventually, you remember from previous attacks that the scratching only exacerbates the eruptions. I woke up one morning and wondered why the room was still dark only to realize that my eyes were swollen shut and my face looked like a basketball. Fortunately, my throat was still open. It's at that point when you need to seek immediate medical care as anaphylatic shock is not far off. You've probably heard of people eating peanuts or shellfish only to have their throat close completely. Without an immediate administration of epinephrine, they could die. Hives are mysterious. While medical efforts focus on treating the symptoms, the sufferer is always left with the questions: Why and when next? Mine are brought on by many common allergens: most things in nature; mosquito and other insect bites; too much dairy; too much citrus; stress; hot water; cold air; dry air; wool; some cats and dogs; and, a few people. I received the prescribed drugs Wednesday and more on Thursday and I'm hanging in there.Never once has my motorcycle brought on a hives attack; in fact, I think it has prevented more than a few! Speaking of which, my gal-pal is ready to be retrieved anytime now. Although we had considerable rain on Thursday, the temps were in the low 40s, and I would have ridden in that happily. When I arrived home on Thursday, a package awaited me. The Sidi On Road Gor-Tex boots had arrived. They are magnificent!
I tried them on and for 30 minutes I stomped around the house, admiring the perfect fit and smart styling. And, for the first time in a week, I did not notice the distressful itching and burning skin. My mind drifted to riding in my new all-weather boots, along beautiful rustic roads lined with trees and nature all around me, with my non-drowsy anti-histamine stored securely in my body and in my luggage.
