Thursday, September 30, 2004

Support Nasal Research

I'm dismayed at the lack of research being done on nasal transplants. As a sufferer of various nasal maladies, I can tell you that a nasal transplant (or even a nasal-ectomy) would change my life.

Allergy sufferers don't get a lot of sympathy, I guess because people rarely die from hay fever. However, our quality of life really suffers. We can barely breathe, we buy enough Kleenex to put all of Mr. Kleenex's descendents through college, our noses itch constantly and we're tired a lot. I have calluses on my inner upper lip from stretching it over my teeth trying not to sneeze. I'm going to end up with a Wicked Witch of the West nose because I'm rubbing and pulling it constantly to relieve the itch.

Really, it's a tragedy. G seems to have fine nasal tissue. Sometimes, he even leaves the house without a pocket full of Kleenex! Can you imagine?? If I forget my Kleenex (or Puffs, whichever, but not the waxed cardboardy stuff), I have to stop and buy some.

For those of you who are not allergic to everything that can be borne through air, imagine that the inside of your nose and sinuses are covered with mosquito bites. Now imagine that those mosquito bites, in addition to itching constantly, also swell and leak mucus. That's the horror we have to live with daily.

I don't see why they can't take someone who has a normal nose (like G) and grow some tissue, like they do with livers, and then give me some. Imagine a life not spent breathing through a tissue! If it doesn't work, fine - cut the damn thing off. I don't want it anymore. I'd rather have a non-itching hole in my face.

By the way - yeah, I've tried all the allergy medicines. Systemic stuff like Claritin and Allegra barely touch my hyperallergic membranes. Flonase worked the best and my health plan stopped covering it. I've done the shot routine (4 shots twice a week, thankyouverymuch) and it worked for a year.

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