Swedish soil is Kryptonite
Mark and I both have ancestors from Sweden, so even though we wouldn't be going to specific ancestral places, I was excited. Oh, the fatherland! or motherland! I don't know!
Funny story: when we went to check into our hotel in Stockholm, the receptionist saw the names on our reservation and started speaking Swedish to us. We had to inform her that while we look Swedish and are named Swedish, we don't speak Swedish. It felt like such a personal failing.
Not-funny story: I think I'm allergic to Sweden.
I had some allergic symptoms when we were in Riga [capital of Latvia], but they went away once I took a benadryl. Sweden was definitely different.
The first two days we were in Sweden, the weather was cloudy and drizzly. And a little bit chill. [Or at least this Texas ex-pat thought so]. Which meant that when, on the 3rd day, the sun came out, I decided I loved Sweden even more. Everything was beautiful: flowers were blooming, trees were flowering, and little puffs of flora were in the air.
Several hours later, I decided maybe I didn't like sunshine in Sweden. My eyes were itchy, my ears were itchy, I was sneezing violently, and all the fluid in my body decided to come out my nose. Constantly. I went through 4 kleenex packs in the space of 24 hours. And although I put on balm around my nostrils every so often, the skin there became really raw and peeling and quite frankly, my nose cartilage hurt. I had brought some benadryl, so I dosed myself with that, but it didn't really make much of a dent. I figured maybe I needed higher dosing, because I was having some pretty serious allergy symptoms beyond what I normally have, but I soon discovered that Sweden does not have benadryl over-the-counter. I think this is a major failing. We went into grocery stores and convenience shops (we couldn't find open 'apothecaries' aka pharmacies) and all they had for allergies was nasal spray. I got some, cuz I was willing to try ANYTHING, and it helped with all of the itchiness, but not much of the snottiness.
I tried to be a good sport, but Mark could tell I was miserable, so the length of our sight-seeing for the remaining 3-5 days was cut down. We'd walk and see things in the morning and early afternoon, but before late afternoon came, we had hidden in our hotel room.
The allergies didn't improve until I came back to the States and showered.
Since showering didn't seem to help much while I was in Sweden, we have decided that Sweden is my Krypton. Proofs:
1. Sweden is my ancestral home
2. I have the worst allergies ever (outside of anaphylaxis, that is) when I am in Sweden.
3. I improve once I leave Sweden and shower off Swedish spores.
Maybe it'll be fine to visit Sweden in winter, but I'm reluctant to travel there in spring or summer.
I guess that makes it seasonal kryptonite.
Funny story: when we went to check into our hotel in Stockholm, the receptionist saw the names on our reservation and started speaking Swedish to us. We had to inform her that while we look Swedish and are named Swedish, we don't speak Swedish. It felt like such a personal failing.
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| black (?!) flowers |
Not-funny story: I think I'm allergic to Sweden.
I had some allergic symptoms when we were in Riga [capital of Latvia], but they went away once I took a benadryl. Sweden was definitely different.
The first two days we were in Sweden, the weather was cloudy and drizzly. And a little bit chill. [Or at least this Texas ex-pat thought so]. Which meant that when, on the 3rd day, the sun came out, I decided I loved Sweden even more. Everything was beautiful: flowers were blooming, trees were flowering, and little puffs of flora were in the air.
 |
| example of Swedish flora |
Several hours later, I decided maybe I didn't like sunshine in Sweden. My eyes were itchy, my ears were itchy, I was sneezing violently, and all the fluid in my body decided to come out my nose. Constantly. I went through 4 kleenex packs in the space of 24 hours. And although I put on balm around my nostrils every so often, the skin there became really raw and peeling and quite frankly, my nose cartilage hurt. I had brought some benadryl, so I dosed myself with that, but it didn't really make much of a dent. I figured maybe I needed higher dosing, because I was having some pretty serious allergy symptoms beyond what I normally have, but I soon discovered that Sweden does not have benadryl over-the-counter. I think this is a major failing. We went into grocery stores and convenience shops (we couldn't find open 'apothecaries' aka pharmacies) and all they had for allergies was nasal spray. I got some, cuz I was willing to try ANYTHING, and it helped with all of the itchiness, but not much of the snottiness.
I tried to be a good sport, but Mark could tell I was miserable, so the length of our sight-seeing for the remaining 3-5 days was cut down. We'd walk and see things in the morning and early afternoon, but before late afternoon came, we had hidden in our hotel room.
The allergies didn't improve until I came back to the States and showered.
Since showering didn't seem to help much while I was in Sweden, we have decided that Sweden is my Krypton. Proofs:
1. Sweden is my ancestral home
2. I have the worst allergies ever (outside of anaphylaxis, that is) when I am in Sweden.
3. I improve once I leave Sweden and shower off Swedish spores.
Maybe it'll be fine to visit Sweden in winter, but I'm reluctant to travel there in spring or summer.
I guess that makes it seasonal kryptonite.
So sorry you were in such misery. Glad that you are feeling better now! 💙
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