Jun. 29, 2007 - 13:29 MDT

HAY FEVER

Well, first off, it was never a fever for me.

I guess it was the spring after I started school, after a winter of common colds that my acquanitance was made with one of the curses of man; Hay Fever.

It made itself known by a constantly running nose, with hurty sandpaper eyelids, and became a warm weather norm for me, sodden handkerchiefs rubbing a sore spot on my behind.

Nevertheless this sniffling boy, with extra hankies in pockets made his way to summer fun.

I think it was in my third summer of red-nosery that Mom and Dad took me to our doctor. He did the usual skin patch tests. Turned out the thing I was allergic to was Russian Thistle.

It was a perfect match for me, made in Hell. Russian Thistle was known here in the West as �Tumble Weed.� Every vacant lot in Denver (of which there were many then) had loads of Tumble Weed burgeoning. And of course, in the country fence rows and untilled land were fertile soil for Tumble Weed.

My years on into high school entailed frequent trolley car trips to the doctor for desensitivation shots , which, over the years had increased dosages. So in my high school years my Hay Fever had moderated greatly So over time the shots worked.

In the cold parts of the year I still had constant colds with occasional bronchitis as well as spells of the Flu.

While I was in high school Flu Shots began to be used. Early on, I would take the trolley after school, get my flu shot, practically run to the car line and take the trolley home. On arriving home I would disrobe, pile all the available covers on my bed and crawl in. Then it was an afternoon, evening and night of the aches, pains, chills and fever as the flu had its way with me.

Morning would come and I�d awake thirstily and famished and WELL. In later years the flu shots had been changed enough that I have been able to have them every year with no problems.

About the time my high school years were over I was free of the Flu and was having just minor Hay Fever sieges.

In my forties I would periodically be sent to the test track at the Mesa in southern Utah by my company. Along both sides of the test track the way had long ago been cleared of scrub growth - - making way for a fantastic crop of Tumble Weeds. And I was still free of allergies yet then, often having to wade through weeds to do my job.

May none of you folks be cursed with HAY FEVER . . . . . . . . . . .

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