WARNING: This post will includes lots of mucus so if you are squeamish do not read this one.
I’m one of those women who always has at least two hankies in my pockets. That’s because I have what my ENT called chronic vasal motor rhinitis. That means my nose runs. A lot. Think streams of clear mucus coming from my nose with regularity. Every time I eat something hot or cold. Every time I go into or out of a building where the temperature changes. Every time someone wearing too much scent passes by. And sometimes, it seems like, just because it feels like running. So I carry hankies to keep my nose from dripping.
Walk around my house and you will see many boxes of tissues. Because I can only keep so many hankies on hand. I wear them out. Not many people wear out hankies but I do.
And that’s only one part of my issue with my nose. Another one is morning congestion. When I get up my nose starts to run. But only what I call the front sinuses do that. Behind those are what I call the back sinuses. The back sinuses are not connected directly to my nose. Nope. They are connected to my throat. Those are the one that create post-nasal drip. Except, in the morning mine don’t drip. They stay stuffed up. I cannot blow them clear because they don’t connect to my nose. So I snort. Fortunately, I am able to do this in the privacy of my bathroom. Snorting brings the thicker mucous from my back sinuses into my mouth. If I swallow that mucus it overly lubricates my digestive system. So I prefer to expel it from my mouth into a tissue. Or, rather, several tissues. Between my front and back sinuses I go through about a dozen tissues every morning. It’s not lovely but it is a fact of my life.
I hate that I have this runny nose in public. I would go someplace private to blow my nose if I could. But when it decides to run it does it very well which leaves me no time to hide.
So, if I am somewhere you are and I have to blow my nose, please understand that I am not trying to gross you out–just the opposite. And if you hear someone snorting, know that the person is likely doing the best they can to deal with allergies. Yes, it is gross. Yes we would like to not have to do it. Especially in public. But, please, try to think of it as a handicap and forgive us.
TTYL,
Linda
I share the same runny nose problem Linda. It’s so embarrassing. Should I snuffle loudly in a restaurant or just discreetly wipe it quickly as I can…and yes, usually it runs too quickly to have a choice of going to the ladies room. Thanks you for setting the record straight about it being a handicap.
I understand completely. I used to have a chronic cough — caused we ultimately discovered by throat irritation due to GERD. I used to visit churches around the country and sometimes people thought I was dying so bad was my cough. At least now I’m just another regular guy with a drug habit…. prescribed by my Dr. 🙂
Cheers,
Peter
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Don’t feel badly. I have tissue boxes all over also. I
am terrible in the morning.
I never leave Homer without a tissue … I have tissues wherever it is I am ~ primarily due to allergies. When traveling here and yon … I never knew what m’nose would encounter. Fall is the worst.
The allergy runny nose just starts running and there it is… no warning ~ it is embarrassing. I just assume it’s going to do that and always carry a tissue. If no pocket? I stuff one in m’bra. along with my phone.
I don’t snuffle much … I just wipe. I really do dislike someone blowing their nose while I’m eating. You snuffle loudly, Jenny? Hahaa.. I mean… snuffling isn’t loud. my achoos are reeeeeal loud.
I’ve had people literally jump when I sneeze. I tell them nothing personal … it just happens sometimes… especially if someone is heavily boo hiss perfumed…
My Dad used to sneeze and stomp his foot at the same time… ha
Um, Linda I don’t know you well enough to know your sense of humor. So I hope you don’t mind if I say this post really made me laugh. It’s not funny to be runny but you made it so. Hope you are not offended.
Jim’s got the running nose in our house. Mine goes nuts once in awhile but his is most of the time. So we too have kleenex boxes all over. No need to apologize to us.
We all have our little issues. When I sneeze it can be up to ten times in a row. Sometimes I think I’m allergic to the sunshine. Other times to the nighttime. We’ll just have tissue handy.
OMG!!! you have me laughing! was that the object? no. probably not. i know this must be seriously miserable. but i’m sorry. it’s just funny.
and going through the mess here in the aftermath… i just needed to laugh really loud and really hard!
thank you!
and if i see you again… i’ll give you a hankie. xo