Hi guys. Just wanted to share my weekend experience with you. As many of you know, my MD symptoms are triggered wildly by pollen. Our pollen levels here in Tucson have been sky high this month. Which means I've spend most of the month cooped up indoors, and depressed because of it. It's so beautiful outside, and to not be able to be out there, doing things like hiking (my love) or even going for a walk, is just downright depressing. And this doesn't help my efforts at weight loss either.

Anyway, Friday night I was to have dinner with a girl friend. It was such a gorgeous evening, I decided to throw caution to the wind and sit on the patio to dine. She had already chosen that when I arrived, and I thought, enough fear already, I'm just going to do it. It was a restaurant very close to my house, so if things took a turn for the worst she could drive me home and I could pick up my car the next day (or ask a friend to do it). So I sat outside and we had the most wonderful evening. And I felt no ill effects!

Then, the next night I went to a potluck and little did I know, it was all set up out doors! I just decided to take the risk again. It was a new group of people for me, and yes, I could have taken a plate inside, but what was the point of that when I was there to expand my social horizons? I handled it just fine. That was Saturday.

By Sunday, I was feeling the affects of having been outside two nights in a row. But I was scheduled to have dinner at a restaurant to celebrate Father's Day and my birthday. I was feeling pretty close to the edge all day, but really didn't want to let my father down. So I took 10 mg valium and an Ondansetron and laid down for 30 minutes before we went. The restaurant was noisy, but somehow I managed it.

Monday was a lost day. I was sick all day, no surprise. But I took 10 mg valium at bedtime (my ear was roaring by this point, so I new I could be in trouble). And I was so lucky, I intentionally got a long nights sleep last night, and today.....I feel good. Very slight symptoms, but that's it.

So, I can say I got lucky. Or that I managed my symptoms well with the drugs. Or that the positive emotions and brain chemicals did the opposite of what stress chemicals do to me. I don't know. I'm just looking at the fact that I overcame my fear and took some chances and it turned out okay. And that's definitely something to celebrate. I know that I will always have to pay the price after doing something like this, and allow for the down time afterwards. But I showed myself this weekend that I CAN do it. I am vowing to continue fighting my fear. Being smart and careful, of course, but not letting fear get the best of me. I hope this helps someone out there :-)