Day 1173: A new record

[eve_prime]

I’m sure I’ve mentioned that we have serious pollen issues here. The worst of all, for many people, is the grass pollen (mid-May to mid-July), because grass seed is one of the main crops in the Willamette Valley, and we’re here at the valley head.

The allergy clinic where D. gets his shots is the official pollen counting station for the area, and today they posted the pollen count for grass. For perspective, a count of 1-4 is “low,” 5-19 is “moderate,” 20-199 is “high,” and over 200 is “very high.”

Our pollen count today was 1301. That’s a hundred times the moderate level!!! They said this was a new record for Eugene (although I do remember it being 1200 or so a few years ago). It’s because it’s been warm and dry for a while, and the winds have been blowing from the north (where the grass is grown). Apparently even people who aren’t allergic to grass have been reporting problems.

I actually felt better than yesterday. Yesterday I’d woken in the middle of the night with my sinuses hurting, but managed to get back to sleep, with the resulting sinus headache lasting almost all day. Last night I woke in the middle of the night with my sinuses hurting, but I added another pillow to tilt my head a bit, and although that felt like an odd way to sleep, it must have made a big difference.

Comments

[kaishin108]

Oh my gosh, off the charts high. :(
That must be awful for you all.

We only have moderate tree pollen right now, Ash and Walnut mainly. But a heavy thunderstorm last night and that has cleared the air for a few days.

I hope it lets up soon but it seems it could be a tough month coming up. Sigh.

[eve_prime]

We have no rain in the forecast, but the wind shifted and now the pollen is "only" in the 700s.

[kaishin108]

Oh my gosh that is still so high!
I couldn't find numbers for our pollen count aside from like 4.6 type numbers.

[eve_prime]

Oh, here you go: https://www.bvaac.com/past-pollen-counts/

I find this sort of thing very useful, since it says which trees are doing the most on any given day. It lets me make a good guess about which ones I'm most allergic to.

[kaishin108]

Thank you so much! I was looking for that link and I saved it. :)

Pine, oh my gosh, I can see the pollen on the trees in the neighbors yard behind us.

Hope you and D. are doing okay with your high counts.

[eve_prime]

Pine pollen is amazingly visible, isn't it?

D's doing fine, and I'm okay. Extra-sleepy. I'm having to learn how to sleep slightly propped up.

Thanks. :)

[kaishin108]

Yes, very visible. I look at pine pollen and just think, oh no! :D

That is what happens to me, well I get downright lethargic!

[claidheamhmor]

I'm astonished at how bad the pollen is there.

[eve_prime]

It's quite the thing!