Ok, so I have this dust mite allergy. When it flares up, it looks pretty darn bad.
I feel kinda like a creep getting in the pool with my skin looking that way (it's usually just on the lower part of my calves, which get the most exposure to dust from carpets), but on the other hand I know it's nothing that's going to harm anyone, even if they were to play footsie with me.
Right now it's looking kinda bad, and I'm conflicted. I still practice because, well, I don't want to lose out on pool time, obviously. But I'm very self-conscious whenever I walk out onto the deck.
So what do y'all think?
Is it ok to dive on in, as long as I know I'm not putting anyone's health at risk, even though it might make other swimmers go "Ewww!"? Or am I being inconsiderate?
PS: I swim at a gym, not on a team, so I can't simply explain the situation to my poolmates.
Parents
Former Member
Didn't mean to scare ya, sorry. Don't worry about it unless the bites become inflamed (pain, swelling).
It's not bites, actually. Dust mites actually live off dust -- they don't bite people. It's an allergic reaction to, well... mite droppings, to be blunt.
Dust mites are everywhere, so a DM allergy is a royal pain in the patoot.
I have a whole-house humidifier, I use moisturizer head to toe after my morning shower, my mattress and pillows are in zippered covers, and I wash all underclothes, jeans, towels, and linens in hot water.
That's kept it from being constant, and next month I'm replacing all the carpets in my house with wood floors, which I hope will keep flare-ups to a minimum.
Before the allergy, I was a normal human being.
But I'm serious when I say I'm absolutely scared witless by the prospect of going into a hospital. Be glad that your job doesn't involve reading about the sepsis epidemic in hospitals. Whenever a relative goes in for anything, I'm not worried about the procedure, I'm worried about MRSA and C-diff!
Didn't mean to scare ya, sorry. Don't worry about it unless the bites become inflamed (pain, swelling).
It's not bites, actually. Dust mites actually live off dust -- they don't bite people. It's an allergic reaction to, well... mite droppings, to be blunt.
Dust mites are everywhere, so a DM allergy is a royal pain in the patoot.
I have a whole-house humidifier, I use moisturizer head to toe after my morning shower, my mattress and pillows are in zippered covers, and I wash all underclothes, jeans, towels, and linens in hot water.
That's kept it from being constant, and next month I'm replacing all the carpets in my house with wood floors, which I hope will keep flare-ups to a minimum.
Before the allergy, I was a normal human being.
But I'm serious when I say I'm absolutely scared witless by the prospect of going into a hospital. Be glad that your job doesn't involve reading about the sepsis epidemic in hospitals. Whenever a relative goes in for anything, I'm not worried about the procedure, I'm worried about MRSA and C-diff!
