Each breath was like a knife to my lungs. I was dizzy and tired because of the lack of oxygen. My brain barely functioned, and I had to force my limbs to fight against the lethargy that threatened to make me curl up in a ball and drift off to sleep.
And it was all my fault. When it comes to knowing what my body can and cannot take, I tend to be optimistic. I always think that maybe I am no longer allergic to this or that, maybe that particular reaction has gone away, maybe the last time was all my imagination.
But yesterday, with the mopping of the floor, my reaction to strong smells came back clearly. I am smart enough to move far away from those who wear perfume, but somehow I had forgotten my reaction to cleaning products.
I’ll tell you one thing, if I don’t stop being such an optimistic idiot I might as well pick out my tombstone right now. Something short and to the point, starting with “Here she lies” and then continuing with one of the following:
Air, air–I need air!