By Bonnie Brown

Columnist

Welcome to spring, otherwise known as allergy season!  How do I know this?  Well, I’ve read that Mississippi is frequently ranked as one of the toughest states to live in with seasonal allergies because it lasts for the majority of the year.  So, if your nose is as red as Rudolph’s and you sneeze and cough enough to scare folks around you, you likely have allergies.  

When our younger son Jeffrey was about 4 or 5 years old, he had to take allergy shots.  So, each week, we took him to Dr. Bo Murray’s office where he was greeted by Carolyn Busby and Virginia Maples.  They felt so bad for him since he hated needles and didn’t’ want to have to take the shots.  So, they gave him all kinds of treats (often from their own lunches) to make the experience more pleasant because he hated getting the shots.   His early experience with needles inspired him to go to Oxford Hospital and train as a phlebotomist in his late teens.  I supposed that was his way of conquering his fear of needles.  He has been a practicing physician for about 18 years.  

If you are sneezing, have a runny nose, itchy watery eyes, or cough, you are likely suffering from allergies.  Other symptoms include rashes and even fatigue.  Seasonal allergies are triggered by pollen from grasses, trees, and weeds.  Often allergies are a mild inconvenience but for some, allergies become more serious.  You may opt to be tested to determine what you are allergic to and how to best treat your symptoms.   

The springtime layer of pollen is fast approaching.  I always have my trusty blower to try to blow the yellow dust off the porch and patio.  It’s a never-ending battle.  And add to that the fact that it absolutely coats your vehicles is another matter and annoyance.  

I love being outdoors and will suffer with the runny eyes and stuffy nose up to a point, then I hastily go indoors.  I really look as if I am crying.  Plus, my eyes are so irritated!  

I always look forward to the beautiful, fragrant Magnolia blooms.  They are usually in bloom around graduation and present a beautiful welcome to the proud moms and dads, grandparents, and family who attend the graduation ceremonies across the campus. Many of the magnolias you see on campus are the result of an idea of Estella Hefley, Dean of Women from 1933-1957 to plant the trees as a memorial to the Ole Miss students who died in World War II.  

So, you wonder how these beautiful flowers and trees can produce all that pollen.  Well, it’s nature in action.  Pollen is essential for sexual reproduction of flowering plants and plants that produce cones.  And you already know that bees play an important role in all of this.  Maybe Mother Nature didn’t take into account that her method of reproduction of flowering plants would cause havoc with allergies affecting so many people.  

As we prepare to avoid allergy season, hopefully, it will be shorter and milder than usual.  But then again, we are living in Mississippi which is known for seasonal allergies.  Stay well.