Texas Pollen, Sinusitis, and a Lesson My Face Won’t Forget
My face literally hurt more than my Monday mornings—and that’s saying something. 🙃
Texas Pollen Is Unhinged
Fun fact about me: I didn’t have allergies for most of my life. Not seasonal. Not “maybe a little itchy.” Nothing. Then I moved to Texas—where pollen doesn’t exist so much as it attacks. Trees here wake up every morning and choose violence.
Allergies: New to Me. Consequences: Immediate.
Fast-forward to recently, when my sinuses decided to completely opt out of the experience. Acute bacterial sinusitis. Facial pressure. Facial pain. Congestion. That lovely sensation where it feels like your head is being slowly vacuum-sealed. A real delight.
Confidence Was High. Sinuses Disagreed.
Because I’m still an allergy rookie, I did what any confident-but-unprepared person does: I underestimated it. I figured I’d “power through.” Turns out, your sinuses do not respect confidence. They respect preparation. And apparently… water.
Hydration or Suffer (Apparently)
Staying hydrated became non-negotiable. Not in a “drink more water someday” kind of way, but in a “your mucus has turned into paste and this is now a problem” kind of way. The more consistently I drank water, the more manageable everything felt—less pressure, less pain, less misery, and a slightly reduced desire to complain to strangers.
The Silent Little Reminder That Saved Me
This is where having a visual reminder helped. When you’re sick, tired, and mildly dramatic, it’s easy to forget how much you’ve actually had to drink. Having my GWaT band on my bottle made it stupidly obvious when I was falling behind—no apps, no thinking, just a silent little “hey buddy… maybe drink some water.” Annoying? A little. Effective? Unfortunately, yes.
Modern Medicine + Water = Progress
Between antibiotics (thank you, modern medicine), warm showers, and actually staying hydrated like an adult, I finally turned a corner. And while I can’t control Texas pollen—or the apparent personal vendetta it has against me—I can control whether I’m giving my body what it needs to recover.
Final Verdict: Drink the Water
So here’s a thought: if your sinuses are staging a rebellion, or you just want to stay a step ahead of whatever pollen throws at you, drink the water. Make it visible. Make it fun. Your future self (and your sinuses) will thank you.
