BlueTaelon Posted December 20, 2013 Share Posted December 20, 2013 I haven't had a real xmas tree in 13 years because dd13 broke out in hives the first time I took her to a tree lot as an infant and it just got worse from there each year. As a result dd7 has never had a real tree. Since moving here we've discovered it was the mold that was growing on the trees as a result of harvesting/transporting techniques which allowed a lot of tree mold to grow that was setting dd13 off. So yesterday we went to the local tree farm and cut down a tree which should avoid the mold issue. As soon as the tree came in I started feeling like I was getting hit with a nasty head cold and fast and today I sound like it too:( dd7 started coughing and last night it kept getting worse and worse until I was breaking out the nebulizer when it finally occurred to me, what if she's allergic to the tree? Its always been an issue for dd13, didn't occur to me dd7 has never been around a real live tree in the house so we have no idea if shes allergic. So I closed her bedroom door and opened her large bedroom window (its really large compared to the tiny room) and slowly as the fresh air came in she totally stopped coughing, made me very thankful for electric blankets, it was 21F outside when I woke up in her room this morning but we were toasty warm. Just wish I didn't feel like crap, me and fresh night air does not mix. If we take the tree out to see if we feel better its not coming back in, this thing is a monster and not going to be easy to get though the door since I took the twine off. Were expecting up to 5 inches of snow today and I am not bringing that into the house. I am going to feel really bad if we have to take this thing out, my dad got stuck on an icy road 2 blocks from my house and totally busted his tail light and caused body damage to his truck (still haven't figured out how that happened, his truck was almost jack-knighted with his trailer but in the wrong direction from the broken light when I walked up there), he fell down twice on the ice (really slick sheet of ice he was on) while trying to put chains on his truck and injured himself even more since he's still recovering from his last fall (he's 76). Granted he had a senior moment and had no business on that road and he missed the dead end sign somehow. Point is if we had stayed with the old, really ugly artificial tree we already had none of that would have happened because he would have stayed home instead of taking us to the tree farm (my alternator died last week and I can't afford to repair it so he was giving us a ride) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsquirrel Posted December 20, 2013 Share Posted December 20, 2013 With a cold you generally feel worse and worse. With allergies you sort of plateau. I am allergic to mold and trees. I sneeze and cough and rub my eyes and itch the entire christmas tree season. I am sitting across from it right now and sneezing away. I can't wait until the kids get big and move out so I can get a fake tree. Can you take some allergy medicine? I find the OTC once a day Target brand Claritin helps quite a lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Marmalade Posted December 20, 2013 Share Posted December 20, 2013 Sorry, sounds like you're all allergic to the tree. I don't think a person's childhood is ruined if they never have a real tree for Christmas. :) It took YEARS of Christmas trees before my mom connected the dots that I was sick every Christmas season as long as we had a real tree in the house. The first year we got the fake tree was the first time I was not slobbering sick for the church Christmas program. I vote to get rid of the tree ASAP. ETA: As I re-read your post, and read about the coughing subsiding with the open window- it could also be croup? How was DD7's breathing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Peregrine Posted December 20, 2013 Share Posted December 20, 2013 The same thing is happening to me and my dd11 right now. I really think it's the tree. :/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kalmia Posted December 20, 2013 Share Posted December 20, 2013 Maybe not related to your particular case (may be the tree itself or the mold), but many Christmas trees are sprayed with pesticides and blue-green dye. My husband and my first Christmas tree in Brooklyn smelled toxic. Used to fresh cut balsam fir from the back forty, I couldn't believe that someone would actually dye the tree, and continued refuse to believe it until I read about it sometime later. In some places you can buy organically grown trees. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/04/garden/04garden.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneStepAtATime Posted December 20, 2013 Share Posted December 20, 2013 I know you don't want this to be the case, but it really sounds like bad allergies to me. Sadly, we no longer have live trees because sometimes we react and sometimes we don't but the effort and cost to get one and bring it in the house is not worth having it if we get sick from it. One Christmas (the one we finally decided enough was enough) my daughter and i completely lost our voices, had massive headaches, congestion, etc. All went away about 24 hours after the tree was removed. We were miserable all through Christmas, though, because my hubby insisted it couldn't be allergies.... Big hugs. So sorry if this really is an allergy... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AK_Mom4 Posted December 20, 2013 Share Posted December 20, 2013 I would bite the bullet and put the tree outside. Decorate it out there with some lovely lights and enjoy it thru the window. If you have some ornaments that are weather proof, they could go on as well, but lights alone are gorgeous. One year we didn't do a tree and we ended up hanging up a garland on the mantle and stringing our favorite ornaments on the garland. It looked lovely! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueTaelon Posted December 20, 2013 Author Share Posted December 20, 2013 Sorry, sounds like you're all allergic to the tree. I don't think a person's childhood is ruined if they never have a real tree for Christmas. :) It took YEARS of Christmas trees before my mom connected the dots that I was sick every Christmas season as long as we had a real tree in the house. The first year we got the fake tree was the first time I was not slobbering sick for the church Christmas program. I vote to get rid of the tree ASAP. ETA: As I re-read your post, and read about the coughing subsiding with the open window- it could also be croup? How was DD7's breathing? Nope, had more then our fare share of croup over the years, no barking here:) Going to drag the tree out in a few min:( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anne Posted December 20, 2013 Share Posted December 20, 2013 I like the idea of decorating the tree outdoors!! So sorry! anne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsinkable Posted December 20, 2013 Share Posted December 20, 2013 I'm sorry, Blue Taelon! I would get rid of the tree bc I wouldn't be able to stop wondering if that was the problem. (((Hugs))) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneStepAtATime Posted December 20, 2013 Share Posted December 20, 2013 I love the decorate the tree outside idea! Are you going to try that? Or will that work with your circumstances? Let us know how it goes and best wishes to all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted December 20, 2013 Share Posted December 20, 2013 We had real trees growing up. It didn't improve my childhood one tiny bit. They don't do a thing for me and they're work and expense. I like the smell, so I usually get a real wreath. This year I got balsam scented icicles from Yankee Candle Co. and my house smells like pine. It would be very clever to put it outside. Is there a window where you can see the lights at night? Your daughter could string popcorn and cranberries for the birds to decorate. She could even do those birdseed/peanut butter/Pinecone things for even MORE decoration. That sounds more fun than sneezing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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