Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Benadryl Dreams


Yesterday morning I decided to do some weeding. The ground was soft from rain and the weather was cool. So I weeded. Then I came inside. And washed up. I noticed a red mark on my temple. It itched a bit so I slopped some Benadryl cream on it and got on with the rest of my day.

In the afternoon when child number three got home from class and saw me, he said, “Wow. That’s interesting.” I went to look in the mirror. My upper eyelid was swollen. Hmm. I tried some ice. It didn’t help.

By dinner, the lower eyelid was swelling and my eye was watering. I made cold compresses. I was avoiding oral Benadryl because it makes my hands shake. By evening, child two came home from an exam and said, “If you don’t do something about your eye, it will swell shut.” Cal said, “Whoa, you look like you’ve been punched in the face, only no bruising.”

So I took Benadryl. And went to sleep, and woke up a lot. But the dreams...

I dreamt of a 50 foot brick fireplace with a wide maw. And it was hungry. I saw rows of old-fashioned tuxedo collars that looked suspiciously like constrictors. I saw psychedelic paint that rippled and danced malevolently. And I rode in elevators that opened into nothingness. If I’d dreamt of tutu-clad elephants carrying stilettos, I’d have known I was in a macabre version of Fantasia.

When I woke up this morning (my eye still looks terrible), I wished that I wrote speculative fiction because I’d have material enough for a month of short stories. Has anyone else ever had Benadryl dreams?

I have to admit I’m almost looking forward to more Benadryl tonight.

11 comments:

  1. Creepy! Another reason why I'm glad I don't have enough problems with allergies to ever require Benadryl. My dreams are weird enough on their own.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Wow! What do you think caused the reaction?

    I don't think I've ever had benadryl, but I suspect I'd have doozies too, because I get them from caffeine.

    :-)

    ReplyDelete
  3. P-5-P, active B6, seems to enhance "normal" dreaming; and, with tryptophan or melatonin makes for GREAT consistent sleep, despite most daily trauma.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I can't remember anything after I take a Benadryl. Last night I dream I was driving a cement truck full of gloppy oatmeal through a swervy mountain pass. That was an anxiety dream though. :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. No, but I've had Claritin dreams. I think I'm the only one that gets those.
    Hope your eye gets better!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Nancy- I have no idea what p5p is, but I'll ask my son the chemist.

    Carolyn--I know it must have been a stressful dream, but it conjures a funny picture in my mind.

    Lydia--my eye is getting much better. Thanks. I better keep a watch out for those spiders the next time I'm pulling weeds.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Ack! Hope the swelling goes away quickly!

    I haven't had Benadryl dreams. O_O But it sure makes me crash when I have to take it!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Wow, that's crazy! I've never had drug-induced dreams, but my college roommate once told me Theraflu gave her some crazy dreams. She didn't elaborate other than to say that they were really weird. It was the first time she'd taken Theraflu, and I'd never had any. :P

    Hope your eye gets better! I wonder what it was. Eck.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Thanks, everyone, for your good wishes. My eye is doing much better. Only a bruise left over were the swelling caused the capillaries to break. I guess I need to stay away from spiders.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Yikes! Crazy dream - but hey, you never know. I heard about someone who had a dream about a sparkly vampire once... ;-)

    ReplyDelete