on my nasal health

ok, so if you know me pretty well, you have probably heard me talk rather frequently about my nasal health (or lack thereof). throughout my life, i have been plagued by nasal issues. not only do i experience allergic reactions to most things indoors and outdoors, causing an excess of clear, runny snot to project from my nose, but i also have very small nostrils and very small nasal passages. this causes lots of problems, including but not limited to: snoring, sleeping with my mouth open, not being able to breathe through my nose most of the time or for extended periods of time, frequent nose-blowing, frequent sniffling, and sometimes a nasal-y sounding voice. oh, and sinus headaches.

into this picture of my nasal life, enter my friend megan. megan is wonderful ... she is neat and orderly, proper, mannerly, polite, and clean. and she likes it when the people around her are somewhat similar in nature. well, my sniveling, snotty mess of sinus area doesn't really rub her the right way. it's not a bad thing -- my constant sniffles just bug her (more than some other poeple). so she got me this present for graduation:


yes, believe your eyes. it's a nasal flush pot. you mix up some salt with some lukewarm water, stick the spout up one nostril, breathe through your mouth, tilt your head sideways, and let the water run up one side, through the sinuses, and out the other nostril. it's quite the contraption.

now i cannot lie ... while i was intrigued and impressed by this gift (that i got last may), i have been PETRIFIED of it. i mean, i'm having visions of that brain burn you get when the pool water goes up your nose. not fun. and not worth whatever supposed good effects it might bring. so i haven't touched it. i hadn't even taken it out of the box.

until three days ago.


because three days ago, my other good friend shannon held my hand (well, not literally) through the whole thing.

and it was amazing. AND it was not painful.


i'm hooked. and i can breathe through my nose!!!!!! for the first time ever!!! it's AMAZING. i'm on day three now.


so you should try it. for real.