Breathless. Really.

I am positively fuming. I feel like yelling and shouting, but I can't. I physically can't. Apparently, for you to be able to shout properly you need to be able to take a deep breath, which at the moment is beyond my reach.

My nose is completely blocked and so is my chest. It feels like something is stuffed into my lungs, pushing back any oxygen that dares to make its way in.
Welcome to the world of allergy.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining of my allergy, I'm way past that stage now. I've long learnt to live peacefully- if not in complete harmony- with it, mainly by sticking to a very strict diet made out of allergy pills, and nasal sprays (that cost me a fortune). I practically live off that stuff.

The nasal sprays I use have Cortison in them, not a lot, but enough to actually be effective. As I said, I use them for the most part of the year (more so now that I'm here in Kuwait, with all the dust and humidity around). In Jordan I simply went to get a new spray when it was done.
Now everytime I want to get a nasal spray, it's a battle.

They don't give it away without a prescription and NOT any prescription mind you. It has to be on bright yellow paper and decorated with a gazillion stamps.

So today I left school early as soon as I was done with my last class of the day, then shot off to the public clinic. I knew there's no way in hell they'd give me the nasal spray (you see, such expensive drugs are only given to Kuwaitis, because apparently some people are worth getting medication and some aren't. Don't even get me started on that). But all I wanted was a prescription and I'd buy it from a pharmacy outside. I didn't see the point of going to a private clinic and paying an arm and a leg, when I knew exactly what's wrong with me (after 8 years of sneezing and Kleenex-consuming, you do know!!) and knew what I needed. A presciption with "Nasonex" written on it. That's all I ask for!

I saw the Dr. and of course she said she can't provide me with the Nasal Spray and I told her I just need the prescription. She gave me that, on yellow paper (I made sure it was yellow, don't want painful history to repeat itself) and then had to drive around trying to find an open pharmacy since it was noon time and most of them were closed.

In one pharmacy and out of another till I gave up. The smaller pharmacies didn't have it, then one pharmacist told me blankly "But even if I had it, I can't give it to you."

"WHY???" I said. "It is yellow, isn't it?" (let me guess, not the right shade of yellow??)
"I know. But it's missing another two stamps. In addition to the Dr. at the clinic you must go to a hosptial and get more stamps and signitures. This prescription won't get you the spray."

WHAT THE HECK. ALL that for a tiny bottle of allergy nasal spray?? You'd think I was asking for a Heroin prescription!!! (not that I know what's that like:P)

I swear to God, if this is not ridiculous, nothing is.

In protest, I will remain breathless. (not exactly by choice, but whatever.)