If there was a part of my body that I could change it wouldn't be my thighs or my toes or my nose. I would adjust my immune system and the way my body protects itself. I do understand the way the system is supposed to work to keep me healthy. I do! It's just that my system is hypersensitive. One of the technical descriptions includes the word spastic which says a lot about the whole thing. My main affected system is breathing though my skin also reacts swiftly and out of proportion to irritants.

It goes like this: I breathe in sharply or the air is dry or I laugh too hard and it irritates my lungs. They start to cough to expel the irritant. The cough that is supposed to expel the irritant is perceived by my body as an irritant; it coughs even harder. The irritant/cough escalates until I am gasping or gagging and my throat and chest hurt.

It sucks. It's tiring. And no, I don't smoke.