40 Days Till 40 (Day 13)

NO SUSHI FOR YOU!

Today I went to lunch with a friend for sushi.  Sushi is not one of those things I grew up enjoying.  I’ve never eaten a lot of fish and therefore tend to only eat the rolls that have crab or shrimp (or vegetables) in them—mostly because those are the ones that are also fully cooked.  I have had other types of sushi (once with another friend who ordered for me and did me the courtesy of not telling me what any of it was), but generally don’t venture out too much when I order it for myself.  I do, however, enjoy the artistry and skill of the sushi chefs and the sometimes pervy names (the Lulu Hand Roll?  You go, Lulu!).  I also appreciate the freshness of the rolls (Fast Food, indeed) and the stickiness of the rice.  I even like the different sauces that are sometimes drizzled over the rolls and sitting at the sushi bar, rubbing elbows with people who are much more familiar with ordering sushi than I am. 

In Reno, we have the luxury of “all-you-can-eat sushi”.  Not being a sushi connoisseur, I have only heard that this is not the case in all sushi restaurants.  Either way, all-you-can-eat sushi is a gastronomic treat—which usually ends with me having eaten WAY too much.  It is, however, fun to try a variety of rolls.  Just make sure you eat them all or the waitresses and/or sushi chefs will frown upon you mercilessly.  Much better to do all-you-can-eat sushi with a hungry friend so that he or she can eat the ones you don’t like.  Ha. 

But I am rambling.  For those of you already familiar with the joys of sushi, you have no need of my effusive review.  Rather the point of the story was to reveal something strange about my sushi outing. 

After lunch with my friend, I found that I was inordinately tired.  Nothing too unusual, considering the richness of the sushi and the amount I ingested (WAY too much, remember).  But then, the roof of my mouth started to itch and swell, my sinuses started getting stuffy, I felt itchy…

HOLY CRAP!  AM I ALLERGIC TO SUSHI?!? 

I have eaten at this restaurant before (and, in fact, eaten sushi at other locations before) and I have never had this reaction.  I don’t have any food allergies that I know of, so this was something new.  How long are these symptoms going to last?  I just got over being sick, now I have this to deal with?!  Good grief.

I am not looking forward to starting a new decade of my life with food allergies.  Yes, I can avoid sushi, but what was it?  The tempura batter?  The cucumbers?  The avocado?  The rice?  The shrimp?  The crab?  The soy sauce?  The seaweed?  Gah. 

I am hoping that an antihistamine will help alleviate the symptoms.  Thus far it hasn’t helped too much.  Plus I am afraid to go to sleep since another friend of mine told me, “Make sure you sleep with your head elevated.”

Me:  “So I don’t die?”

Her:  “Well, yeah, uh, your throat might close up…”

Dear God. 

Until tomorrow, Lovelies…. I hope.  

*Written 1/16/14.  Posted 1/17/14, so now you know I lived.