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KEELEY’S MAY 31-DAY CHALLENGE
What Vampires and I Have in Common
Avoiding garlic was key.
Day five prompt: Your biggest fear that others might say is irrational.
In the past, aside from stinky breath, not much could convince me that garlic wasn’t amazing—robust. The pungent root added delicious flavour to an otherwise tasteless dish. My adage was the more garlic, the better. And in my younger days, I ate plenty of it, relying on my deodorant and toothpaste to keep my body odour in line.
Then came that fateful day one summer — that afternoon was a scorcher. I parked my car close to the restaurant for a bite. Once inside, I selected chicken as the base for my pita and asked them to throw garlic-infused hummus inside with a healthy heap of tzatziki on top. The sandwich was pure garlic heaven.
When I was done, I trudged through the thick heat and slid into an even hotter car. I hit the gas before the air conditioning could elevate my temperature. As a person suffering from M.S., the heat wasn’t my friend. On my way to pick up my husband from work, I needed to make a pit stop at the dentist. While en route, I noticed my mouth was incredibly dry, and my throat had an undeniable lump when I swallowed. Anxiety built as my head swirled. Was I having an allergic reaction or an M.S. response…
