I don't know about 12 year-old you, but that story would have given 12 year-old me nightmares for a good six months. (In case it isn't obvious, this is a compliment.)

There's one of "those" trees in my neighborhood too. This one announces its reproductive cycle by covering the area for blocks around with so much fine, fuzzy, white fluff that it looks like we got hit with a snow storm. What saved me was a neti pot. It doesn't fix the allergy or treat asthma, but it does a great job of clearing out the nasal passages at bedtime, so I can get at least a few hours of sleep before things clog up again. Might be worth a try.