I can't make it--I have a migraine.

I cancel plans. I cancel plans a lot. One of my least favorite things about having migrainesymptoms.blogspot.com/" title="migraine">migraine disease is my need for lots of quiet alone time, even if I don't want it. I love being social; I love spending time with friends, going to shows, grabbing a beer, or sitting around having craft night. But the migrainesymptoms.blogspot.com/" title="migraine">migraines often get me down.

Sometimes I just don't commit to something I would love to attend. That late-night party down the street, the one that's sure to be fun and full of dancing and friends? "Maybe--if I don't feel bad." The movie I've been wanting to see is playing the night before my period is to arrive--most likely I'll have a migrainesymptoms.blogspot.com/" title="migraine">migraine then, so going to a movie is just ruled out before I even consider making plans.

Other times, I bail in fear of a migrainesymptoms.blogspot.com/" title="migraine">migraine. Big events like weddings, funerals, holidays, and other much-anticipated events are almost sure to be accompanied by an attack. A couple of years ago, I got an invitation to a good friend's wedding. I took some factors into consideration: 1, most weddings entail my pretending to have fun and socialize when really I have throbbing pain behind my eyes; 2, going to an old friend's wedding doesn't guarantee you'll actually get to talk to that person; 3, The venue was nearly two hours from my home--and I didn't have the inclination or money to spend the night in the same town as the wedding--that means I would have a long drive there and back--more triggers.

Out of fear, I wrote a sweet note to my friend and declined the invitation. Turns out she was hurt and disappointed--she'd really wanted me there; I was one of the first friends she'd met as a seventh grader in a new town. So I went. And I had fun. And I got a migrainesymptoms.blogspot.com/" title="migraine">migraine on the way home.

Mostly I cancel plans at the last minute when I have an attack coming on. Even if the meds I take do work, the postdrome means I'll be sleepy and out of it and not in the mood to socialize. A few years ago, I'd pop Imitrex or Relpax while at a busy rock show at midnight, sure the headache would be gone in a few minutes so I could continue dancing and rocking out. I was usually right in my judgment then and ended up back up to par an hour or so later, ready to continue to the night. I don't feel that way anymore. Now I skip out when I feel the migrainesymptoms.blogspot.com/" title="migraine">migraine coming on and head straight home, realizing that if I push myself I'll feel worse.

Canceling plans makes me feel terrible; my guilt merely compounds the pain and nausea I'm feeling, and that simply doesn't help anyone, the friends I've canceled on or myself. My friends and family are extremely understanding: they know of my health condition and their first priority (and usually mine) is to take care of me. But I still cannot get over the feeling that maybe, just maybe, they think I'm flaky. That I've let them down. That I can't be counted on. And I can't seem to figure out how to get over that.

I read others' blogs, read mantras about taking care of myself, read stories about people going through similar things. Maybe one day soon all that will click. Logically, I know the the choice I make to go home and try to relax is the only healthy choice I can make. Emotionally, I continue to feel like I'm undependable, and that feels pretty rotten.

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I'm coming out!, or, shredding this veil of secrecy

Well, kids, it seems high time I finally just tell you who I am. I'm sure only 2 of you out there are even wondering, but I feel it's an important step for me to say who I am once and for all. As it stands, my mom and sister know about my blog, and they're two of the people who could get hurt most by it (not due to any secrets I spill, more because reading about my illness makes them upset).

My name is Janet Geddis. I am a 28-year-old resident of Athens, GA. As you may already know, I've had migrainesymptoms.blogspot.com/" title="migraine">migraines since I was 13--unfortunately (for myriad reasons, the most significant of which was doctors' not reading the signs) I wasn't diagnosed until June 2001. I'm a tutor, storyteller, and general carouser--I am in the market for more stimulating work that's just as meaningful as helping kids and teens.

Here is a photo of me mid-sentence. Quite thrilling, indeed.

That's all for now. Just thought I'd share.

Writing this blog has been so very therapeutic for me; to know that there are others out there who can truly sympathize has worked wonders for the sadness that's often concomitant with this disease. Thank you all.

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fifth time's a charm...right?

I've had the worst streak I've had in awhile. Sure, there've been days I've had some mild pain day after having been icky for a while prior. But today marks the fourth day in a row of having a moderate Migraine headache--and since I'm not supposed to take triptans more than two days a week, I feel stuck between a rock and a hard place. (Sorry for the cliche--can you blame a half-wit like migrainesymptoms.blogspot.com/" title="migraine">migraineous me for not coming up with original witticisms?)

You all saw how I bitched (justifiably, I know--thanks for the reassurance!) on Wednesday about that sudden Migraine headache. I had high hopes that I'd filled my quota for the week then, but no such luck.

Flying into Virginia Thursday was uneventful, but as soon as I was in the car headed from the airport to my our hotel, the sure-fire symptoms began. Took half of an Imitrex (despite the label's order not to split them, I figured I'd cut the 100mg pill and take around 50 mg, thinking that'd be enough to kill the headache) and lay down. The pain was mostly gone in an hour or so. The next day, Friday, I woke up with a headache again but pretended it wasn't there. After all, it was a spa day for my cousin, my aunt, my mom and me! Surely a massage and a facial would heal me right up. Wrong. The pain got worse at lunch, post-spa, and I popped the other half of that Imitrex.

I took a nap at my aunt's and woke up feeling headache-free but extremely groggy and antisocial--not good when there was a casual dinner party over here and I was trying to be much more animated than I felt. (I failed my own test.)

Today I felt bad again but couldn't break the rule even further--after all, Friday marked the third day in a row having a triptan, and I couldn't face the possibility of a rebound headache by taking another triptan. So...I took a nap, my third one in three days. Woke up feeling rested, but the pain returned and is sitting here now, running up and down the left side of my neck, behind my cheekbone, and behind my left eye. An old, obnoxious acquaintance setting up house once again.

I'm traveling. The weather is fluctuating greatly here in VA, and my period ended today. The pollen and allergens in the air are icing on the cake.

I can't wait to feel good again. I realize I ain't got nothin' on the chronic daily headache or Daily Persistent Headache folks, but man! I've had quite enough!

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Janet'http://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gifs WEGO Health spotlight

I was interviewed for WEGO Health's spotlight feature!

Check it out here.

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June Migraine & Headache Blog Carnival (I'm moderating) - write write write!

Diana Lee at Somebody Heal Me has granted me the honor of being the June host for her remarkably helpful and informative Migraine & Headache Blog Carnival.

June's theme is "How to Have a Fun, Healthy Vacation in Spite of your Migraines." All entries must get to me by 11:59 PM on Friday, June 6. The carnival will be published Monday, June 9.*

To enter, send me an email with your name, your blog address, and a link to the relevant entry you're submitting. My email address is themigrainesymptoms.blogspot.com/" title="migraine">migrainegirl@gmail.com

You can also submit to the monthly carnival using this newfangled form. Click on the icon in the upper right-hand corner to enter your information.

Thanks so much! I look forward to reading many inspiring entries!

*Off-topic entries will also be considered, but please do try to write on the subject--this will help many people during summer, when lots of folks travel.

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Third time's a charm? Not so much.

Well, I've got to blame someone for this ever-present bout with pain and Migraine headaches. I do want to lay all my blame and anger on THE POLLEN. Perhaps that explains some of my grogginess, too! GO AWAY, POLLEN!

Had a migrainesymptoms.blogspot.com/" title="migraine">migraine attack the moment I left work Wednesday, another yesterday afternoon shortly after finishing my babysitting job around noon (one that didn't disappear until nighttime and two Maxalts), and--surprise!--another the moment I sat up in bed this morning at 7:20. Curses.

The folks who landscape my community's property are here, which means stirred up grass and the pollen droppings (which are all over my roof and porch and grass). Thank goodness I'm leaving town today for the beach! I think salty air will be nicer than yellow air.


See all that brown stuff? POLLEN. All of it ------->

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I'm on the verge...

I can well imagine myself having caffeine this weekend if I don't start feeling better. My head is about 5 times worse than when I wrote earlier this morning, and I can actually smell that polleny, grassy smell pouring out from my air conditioning vents thanks to the lawn dudes and all they stirred up with their fancy equipment. The yard looks great. I do not.

I'm bending the Maxalt rules a bit, too. You know how it says not to take the drug more than three days a week? Well, I took it last weekend and decided that Monday would start a new week. So even though I had a Maxalt on the 17th, 18th, 21st, and 22nd, I'm only counting the second pair of days because...well...because I feel HORRIFIC and cannot function. So Let's pretend the week started on Monday and not Sunday. Work for you? I hope it works for me. I should not risk MOH but feel crippled without being able to help myself through this.

Now that people actually read this blog, I feel sort of ashamed when I admit that I'm not fulfilling promises to myself (i.e., don't take too many triptans in too short a time, Janet!). But I also have a sneaking suspicion that I'm not alone in this struggle and think that, for those of you who read this, hearing that someone else is on the cusp of doing the forbidden in terms of drug treatment might resonate with you.

Wah.

Overcast, pollinated day
Why don't you just go away?!

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how to survive a vacation tip 1: don't trust the website

A couple of weeks before Memorial Day weekend, I had an epiphany: I needed a vacation. Not an action-packed trip, mind you, but a vacation. No commitments. No one to answer to. No schedule. A vacation.

Considering my health situation and limitations caused by the seemingly incessant Migraine attacks I've been suffering through the last two months or so, my first instinct was to assume that I had to go alone. Having another person there would mean I'd feel guilty if I had to bail on plans to go to the beach for a couple hours or if I sat through dinner with my ice water glass against my forehead. So I concluded I'd go it alone.

Until I thought of a certain friend of mine, one of my best and dearest friends. In the interest of privacy (read: she doesn't know I'm talking about her on my blog as we speak), I shall call her by the nickname each of us has taken to calling the other: Handicapped Twin. HT for short. She is a woman near my age with arthritis">rheumatoid arthritis--this year in particular she's had a really rough time of it and we've taken turns being laid up at each other's house to watch movies and zone out in our drugged hazes.

A week or so before Memorial Day, I emailed HT, who was finishing up a particularly hectic week at work. I said something to the effect of, "I need a vacation. I'm going to the beach. You're the only person I can think of who'd be the perfect company. Interested?" Within a couple hours I got an all-caps response: "HELL YES!!!" And thus The Plan was born.

I researched lots of hotels off the coast of Georgia and South Carolina and decided we should go to Jekyll Island, a gorgeous and (for now) well-preserved island I've been visiting since I was a wee little thing. Turns out HT and her family went to Jekyll since the 70s or early 80s as well, so she was up for some relaxing and reminiscing. I showed HT the top five hotels I'd found, and we selected one with a sharp website and a claim that the entire property had just been renovated. After confirming there was a hot tub and beach access, we booked it.

A five or six hour drive on Friday afternoon led us to Jekyll. We parked in front of the lobby at what looked like a long, stretched out motor lodge. "Maybe it's nice inside," thought I, thinking simultaneously of how the hotel room price and the facade did not at all match. We got our hotel room key and anxiously wheeled our luggage to the door. First thing I noticed? Cracks and cobwebs and rust by the dingy front window. I reassured myself again: "Maybe it's nice inside."

It wasn't.

The room smelled of stale smoke and mildew. (When we left for dinner, HCTFebreezed the whole joint--after asking me if the scent would bother me. What a great handicapped twin!) The hotel had graciously put in incandescent bulbs for me but, when I went to turn on the lights, the lamps weren't working. The "new" carpet was torn in a couple of spots, there were spider webs in the corner, and the stuccoed ceiling looked almost furry in texture. I dared not look too closely above my head for fear of figuring out what the dark matter in between the white fibers of the ceiling was, exactly. The bathroom light was a fluorescent, so I brought in one of the lamps to plug in and set on the counter. Turns out the only outlet functioned only when the overhead fluorescent was on. Attempting to remove the sticky, dusty, yellowed cover off the fluorescent bulb proved disgustingly impossible. The bathroom fan cover was suffocating with dust, dirt, and "debris," as HT so affectionately called the clumps of mysterious gray matter on the intake screen.

I called the front desk about the nonworking lamps and said, "Also: I was wondering if you had any renovated rooms available..." "What room are you in?" "617." "That one is renovated, ma'am." "Um, what exactly was renovated? Because..." (Then I proceeded to give a brief description of the horror I've already described above.) "Oh, each room got new paint, new carpet, and furniture."

Oh. Well then. Ignore the typical hotel tradition of cleaning the rooms and making sure the electricity works, I guess.

That night, I fell asleep in my double bed not feeling so hot. In the middle of the night, I had to take some medication and at last fell back into a hazy, fitful sleep. In the morning, I felt great--that is, until I lifted myself from the bed. Pressure rushed to my sinuses and the Migraine attack restarted in earnest. I left the room to read outside, but the blaring sun was too much for me to take when in so much head pain. Heading back into the room to lie on the bed to read meant another rush of stale mustiness, which made everything feel worse again.

When HT woke up, she too was feeling worse for the wear and completely congested, as I was. She said, "It's the mold." "What mold?" "The mold. On the ceiling. Look." "Wait--that dark stuff is MOLD? Are you serious!?" Eventually, after we'd decided we'd leave in order to save our poor bodies, I climbed on a chair to scrape at the ceiling with a ballpoint pen. Sure enough, the white ceiling material stayed put as the wettish mold scraped off with little work.

DISGUSTING.

We went to the front desk, ready with my camera full of evidence in case the receptionist said we had to pay for the next two nights, too. Instead, the impersonal but effecient woman quickly printed up a receipt for one night and said we weren't committed to Saturday and Sunday despite the internet agreement we were supposed to adhere to. Cool.

We drove out of there and scoped out more hotels, eventually deciding upon an expensive (but aptly priced) condo farther down the main road. The space was open, clean, personal, and--get this!--not moldy in the least. We felt pretty good for a couple of days and, unsurprisingly, those pesky sinus issues cleared up as soon as we were away from Room from Hell for a few hours.

That brings me to lesson 2 in tips for surviving a vacation: paying for what you need may cost more than the cheapy places, but it's NOT splurging if you're putting your health first.

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I'm watching W the Women Show right now. A few days ago I mentioned their special on Women & Migraine before having watched it. I'm about halfway through right now and have mixed feelings about it.

A few minutes ago, Suzanne Simons (NHF Director) mentioned how oral contraceptives can help some migrainesymptoms.blogspot.com/" title="migraine">migraineurs, while they worsen the condition for others. I was surprised she didn't mention the risk that accompanies birth control pills for female migrainesymptoms.blogspot.com/" title="migraine">migraineurs (especially ones with aura). See a brief description of the risk here under the "risks" section.

Thus far they've heralded the advances of pharmaceuticals without noting that thousands upon thousands of people can't get relief from preventive or acute drugs. They mentioned the existence of "other therapies" but haven't gone into descriptions of those methods.

The pluses outweigh the minuses, of course. I think the episode is pretty good. Of course I'm most interested in the emotional, social, and psychological effects of Migraine disease, and they've touched on that but haven't gone into as much detail as I would've liked.

It's definitely worth a watch, though. I suppose it's good that I'm educated enough to know which parts of the disease they're not covering adequately, eh? It's hard to recap lifetimes of pain and frustration and education into a thirty minute show, eh?

daily migraines |migraine diet |migraine relief |migraine headaches |migraine food |

Important breakthroughs? Let's keep our fingers crossed..

I'm sure lots of my blogger friends are already all over this, but I figured it could only help and encourage others if I spread the good news. At least I hope it continues to be good news!

There are two new devices that are proven to help headache sufferers before the headache completely surfaces. Look at just one of the many articles about these developments here on U.S. News & World Report's site.

In other news, I've been terribly out of the loop when it comes to reading aforementioned blogger friends' pages. Sorry, guys. BUT this can be seen as a good sign: I've felt great since Sunday and have been very productive working on the bookstore and doing other positive things. Hooray!

I'll catch up on your news later, and I am thinking about you!

lower back pain |migraine headache diet |causes of migraine headaches |migraine relief |migraine prophylaxis |

How to Cope with Pain's June Pain-Blog Carnival is up!

There are some repeat entries from the Migraine & Headache Blog Carnival from this month, but there are also new things to read! Check out the summer vacation-themed edition of How to Cope with Pain's blog carnival!

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I really pushed some buttons when I complained about Dr. Diamond's belief that there is a "migrainesymptoms.blogspot.com/" title="migraine">migraine personality." Admittedly, I was glad that I got a handful of comments from critical thinkers, most of whom didn't think my anger was merited.

Here's the deal. I don't argue that the majority of patients going to Dr. Diamond's clinic fit within the bounds of what he claims to be a "migrainesymptoms.blogspot.com/" title="migraine">migraine personality." Here's what I take issue with: Migraine affects millions of people of all ages, all backgrounds, all socioeconomic categories, all heights, and all races. Publishing a comment claiming there's a "migrainesymptoms.blogspot.com/" title="migraine">migraine personality" in such a gigantic publication as USA Today is irresponsible.

Let's review Diamond's description of the migrainesymptoms.blogspot.com/" title="migraine">migraine personality: "usually young, petite, compulsive, neat individuals who keep long lists."

As all of us out here in the blogosphere know, there's been an exponential increase in migrainesymptoms.blogspot.com/" title="migraine">migraine awareness articles, blogs, and advertisements in the last few years. I believe that, with a good chunk of exception, many people who scour the internet for medical information tend to be young (a subjective description to start with) and rather assertive in terms of self-care. Anyone remember how the old notion of "migrainesymptoms.blogspot.com/" title="migraine">migraine personality" described a compulsive white woman who was middle- or upper-middle-class? That belief was dismissed long ago after the grand realization that, generally speaking, that description matches the type of person who would choose to go to the doctor. I can name at least ten people right off the bat who choose not to go to the doctor for their Migraines because of lack of money--of course it's people who choose to spend their money on medical visits that are the ones who go to the doctor!

I have such a great argument in my head but am having a lot of trouble verbalizing it all. Suffice it to say the following:

1. I greatly respect Dr. Diamond and the work he has done.
2. I find it was irresponsible of him to publicize a personal belief (without statistical evidence provided) in such a huge forum.
3. I'm disappointed that we Migraineurs had the opportunity to make the general public more aware about this condition and ended up instead with a cursory article that did very little to explore the implications and effects of Migraine disease.

To see other takes on the issue, please read the comments on my original post. Everyone brought up good points, but I'm stickin' to my guns on this one.

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travelin' again

I'm leaving for Central America today. I'll spend the first week at a medical document editing workshop (wowsers), supposedly from 8 AM - 6 PM Monday through Friday. Please let it not be that intensive, as sitting in [what I presume will be] a fluorescently-lit room and talking about editing all day sounds rather...overwhelming? (And I'm the sort of dork who likes to talk about punctuation and spelling!)

Last time I was in Central America, I had one migrainesymptoms.blogspot.com/" title="migraine">migraine in six weeks. Did you hear that, kids? One big'un in six weeks--and that was the day I found out my grandmother had died. I won't have the same liesurely schedule as that 2004 trip, and I'm only staying for 2 weeks and not six. But maybe...maybe...Costa Rica & Panama are the answer!

Wish me luck. I'll keep you posted if I have the means and inclination.

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James's tips: be a critical consumer when it comes to Migraine news!

I think you should read these tips from Headache & Migraine News on how to effectively evaluate migrainesymptoms.blogspot.com/" title="migraine">migraine-related news articles you come across. A succinct, smart, and straightforward guide for anyone, not just migrainesymptoms.blogspot.com/" title="migraine">migraineurs. Thanks, James!

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what's so bad about feeling good?

Well, there's really not so much bad about feeling good. Now the mission is to find what's good about feeling bad, I guess.

The rain came in yesterday and continued without ceasing for hours upon hours....In fact, it's 1:15 AM early Sunday morning, meaning that, as far as I know, it has rained every moment of the weekend.

The mood I was in while writing that last post seems so far away from me! I'm not feeling awful, but I did have a rough day chock full o' migrainesymptoms.blogspot.com/" title="migraine">migraine pain that would not dissipate despite two Imitrex tablets and a Naproxen sodium pill. Alas. The last few days were so wonderful, though--I think I have more of those to come. I'm going to try to make a point of being more creative, productive, and active on the days I feel well.

This evening I did get some q.t. in with friends and a certain little week-old baby I know. That does a body good. (Pass it on.)

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doctor's diagnosis: sinusitis

I was nervous to go to the doctor today. I called around to a few clinics and urgent care centers yesterday afternoon to see what places could take me soonest and at what price. Despite reading a couple lackluster reviews for the health center closest to me, I booked an appointment anyway. Were I needing to see someone about Migraine, perhaps I would have been a bit more cautious. But since I was going in to get some antibiotics for a seemingly routine sinus infection, I figured it wouldn't hurt to see a family doctor and hope for the best. The initial appointment is only $50 (over $110 cheaper than my second option, and 4 miles closer to my house!); after that, you pay on a sliding scale based on income information you provide to the clerk. The maximum payment for a doctor's visit is $50, however. Awesome.

It's been over two years since I had a good, old-fashioned, regular (read: non-neurologist, non-ER) doctor's appointment and I was pretty nervous. I prepare myself for a meeting with someone who might not be a good listener, who might not be warm and caring. Despite his being warm and kind, my former neurologist was not the best listener--his NPs were atrocious, but that's a whole other story.

This feels silly, to be basking in the glow of a great doctor's appointment. Who does this? Someone who has been treated as if she were just another routine appointment to check off the list during a very long, very typical day? I'm not sure. Someone who's used to people trying to play her (contractors for home improvements, car repair folks, insurance companies)? Maybe. In any case, I was really happy with almost every aspect of my time spent at the place.

First off, I must give props (ew--I've never said that before and hope never to again; I'll keep it in to remind myself of that solemn oath) to the receptionist I spoke with yesterday afternoon when making the appointment. She heard how stuffed up I was and was really warm and very helpful: "Oh, honey, you don't sound good! Let me see if I can squeeze you in tomorrow morning. And I'll call you if something opens up this afternoon!"

Despite my better intentions, I drove to the center instead of walking. Hey, it was raining and I felt sick and the .9 mile drive probably didn't kill the environment all that much. By the time I left, the rain was POURING down and I was grateful to have a car. I walked in to a room half-full of families of various races. Seemed most people had colds or the flu--it is a rainy December, after all. The guy at the desk was really friendly, even when I walked up to the window after an hour to ask when I would be seen. Yeah, that was the frustrating part--my ten o'clock appointment ended up being at 11:05. Alas. Luckily I didn't have anything better to do than sit and read.

Oh, oh! The WAITING ROOM! I'd brought my red-tinted shady glasses to protect my little eyeballs and brain from the inevitable fluorescent lights, and guess what? The waiting room was softly lit with low-wattage incandescent bulbs. Oh, what a relief, especially when the wait was a bit long! Even my highly revered neurologist, a headache specialist, has glaring fluorescents in the waiting room. (I really don't mean to rag on him and his staff so much--apparently I have some pent-up bitterness!)

I got weighed and was a bit disappointed--turns out the post-Zonegran weight I successfully gained has, for the most part, dropped off again. Still technically underweight by a couple pounds, but I don't look creepy-skinny or anything. Not at all. I waited in the exam room for a while between nurse and doctor visits, but I passed the time by reading an outdated People--I hadn't realized just how bad the writing and stories and fluff had gotten! Not my style. The doctor walked in and I immediately felt a sense of relief--she was young, smiling, and genuinely apologetic about the supposedly atypical wait. She seemed knowledgeable about Migraine disease, patiently listened to my whole story of the cold-turned-sinus-trouble, and made some OTC drug recommendations as she prescribed an antibiotic. I mentioned something else troublesome to her and she was really comforting and helpful on that front, too--more on that later. For now I'm freaking myself out a bit over a symptom that could very well be nothing, so I'll just wait it out 'til I forget about it again.

All in all, I was really pleased--can you tell? What a sense of relief! How great to have a ten- or fifteen-minute appointment with a doctor who listens, who's friendly, and who didn't act like I was crazy when I mentioned weird symptoms I was concerned about. Three cheers for new doctor! I have a checkup next week. If I'm still this infatuated, maybe she will become my regular family doctor! Yippee.

Very sleepy and very sinusy and very drugged up.

No significant migrainesymptoms.blogspot.com/" title="migraine">migraine pain for eight days, kids. EIGHT DAYS! True I have this sinusitis frustration, but it sure does beat a migrainesymptoms.blogspot.com/" title="migraine">migraine episode!

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Dinah won't you blow, Dinah won't you blow...

WARNING: THIS POST MIGHT HAVE TOO MUCH INFORMATION FOR THE NON-MUCUS-FRIENDLY OR FEINT OF HEART.

I have had this bout of sinusitis for at least (at least!) a week now. Despite a Z-pack, lots of rest, and some doctor-recommended over-the-counter meds, the cough and mucus are not going away as quickly as I'd expect. Ugh.

On Tuesday night, the night before my doctor's appointment, I was doing the routine nose-blow-before-bed move when, all of a sudden, liquid started coming out of my right nostril. A lot of it. For a few minutes, I continuously blew my nose and clear, very warm water (water?) came out of my right nostril. At first I couldn't help but be relieved: it seemed that as soon as this strange liquid was brought forth, the pain in my cheek and ear immediately became MUCH better. So much better. But then I got a little nervous. I've never seen anything like that happen before and even thought about calling J. to see if it'd ever happened to him. "Oh, you're worrying for nothing," thought I. After the few minutes of the clear stuff (which was nothing like mucus, mind you) coming out, it seemed the coast was clear. I sat on my bed cross-legged and--suddenly--plop! It was dripping from my nose and onto my pant leg. GROSS. A couple more tissues and everything was fine. As if it'd never happened.

I told the doctor about this episode because it seemed so strange to me. Okay, my cyberchondriac self knew the chances were slim, but couldn't there be a chance I was leaking cerebrospinal fluid? (I didn't voice this concern to the doctor, but I had voiced it to myself the night of the weirdness after a twenty minute internet search.) As I told her about the episode, she frowned and looked at me: "Well, since you edit medical documents, I'm guessing you might be a bit concerned about a cerebrospinal fluid leak?" "Yes!" (I didn't mention that I don't edit anything dealing with CSF leak ever and that it was a late-night Googling session that made me aware of the problem in the first place. Let her think I have professional interest.) She told me that she really doubted there was a CSF leak, but that if it happened again like that I should call her and make a trip to the ER. She said it was quite possible that the severity of my sinus problem could have meant that for days my mucus has been building up in my sinuses. I was staying well hydrated, and the water I was drinking wasn't able to mix well with the older, thicker, nastier mucus so the watery stuff was sort of building up behind the old, gross mucus. Once I cleared that old, super-green mucus out for the moment, the watery stuff was released in a gush. Maybe. (Yuck, right?) She then said, "And it's not as if you've had any head injury lately, right?" "Actually, I was in a car wreck in mid-November and had a minor head injury." Oh. Then let's keep an eye out just in case something else is up, kids!

The waterfall phenomenon has not happened again, but that doesn't mean I'm not keeping an eye (a nose?) out just in case.

And then tonight something strange happened. I have been feeling a bit better today--just a few coughs and much less need to blow my nose (though I certainly am obviously sick, both audibly and visibly). Had a migrainesymptoms.blogspot.com/" title="migraine">migraine this morning (period-related) but Imitrex wiped it out immediately. I blew my nose before settling into bed when suddenly I realized I couldn't stop. Couldn't stop blowing my nose, that is. I spent five minutes blowing my nose, people--and everything was coming from the right nostril. It seemed each tissue must be my last, but within 2-3 seconds I could feel more coming immediately. Then the clear feeling for a second, then the need to blow my nose. (Here's when I go into even more detail, for those of you who are as gross as I and have continued reading this far!) The mucus was green but not as thick as it's been for the last few days. It was green and really thin and liquidy. And it kept coming. For 5-7 minutes. TWELVE tissues' worth.

Does anyone have any insight? I'm hoping this all can be easily explained. I have never had such a sinus problem last so long, so perhaps this is just par for the course when sinusitis has progressed as far as mine has.

Still--let me know your thoughts, even if you are as gross and crazy as I have sounded in this post!

Goodnight!

migraine relief |nerve pain |migraine therapy |migraine headache symptoms |spinal stenosis |

why you shouldn't give up hope

One of the readers of my blog, T., started emailing me a year ago or so (has it been longer than that, T.?). I'm happy to report that after 19 months of daily headache/migrainesymptoms.blogspot.com/" title="migraine">migraine, she has gone eight days pain-free. As far as I know, this is the longest period of headache-free days she's had in nearly two years, folks. I'm so very happy for her--what a wonderful, refreshing feeling that must be, to wake up and NOT feel sick after getting used to the pain as a way of life.

Way to go, T.! Here's to days, months, YEARS of good health!

treating migraines |migraine pain |natural migraine relief |spinal stenosis |new migraine treatment |

while we're on the subject...

I found this video on YouTube.com. The narrator, Michael Shermer, seems to approach the subject with a healthy skepticism--I like how he doesn't dismiss acupuncturists (and patients) as fools. He seems to take the most issue with practioners' claims that acupuncture can help alleviate certain conditions, conditions that have not been shown to improve at all due to acupuncture.

What he does allow is that there seems to be some relief for chronic pain patients--and this is why it seems appropriate to post the video here.

migraine medications |arthritis |migraine headaches symptoms |sinus headache |migraines headaches |

something else I've noticed about the cold fingers & toes...

Today I returned from my walk. Though the sun had already set before I began my 50-minute stroll, the air temperature was pretty warm. Frat boys walked in shorts in long-sleeved shorts; some folks walking dogs had on jeans and T-shirts (but looked cold). I had on two pairs of exercise pants (cozy), a long-sleeved T-shirt, and two sweatshirt hoodies. Plus my cotton stretch gloves!

When I got back to my neighborhood, I slowly peeled off the gloves. (I was moving in slow motion, trying to make the walk last as long as the PRI Selected Shorts program lasted.) I noticed two things:

1. The air felt warm to my pointer fingers!
2. My pointer fingers on each hand were markedly, dramatically colder than were my other digits. I put my pointer fingers on my cheeks and felt the cold; I put my ring and pinkie fingers on each cheek and felt warm, warm, warm.

#2 has happened once in awhile, but only since mentioning the possibility of my having Raynaud's phenomenon did I really think too much about the discrepancy in temperature among fingers.

Now I know lots of you migrainesymptoms.blogspot.com/" title="migraine">migraineurs wrote back about having cold fingers and toes--anyone else feel some digits go cold while others stay warm?

P.S. Check out the information Ellen posted about Raynaud's on her wegohealth blog!

P.P.S. If I remember, I'm trying to include photos in each post. Often they're related; sometimes they're not. I noticed that on my wegohealth.com page there's always an image added to each post even if I haven't included one--and I don't usually like the photos they attach to my blog. SO I'm including my own pictures to beat the system! The end.

intractable migraine |migraines headaches |migraine pain |migraines treatment |migraine symptoms |

I can't get motivated!

At 2:19 a.m., I turned in my most recent work assignment. While working on it this past weekend, I thought about all the errands I could run, all the little chores I could do--if only I didn't have an editing assignment looming overhead.

Well, now I'm free as a bird and have only done a couple of meaningful things today:
1) went for a long walk
2) took a shower

Oh, yeah--I almost forgot! I made lunch and dinner. Impressive.

So am I having a lazy day I'm entitled to, or am I a no-excuse sloth who could be doing Real Things but is instead writing a blog post using her iPod because the computer is too far (read: 5 feet) away?

Blah.

migraine vitamins |migraine treatments |migraine therapy |migraine meds |migraine prophylaxis |

stop faking it, people--you're giving us a bad name!

This makes me angry!

Figures it'd be something frustrating to get me back here on the blog after such a long absence. When I first read this headline ("Migraines now top excuse for calling in sick,") I was ready to fill out a comment on the Telegraph's page. I can hear myself starting to preach now: "You really should have used the word "reason," not "excuse." Migraine is a disease, not a..." You guys know the drill.

Imagine my surprise to find out that the word choice in the article title was right on!

If you are a migrainesymptoms.blogspot.com/" title="migraine">migraine sufferer and are willing to be open with your boss(es), then more power to you: you increase awareness of the disease when you are honest about why you can't be at work. Yes, there are risks. Yes, that bitter woman in the back might snicker at you yet again and think you're a wimp who can't handle a headache. You know what? Screw her! Take care of yourself.

If you are NOT a migrainesymptoms.blogspot.com/" title="migraine">migraine sufferer, then don't use our illness as a reason for you to take a vacation day. Admitting that you're faking it doesn't really help your case or ours: it just makes people less likely to believe all of us next time they hear the word "migrainesymptoms.blogspot.com/" title="migraine">migraine."

natural migraine treatment |migraine symptoms |migraine headache |signs of migraine |vascular migraine |

when you're partner's in pain, too

I wrote this during summer 2009 for ChronicBabe.com, but I never heard back from the very busy Jenni about whether or not she wanted to publish it on the site. So here it is in this form.

7/24/09

Overnight, tons of percussion instruments appeared all over my house. Congas in the living room, bongos in the bedroom, an African balliphone in the TV room, and a collection of maracas in the office. After three years together, my musician boyfriend moved in with me.

In truth, we've been pseudo-roommates since the summer we met. Downtime is at my house, dinner time is at my house, coffee time is at my house, and oh-my-god-I-hurt-so-much-I'm-going-to-throw-up time is at my house. That's right: I cope with migrainesymptoms.blogspot.com/" title="migraine">migraine disease, chronic fatigue, and a host of other chronic problems, and my boyfriend has some chronic pain and migrainesymptoms.blogspot.com/" title="migraine">migraine issues himself.

When I'm really low, J is a loving, caring nurse, albeit one who loses patience with his patient now and again. In some way or another, we've all been in his position: someone we love is hurting terribly and is unable to tell us how we can help simply because there is no solution, no cure. My college psychology professors would tell you that, when faced with a friend's problem, women will focus on listening while men will try to figure out what action they can take. There have been several instances wherein I've watched J's back as he left my darkened daytime bedroom--he shuts the door briskly in frustration as I've told him yet again that there's really nothing he can do.

We were pretty spoiled for awhile there: rare was the day when both of us were struck down. Then came last year. I'm not sure what happened to us, but last spring we turned into arthritic, achy 60-somethings overnight. Suddenly we were both sick and bedridden at the same time, and it. was. awful.

J and I are both fiercely independent (it took a couple months of exclusive dating and confessions of love before we actually admitted that we were boyfriend and girlfriend) and have trouble relying on others for help. Oh, another thing that's fun, especially when we're sick? Each of us is right all the time. Makes for some productive conversational volleys.

So let's return to the scene last year, when I was having some particularly rough migrainesymptoms.blogspot.com/" title="migraine">migraine spells and his back was, after years of wear, was finally beginning to tear. We two were lying in bed, too worn out to take care of our own lives, let alone each other's. We bickered. I glared at him when he turned over in bed and woke me from my hazy, migrainesymptoms.blogspot.com/" title="migraine">migrainey nap. He winced with a sharp intake of breath as I tried to hug him--no matter what, I always seem to forget how much his back hurts and squeeze him too hard.

It can be exhausting to be with someone burdened by health problems. Sometimes J's empathy is heightened and he really identifies with what I'm going through; other times, I think he sees too much of himself in me and, consequently, is a little too harsh and judgmental. (Same goes for me.)

Here are some things I try to tell myself when dealing with a stressed-out, ailing fellow:

1. Don't assume you know how he feels. Yes, you have similar diagnoses. No, you don't know how his pain affects him physically and emotionally.
2. Choose your time wisely. Have most of your health-related discussions while you guys are feeling good and healthy. Too often, we start Serious Health Talks when one of us is down for the count. I'm guilty of preaching to him about making more frequent doctor visits while he's completely tuckered out and feeling awful.
3. Remember that you have a choice in how you deal with what life gives you. As Jon Kabat-Zinn might say, it's important to respond to what you encounter and not necessarily react to it. The emotions you experience may not be under control, but increased self-awareness can allow you to choose between ignoring or indulging in those feelings.
4. When feeling healthy, teach each other what you'll need when you're sick. I know where J's medications are and will have them at the ready as soon as he asks; he sometimes knows where mine are, but there are lots of bottles and supplements and it can get confusing. Note to self: make a list he can consult so that next time you're in bed with migrainesymptoms.blogspot.com/" title="migraine">migraine you're not calling out to the dude in the bathroom (as your head throbs with exertion), "No, not that bottle. The other one. The one on the right? NO, THE OTHER ONE!"
5. Give your partner the benefit of the doubt. Always remember that he loves you and wants the best for you, and make sure he knows the same is true for you. Try to be extra patient when he is in pain and vulnerable.

Our health problems have been addressed thoroughly, and each of us has seriously evaluated our futures: can we handle being with someone this sick? Can we hack it if our loved one's problems grow dramatically worse? Will we be okay if one of us is miraculously cured and no longer depends so much on the other? As for now, we're confident we can handle what the future brings--after all, we have a pretty good record so far.

migraine meds |migraine drugs |frequent migraines |migraine causes |prescription migraine medicine |

If you miss school, you can't go to the dance in the evening.

Growing up, I remember how excited we'd all get for those rare school dances. This started as early as third grade, I think--it wasn't 'til junior prom that I attended dances where people actually danced, but that's another story all together.

In the morning and afternoon announcements the days leading up to the Big Day, a teacher would consistently remind us that if we were absent the day of the dance, we would not be allowed on school property for the evening event. At the time, this rule bugged me a bit, but I couldn't put words to why it didn't seem fair. Always one for specifics, I could think of several different reasons why the school should make exceptions to this rule. (Truth be told, I did this any time there was a blanket, one-size-fits-all rule that was imposed on us.)

Today I feel crappy, plus Jim's doctor reinstated his bed rest prescription. (Jim had a tonsillectomy over a week ago and was on the mend but, after some un-scary bleeding, he had to go back to squishy foods and no exertion. This means I'm his nursemaid.) There's a lot going on in town today, too, things I don't want to miss. My migrainesymptoms.blogspot.com/" title="migraine">migraine-plus-cold situation means no Indie Craftstravaganza for me, no neighborhood party, and no neighborhood association meeting at 4. Earlier I was feeling too blah to take my Maxalt, worried that maybe this was a "normal" headache associated with my cold and not a migrainesymptoms.blogspot.com/" title="migraine">migraine (though time has shown that this is indeed a migrainesymptoms.blogspot.com/" title="migraine">migraine; just have to convince myself to stand up and walk to the bathroom to fetch the meds). Then I thought, "Well, even if the Maxalt does work, I won't be allowed to go to the fundraiser party tonight. If I don't make it to the neighborhood association meeting in the afternoon, I can't go to the party in the evening."

You can see why I thought of my days in school, listening to the teacher as she told us in a scolding voice that missing the day of the dance meant no dance.

Of course I know that, when they work well, migrainesymptoms.blogspot.com/" title="migraine">migraine-specific medications can wipe out the attack and render the migrainesymptoms.blogspot.com/" title="migraine">migraineur able to function somewhat normally within hours. That if Maxalt works as it does 65% of the time for me, I could rest at home for a bit and end up at the fundraiser party at 7 in top form.

But my neighbors don't know that. I can't help but think, "What will they say if I email to cancel my participation at the meeting and then show up at a party hours later? They'll think I'm a faker!"

Of course this is an issue that's faced by many chronically ill folks like me. What have your experiences been? I am wary of overexplaining the ins and outs of my illness to people (close friends and strangers alike), but I don't feel comfortable showing up for a social function after having skipped the more boring duties earlier in the day.

treating migraines |arthritis |migraines treatment |migraine headache remedies |migraine sufferers |

I can't make it--I have a migraine.

I cancel plans. I cancel plans a lot. One of my least favorite things about having migrainesymptoms.blogspot.com/" title="migraine">migraine disease is my need for lots of quiet alone time, even if I don't want it. I love being social; I love spending time with friends, going to shows, grabbing a beer, or sitting around having craft night. But the migrainesymptoms.blogspot.com/" title="migraine">migraines often get me down.

Sometimes I just don't commit to something I would love to attend. That late-night party down the street, the one that's sure to be fun and full of dancing and friends? "Maybe--if I don't feel bad." The movie I've been wanting to see is playing the night before my period is to arrive--most likely I'll have a migrainesymptoms.blogspot.com/" title="migraine">migraine then, so going to a movie is just ruled out before I even consider making plans.

Other times, I bail in fear of a migrainesymptoms.blogspot.com/" title="migraine">migraine. Big events like weddings, funerals, holidays, and other much-anticipated events are almost sure to be accompanied by an attack. A couple of years ago, I got an invitation to a good friend's wedding. I took some factors into consideration: 1, most weddings entail my pretending to have fun and socialize when really I have throbbing pain behind my eyes; 2, going to an old friend's wedding doesn't guarantee you'll actually get to talk to that person; 3, The venue was nearly two hours from my home--and I didn't have the inclination or money to spend the night in the same town as the wedding--that means I would have a long drive there and back--more triggers.

Out of fear, I wrote a sweet note to my friend and declined the invitation. Turns out she was hurt and disappointed--she'd really wanted me there; I was one of the first friends she'd met as a seventh grader in a new town. So I went. And I had fun. And I got a migrainesymptoms.blogspot.com/" title="migraine">migraine on the way home.

Mostly I cancel plans at the last minute when I have an attack coming on. Even if the meds I take do work, the postdrome means I'll be sleepy and out of it and not in the mood to socialize. A few years ago, I'd pop Imitrex or Relpax while at a busy rock show at midnight, sure the headache would be gone in a few minutes so I could continue dancing and rocking out. I was usually right in my judgment then and ended up back up to par an hour or so later, ready to continue to the night. I don't feel that way anymore. Now I skip out when I feel the migrainesymptoms.blogspot.com/" title="migraine">migraine coming on and head straight home, realizing that if I push myself I'll feel worse.

Canceling plans makes me feel terrible; my guilt merely compounds the pain and nausea I'm feeling, and that simply doesn't help anyone, the friends I've canceled on or myself. My friends and family are extremely understanding: they know of my health condition and their first priority (and usually mine) is to take care of me. But I still cannot get over the feeling that maybe, just maybe, they think I'm flaky. That I've let them down. That I can't be counted on. And I can't seem to figure out how to get over that.

I read others' blogs, read mantras about taking care of myself, read stories about people going through similar things. Maybe one day soon all that will click. Logically, I know the the choice I make to go home and try to relax is the only healthy choice I can make. Emotionally, I continue to feel like I'm undependable, and that feels pretty rotten.

migraine headache medicine |causes of migraines |vascular migraine |headaches causes |intractable migraine |

I'm coming out!, or, shredding this veil of secrecy

Well, kids, it seems high time I finally just tell you who I am. I'm sure only 2 of you out there are even wondering, but I feel it's an important step for me to say who I am once and for all. As it stands, my mom and sister know about my blog, and they're two of the people who could get hurt most by it (not due to any secrets I spill, more because reading about my illness makes them upset).

My name is Janet Geddis. I am a 28-year-old resident of Athens, GA. As you may already know, I've had migrainesymptoms.blogspot.com/" title="migraine">migraines since I was 13--unfortunately (for myriad reasons, the most significant of which was doctors' not reading the signs) I wasn't diagnosed until June 2001. I'm a tutor, storyteller, and general carouser--I am in the market for more stimulating work that's just as meaningful as helping kids and teens.

Here is a photo of me mid-sentence. Quite thrilling, indeed.

That's all for now. Just thought I'd share.

Writing this blog has been so very therapeutic for me; to know that there are others out there who can truly sympathize has worked wonders for the sadness that's often concomitant with this disease. Thank you all.

imitrex migraine |prescription migraine medicine |headaches causes |natural migraine treatment |herbal remedies for migraines |

fifth time's a charm...right?

I've had the worst streak I've had in awhile. Sure, there've been days I've had some mild pain day after having been icky for a while prior. But today marks the fourth day in a row of having a moderate Migraine headache--and since I'm not supposed to take triptans more than two days a week, I feel stuck between a rock and a hard place. (Sorry for the cliche--can you blame a half-wit like migrainesymptoms.blogspot.com/" title="migraine">migraineous me for not coming up with original witticisms?)

You all saw how I bitched (justifiably, I know--thanks for the reassurance!) on Wednesday about that sudden Migraine headache. I had high hopes that I'd filled my quota for the week then, but no such luck.

Flying into Virginia Thursday was uneventful, but as soon as I was in the car headed from the airport to my our hotel, the sure-fire symptoms began. Took half of an Imitrex (despite the label's order not to split them, I figured I'd cut the 100mg pill and take around 50 mg, thinking that'd be enough to kill the headache) and lay down. The pain was mostly gone in an hour or so. The next day, Friday, I woke up with a headache again but pretended it wasn't there. After all, it was a spa day for my cousin, my aunt, my mom and me! Surely a massage and a facial would heal me right up. Wrong. The pain got worse at lunch, post-spa, and I popped the other half of that Imitrex.

I took a nap at my aunt's and woke up feeling headache-free but extremely groggy and antisocial--not good when there was a casual dinner party over here and I was trying to be much more animated than I felt. (I failed my own test.)

Today I felt bad again but couldn't break the rule even further--after all, Friday marked the third day in a row having a triptan, and I couldn't face the possibility of a rebound headache by taking another triptan. So...I took a nap, my third one in three days. Woke up feeling rested, but the pain returned and is sitting here now, running up and down the left side of my neck, behind my cheekbone, and behind my left eye. An old, obnoxious acquaintance setting up house once again.

I'm traveling. The weather is fluctuating greatly here in VA, and my period ended today. The pollen and allergens in the air are icing on the cake.

I can't wait to feel good again. I realize I ain't got nothin' on the chronic daily headache or Daily Persistent Headache folks, but man! I've had quite enough!

arthritis |migraine sufferers |chronic headaches |symptoms of a migraine |migraine headache |

Janet'http://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gifs WEGO Health spotlight

I was interviewed for WEGO Health's spotlight feature!

Check it out here.

migraine medication |headache medicine |migraine cures |migraine headache relief |migraine research |

June Migraine & Headache Blog Carnival (I'm moderating) - write write write!

Diana Lee at Somebody Heal Me has granted me the honor of being the June host for her remarkably helpful and informative Migraine & Headache Blog Carnival.

June's theme is "How to Have a Fun, Healthy Vacation in Spite of your Migraines." All entries must get to me by 11:59 PM on Friday, June 6. The carnival will be published Monday, June 9.*

To enter, send me an email with your name, your blog address, and a link to the relevant entry you're submitting. My email address is themigrainesymptoms.blogspot.com/" title="migraine">migrainegirl@gmail.com

You can also submit to the monthly carnival using this newfangled form. Click on the icon in the upper right-hand corner to enter your information.

Thanks so much! I look forward to reading many inspiring entries!

*Off-topic entries will also be considered, but please do try to write on the subject--this will help many people during summer, when lots of folks travel.

migraine |migraine syndrome |lower back pain |foods that cause migraines |head on migraine |

Third time's a charm? Not so much.

Well, I've got to blame someone for this ever-present bout with pain and Migraine headaches. I do want to lay all my blame and anger on THE POLLEN. Perhaps that explains some of my grogginess, too! GO AWAY, POLLEN!

Had a migrainesymptoms.blogspot.com/" title="migraine">migraine attack the moment I left work Wednesday, another yesterday afternoon shortly after finishing my babysitting job around noon (one that didn't disappear until nighttime and two Maxalts), and--surprise!--another the moment I sat up in bed this morning at 7:20. Curses.

The folks who landscape my community's property are here, which means stirred up grass and the pollen droppings (which are all over my roof and porch and grass). Thank goodness I'm leaving town today for the beach! I think salty air will be nicer than yellow air.


See all that brown stuff? POLLEN. All of it ------->

natural migraine relief |sinus headache |headache medicine |symptoms of a migraine |severe migraine headaches |

I'm on the verge...

I can well imagine myself having caffeine this weekend if I don't start feeling better. My head is about 5 times worse than when I wrote earlier this morning, and I can actually smell that polleny, grassy smell pouring out from my air conditioning vents thanks to the lawn dudes and all they stirred up with their fancy equipment. The yard looks great. I do not.

I'm bending the Maxalt rules a bit, too. You know how it says not to take the drug more than three days a week? Well, I took it last weekend and decided that Monday would start a new week. So even though I had a Maxalt on the 17th, 18th, 21st, and 22nd, I'm only counting the second pair of days because...well...because I feel HORRIFIC and cannot function. So Let's pretend the week started on Monday and not Sunday. Work for you? I hope it works for me. I should not risk MOH but feel crippled without being able to help myself through this.

Now that people actually read this blog, I feel sort of ashamed when I admit that I'm not fulfilling promises to myself (i.e., don't take too many triptans in too short a time, Janet!). But I also have a sneaking suspicion that I'm not alone in this struggle and think that, for those of you who read this, hearing that someone else is on the cusp of doing the forbidden in terms of drug treatment might resonate with you.

Wah.

Overcast, pollinated day
Why don't you just go away?!

chronic migraine headaches |arthritis |migraine diet |migraine headache |headache relief |

how to survive a vacation tip 1: don't trust the website

A couple of weeks before Memorial Day weekend, I had an epiphany: I needed a vacation. Not an action-packed trip, mind you, but a vacation. No commitments. No one to answer to. No schedule. A vacation.

Considering my health situation and limitations caused by the seemingly incessant Migraine attacks I've been suffering through the last two months or so, my first instinct was to assume that I had to go alone. Having another person there would mean I'd feel guilty if I had to bail on plans to go to the beach for a couple hours or if I sat through dinner with my ice water glass against my forehead. So I concluded I'd go it alone.

Until I thought of a certain friend of mine, one of my best and dearest friends. In the interest of privacy (read: she doesn't know I'm talking about her on my blog as we speak), I shall call her by the nickname each of us has taken to calling the other: Handicapped Twin. HT for short. She is a woman near my age with arthritis">rheumatoid arthritis--this year in particular she's had a really rough time of it and we've taken turns being laid up at each other's house to watch movies and zone out in our drugged hazes.

A week or so before Memorial Day, I emailed HT, who was finishing up a particularly hectic week at work. I said something to the effect of, "I need a vacation. I'm going to the beach. You're the only person I can think of who'd be the perfect company. Interested?" Within a couple hours I got an all-caps response: "HELL YES!!!" And thus The Plan was born.

I researched lots of hotels off the coast of Georgia and South Carolina and decided we should go to Jekyll Island, a gorgeous and (for now) well-preserved island I've been visiting since I was a wee little thing. Turns out HT and her family went to Jekyll since the 70s or early 80s as well, so she was up for some relaxing and reminiscing. I showed HT the top five hotels I'd found, and we selected one with a sharp website and a claim that the entire property had just been renovated. After confirming there was a hot tub and beach access, we booked it.

A five or six hour drive on Friday afternoon led us to Jekyll. We parked in front of the lobby at what looked like a long, stretched out motor lodge. "Maybe it's nice inside," thought I, thinking simultaneously of how the hotel room price and the facade did not at all match. We got our hotel room key and anxiously wheeled our luggage to the door. First thing I noticed? Cracks and cobwebs and rust by the dingy front window. I reassured myself again: "Maybe it's nice inside."

It wasn't.

The room smelled of stale smoke and mildew. (When we left for dinner, HCTFebreezed the whole joint--after asking me if the scent would bother me. What a great handicapped twin!) The hotel had graciously put in incandescent bulbs for me but, when I went to turn on the lights, the lamps weren't working. The "new" carpet was torn in a couple of spots, there were spider webs in the corner, and the stuccoed ceiling looked almost furry in texture. I dared not look too closely above my head for fear of figuring out what the dark matter in between the white fibers of the ceiling was, exactly. The bathroom light was a fluorescent, so I brought in one of the lamps to plug in and set on the counter. Turns out the only outlet functioned only when the overhead fluorescent was on. Attempting to remove the sticky, dusty, yellowed cover off the fluorescent bulb proved disgustingly impossible. The bathroom fan cover was suffocating with dust, dirt, and "debris," as HT so affectionately called the clumps of mysterious gray matter on the intake screen.

I called the front desk about the nonworking lamps and said, "Also: I was wondering if you had any renovated rooms available..." "What room are you in?" "617." "That one is renovated, ma'am." "Um, what exactly was renovated? Because..." (Then I proceeded to give a brief description of the horror I've already described above.) "Oh, each room got new paint, new carpet, and furniture."

Oh. Well then. Ignore the typical hotel tradition of cleaning the rooms and making sure the electricity works, I guess.

That night, I fell asleep in my double bed not feeling so hot. In the middle of the night, I had to take some medication and at last fell back into a hazy, fitful sleep. In the morning, I felt great--that is, until I lifted myself from the bed. Pressure rushed to my sinuses and the Migraine attack restarted in earnest. I left the room to read outside, but the blaring sun was too much for me to take when in so much head pain. Heading back into the room to lie on the bed to read meant another rush of stale mustiness, which made everything feel worse again.

When HT woke up, she too was feeling worse for the wear and completely congested, as I was. She said, "It's the mold." "What mold?" "The mold. On the ceiling. Look." "Wait--that dark stuff is MOLD? Are you serious!?" Eventually, after we'd decided we'd leave in order to save our poor bodies, I climbed on a chair to scrape at the ceiling with a ballpoint pen. Sure enough, the white ceiling material stayed put as the wettish mold scraped off with little work.

DISGUSTING.

We went to the front desk, ready with my camera full of evidence in case the receptionist said we had to pay for the next two nights, too. Instead, the impersonal but effecient woman quickly printed up a receipt for one night and said we weren't committed to Saturday and Sunday despite the internet agreement we were supposed to adhere to. Cool.

We drove out of there and scoped out more hotels, eventually deciding upon an expensive (but aptly priced) condo farther down the main road. The space was open, clean, personal, and--get this!--not moldy in the least. We felt pretty good for a couple of days and, unsurprisingly, those pesky sinus issues cleared up as soon as we were away from Room from Hell for a few hours.

That brings me to lesson 2 in tips for surviving a vacation: paying for what you need may cost more than the cheapy places, but it's NOT splurging if you're putting your health first.

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