Before	After

That’s right – I’ve officially joined the ranks of the slightly visually impaired. I’ve been suffering from an unusual number of headaches lately, even for me, so I’ve been investigating if there’s anything I can do about my chronic sinus problems, but I also decided to have my vision checked, since I hadn’t done that for probably five years or so. As it turns out, my advancing age has worsened my slight farsightedness and slight astigmatism to the point that I’m probably exerting too much effort while reading, particularly the eight hours each day I’m in front of my computer at work.

So, glasses it is. I’m wearing them all of the time for now; I may wear them less often after I’ve established how much they help. I’m not especially fond of having hardware hanging off my face, and I really don’t like the reduced field of vision – I have to turn my head a lot more than I used to. Oh, and cleaning the glasses isn’t much fun, either, nor is dealing with glasses in the rain. I could go on, but I should really focus on being thankful for a technology that allows me to read without so much effort. We’ll see if it reduces the number of headaches – so far, so good.

It’s hard to believe that the Red Sox will be playing in the World Series today, after being down three games to the Yankees in the ALCS… Anyway, where was I?

Oh, right, my allergist appointment on Tuesday. You may or may not know this, but I have a bit of a phobia when it comes to sharp objects, especially as regards their ability to draw blood. This has been a problem for me as long as I can remember – I especially remember the color draining from my face during a high school classmates’ presentation on snakebite remedies, and I certainly remember having to leave the classroom during an anti-abortion presentation. We had to stop the car once because I was reading Jurassic Park – bloody dinosaur mayhem mixed with a bit of motion sickness was clearly a bad combination. Fortunately, I can generally recover by removing myself from the situation. I’ve wondered what the end result of my discomfort would be, but I certainly never imagined that it would result in unconsciousness. That is, until this past Tuesday.

Strike one was when my allergist mentioned the possibility of allergy shots. This wasn’t even likely at that point, of course, but it may have got my subconscious on the wrong track. Strike two was the skin pricks on my back to test for allergies.  But they didn’t really hurt that much, I couldn’t see them, and I was pretty sure there was no blood. Strike three was the doctor’s decision to make absolutely sure that I wasn’t allergic to a few things – seven little shots under the skin in my right arm, like tuberculosis tests.

I was brave, and still felt fine even after the shots, though the last one was a bit painful, and there was a little blood there, and there… But, no big deal, it’s over, the nurse is gone, just fifteen minutes and she’ll be back to check the results. I’ve got time to read my book. Yes, this is an interesting chapter. But why am I feeling pale? Ugh, a little more blood on my arm. I need to clear my head. Walk around a bit. Deep breath. Not getting better. This is not good. What is wrong with me? I think I’ll step out of the office. Get some fresh air in the hall. A doctor walks over, wonders if I’m okay; I rub my eyes, can’t see very well…

And the next thing I know, I’m looking up at a number of faces, lying on the floor, leaning slightly against some equipment. A nurse lifts my legs, and they give me an oxygen mask… How embarrassing. Apparently the seeds of subconscious discontent had been sown, and there was no turning back. Fortunately, I got away with only wounded pride and a rug burn on my knee. The doctor insisted that I take this seriously in the future, warn people that I might have this reaction, and lie on the floor the next time it gets bad, so I don’t hurt myself on the way down. Sigh.

Thankfully, I’m not completely limited by my strange reactions. I was pleasantly surprised to make it through three childbirths without so much as a light head. I don’t tend to have much trouble at the dentist, either. A bloody nose is no big deal. But, please, keep the needles away. Try not to talk much about blood, particularly about it leaving the body. Blood drives are out of the question for me – please give a little extra on my behalf. And certainly don’t suggest any kind of surgery without anesthesia. Just knock me out – that’s probably where I’m headed anyway.

It’s been an interesting day. Because the Red Sox just won three games in the ALCS after losing the first three to the Yankees? Well, sure, but that’s not all.

I went to an “asthma and allergy” clinic this morning. My family doctor referred me because I’ve been in to see her one too many times for sinus headaches. A week or so ago I went in for a CT scan to make sure that it was sinusitis, and that there was no obvious physical problem with my sinuses that might be correctable with surgery. There didn’t seem to be, so off to the allergist I went, to see if allergies are my problem.

As it turns out, of all of the common allergens I was tested for, I’m quite allergic to grass, but nothing else. I was pretty surprised by that. I figured I’d be allergic to dust mites, mold, etc. – the kinds of things that we found out that Sarah is allergic to when she went through the same testing some months ago. I certainly didn’t think I’d be allergic to grass, as I’ve been cutting our lawn for years and have never really noticed a problem.

In any case, since my sinusitis has really been year-round and not obviously tied to the grass season, my allergist finds it unlikely that my primary problem is allergies. So we’re going to try for the full treatment to see how good I can get – powerful antibiotics to clear any infection, powerful anti-inflammatories to reduce sinus swelling, and twice-daily nasal irrigation followed by a nasal spray. It will be followed up with another CT scan and a report of my progress. Fun stuff.

I wish I could say that was the end of the story, but there was more adventure to be had at the doctor’s office. Stay tuned for the next installment, coming soon to a blog near you…

I had the pleasure of going to the dentist this morning. I had never minded going to the dentist – until one had the audacity to suggest that I wasn't taking good enough care of my teeth. So, I've been brushing twice a day, flossing every night, and rinsing with flouridated mouthwash. (Mount Vernon is a great place to live, but I can't begin to imagine why they don't flouridate their water – flouridated water kept me from cavities my whole life until I moved here!)

In any case, my dental program must be working, because it was all good news. It's always good to hear “keep up the good work.” Here's hoping for the same report in six months!

For years – probably since I graduated from eighth grade, in fact – I've felt guilty about not getting enough exercise. (My junior high actually had a rigorous physical education program; high school P.E. was a breeze in comparison.) I've tried things here and there, but nothing has really stuck.

My biggest problem has been time. Yes, I could always get out of bed an hour earlier, but I'd ultimately have to get to bed an hour earlier, which wouldn't leave much time after the kids go to bed. Besides, I'm not a morning person, so maintaining a morning exercise program is pretty much impossible. (I've tried.) I could get home an hour later, but then I'd miss dinner, and that wouldn't work well at all with the evening meetings that Julie and I attend once or twice a week. I could try to exercise in the evenings, but my motivation is sapped by the time the kids go to bed. So, basically, I'd all but given up hope.

However, a few weeks ago, a coworker of mine mentioned that he was going to go swim at the downtown YMCA – at lunch! Suddenly it all fell into place; instead of taking a lunch break, I'd take an exercise break. To make a long story short, I've signed up for a membership at the YMCA (through our company, which is a pretty good deal). Almost every work day the last couple of weeks, I've either swum at noon or played racquetball with my boss at 4, thereby getting the exercise I need without taking any more time from my day. (I now eat a quick "working lunch" instead of a leisurely lunch break, but it's worth it.)

I had to sign up for a whole year to get the good deal, so I'm hoping that my fiscal frugality will help motivate me to keep this up (there's no refunds). I'm enjoying it so far – I don't expect any big life changes, though it would be nice to be able to get up and down the stairs without feeling winded. Here's hoping.