Changing Seasons and Blowing Noses

It’s the last day of my favorite month. The vivid reds, oranges, and golds have changed to russet browns. The leaves will soon be off the trees and I will be waiting for that first scent of snow in the air and the morning when I wake to find the trees have all been dressed in white lace.

The first two weeks of the month I was on vacation and the last two weeks have been spent blowing my nose, taking my temperature, and alternating between shivering between the blankets and wiping sweat from my brow. I don’t know if it was the common cold, an upper respiratory infection, or the flu. All I know is that it has been a “wicked pissah” and I am in fear of my nose falling off. There isn’t a trash can in the house that isn’t overflowing with tissues. Boo stopped sleeping with me after the second night because as soon as she would settle in I would start sneezing or coughing. Her indignant meows expressed her impatience with human frailties and she found other sleeping arrangements at the other end of the apartment.

I haven’t been able to knit as much as I would like or write. Cello practice has been non-existence. Who can hold a cello and bow, concentrate on music, and sneeze and blow their nose at the same time? I doubt that even Yo Yo is able to make accommodation in his practice for a runny nose and a hacking cough.

Sleep has become my refuge. If my body said sleep, I obeyed. Two, three hour naps prevailed. I reveled in them. I have always been afraid that a good long nap would interfere with my night sleep but that has not been the case. If anything, it has enhanced it. When I was able to get in a full day of work without the nap, I was only able to get a few hours of sleep.

Thursday night I was in bed and feeling relaxed. I did not have any anxiety. The little gremlins were not sitting on my comforter and I felt ready to drift off into blissful sleep. Then the switch was flipped and my mind started a party. I entered this world of stream of consciousness nonsense that kept me awake until three in the morning. Here is a sample”

“I wish I had emptied the dishwasher before bed. It would be nice if I had a housekeeper. Not one of those people who comes in a couple of hours a week, but a Mr. French, a Rosie, a Hazel, an Alice. Wait. Do single middle aged women ever get those? Has there ever been a television show where a single middle aged woman has a housekeeper? It is always men or families. I guess we should be able to do it all ourselves. And I am not middle-aged. I was middle-aged at 35 or 40. There is no way I am living to 110 so I am not middle aged. Oh, I have yoga tomorrow. I need to make sure to take my mat. And I want to call for a massage. And there is a report on the internet I want to read. Yoga, massage, report. Yoga, massage, report. And what would I want a housekeeper to do if I had one? Let’s see – empty the dishwasher, laundry, grocery shopping, cooking. That’s getting expensive. ……………………………” I think there was a period when I was comparing Disney princesses and their wicked stepmothers. I go there sometimes because I find it weird that Disney killed off all the mothers and replaced them with wicked stepmothers. What is that about? I digress. You get the drift.

My mind went on like that until I got up at 2:30 and put in a load of clothes, placed my yoga mat by the front door, and read the report on the internet. My mind had finally sufficiently tired to allow sleep. The next two nights, however, were spent dealing with coughing. I finally gave in and bought some over the counter medication to help with nighttime coughing.

Now, let me talk about the neti pot. I don’t mind using it. I understand the theory behind its use. But when my sinuses are so inflamed that it feels like hot acid being poured up my nose I have to stop. Any suggestions out there? I am using tap water – should I change to distilled? I am getting a little shy about using the pot because of the pain but I really think it would help.

That is how I am transitioning to the winter. A great vacation followed by a knock you off your feet illness. I have a tendency to want to hibernate as it is and starting out with an illness has set the precedent for the rest of the winter.

Dr. Jane is firmly suggesting the use of a therapy light. With my lifestyle, she suggests I use the therapy visor that I can wear anywhere (ubetcha!! I am going to wear that puppy in public. Sure.). Since Dr. Jane’s advice has not failed me so far I am going to purchase either the visor or the desk lamp before the end of November. Her prescription is to sit in front of 10K Lux for one hour a day before 10 a.m. That should help with my seasonal depression and my sleep issues. She also recommended regular massages. Have I mentioned how much I love my doctor!!!

Happy Samhain!!! Happy Halloween!! Blessed Be!

P.S. I didn't ask permission to use my sister's picture of her dressed as the Evil Queen. I hope she doesn't mind.