A big setback.

I'm not in a good place right now.  I know I've been talking a lot about this long covid since it's return last September, and many of you have been kind and supportive.  It's been very much appreciated.  But it's especially difficult right now.

I've been living daily with varying degrees of discomfort, 3-4 on a scale of 1 to 10.  Not bad enough to prevent me from sitting on my living room floor and blogging, or doing mild exercises, or a walk to the store a couple times a week.  But enough to prevent me from going on long walks or family visits or meeting up with people.  They call it a "hermit's disease" for a reason.

But this past week it's been steadily building in symptoms.  I woke up Saturday morning in some severe distress, Sunday morning even worse.  (My head feeling like it's in a painful clamp, aching cheekbones.  Burning dry mouth.  Lots of inflammation.  My jaw muscles are swollen and hurt a lot.)   

I've been spending my time in my bedroom with the door shut and under a blanket with my tablet, listening to podcasts with old celebrities like Linda Blair, Barry Williams, Melissa Sue Anderson, Crystal Gayle.   I just have this strong need to hide away from everything, everybody.

I don't know how long this is going to continue.   I'm hoping it dies back down a bit and I can go back to posting blogs.  But right now I don't know if that's 3 days, 3 weeks or 3 months.

Just wanted to put it out there.  As always, thanks for listening.  

Una bella signora a Roma (A beautiful lady in Rome)

I just wanted to share some photos of my beautiful niece Sophia, who just returned home after a week in Italy.

My sister Shawn was worried she wouldn't want to come home to Greene County, Pa;  I was worried she'd be snatched up by one of those Italian modeling agencies looking for their next tall and skinny model!

(Sophia is 21 years old, 2 inches taller than me and probably doesn't weigh half what I do.  Plus she's beautiful.)

Anyway, here's some pics of her in Rome at the Coliseum, Venice and Tuscany.  I was only planning on showing "selfies" here as I don't know Sophia's friends, but we'll see.  

I just wanted to focus on Sophia anyway. 😊💛

Ok, this one of Sophia and her friends is so pretty I couldn't resist

20 million people can't be wrong...

Things could be worse, but things could be so much better.  A couple days ago I tried going to the store (for some items I didn't really need, was just looking for an excuse to go somewhere) and couldn't do it.  Too much pressure in the temples and inflammation in the face.

It hurts to put on my eyeglasses and I cannot go outside without 'em.  

Tried again yesterday... nope.  So I went today (and here's my sore mug, trying to look normal) after coming home, and now my head and eyes are super hot and I am wiped out.  Just for a walk to the store and back.  

It's hard to believe, but this time a year ago I was finally showing signs of real improvement.  I was experiencing good days every 2-3 days.  By mid June things were mostly good.  I was 90% my old self and started visiting the senior center again.

I still waited 3 months before seeing a dentist in mid September for a couple cavities.  If I had known those shots of Novocaine would reactivate the long covid virus, I would've waited a year to get those fillings.  

(I only found out afterward that people recovering from long covid and undergoing dental work or injections to the head or face were experiencing full relapses.)

Anyway, since it's return this past September... it's like back to square one.  I get good moments here and there, but have yet to get any good days.  I worry this isn't going to get fully better anytime soon.  Just continuing to take things one day at a time.

Two nights ago, I was in my kitchen washing dishes and heard the term "long covid" on the news and came dashing into the living room to see who said what.  A health expert said the latest covid variants were showing less risk of developing into long covid, but it's estimated 20 million Americans are currently living with this condition.  They're known as silent sufferers, as they've stopped seeking medical treatment.  

It made me think of my first trip to the doctor in January 2024 and being misdiagnosed with a severe sinus infection.  I went back in February 2024, then to the ER in March then to a neurologist that summer.  After that, I knew no one had any answers.  

In all honesty, everything after 2023 seems like a dream.  Like none of this was meant to happen.  I guess a lot of people in car accidents or slip & falls say the same thing.  It just feels like this could've been so easily avoided.  I'll never know for sure.

And finally, a friend of mine noticed my post with Eve Plumb's book had gotten a lot of comments, and jokingly asked if I was becoming an 'influencer'.  I'm not even sure what that is.  She said if I was trying to sell the book on my blog by talking about it and getting a kickback, I had to disclose that.

No, I was just writing about it, that's all.  Meanwhile, have you tried these Ricola Lemon-Mint Drops?  Not only are they sugar free, they're made with natural ingredients, soothing Swiss herbs and the perfect oral anesthetic for someone like myself with inner cheek and oral inflammation.  I just love them. 😉