There’s an expression I heard (a lot) while I was growing up: “Name your limitations, and they’re yours.” Now, this is a keen concept: If you argue for why you can’t do this or that, then you can be pretty sure that you’re constructing a box for yourself. It’s right on par with the Henry…
This is another long one, folks. Here’s the TL;DR summary: I’m still having headaches; today is day 162. The MRI at least confirms that the pain is real. I have been offered no relief for the pain. Doctors should treat the patient, not the results of this or that specific test while throwing everything else…
Well, that was fast. After I saw a neurologist last Wednesday (March 18), her order for an MRI was approved almost immediately by my insurance. Then, when I called Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU), I was given an appointment for the very next morning. All of this after more than four months of daily…
Ever hear of visual snow? Every morning starts with a neighborhood hike. Still adjusting to the change to daylight savings time, I was getting a later than usual start on Monday and as I reached the end of the driveway I encountered one of my neighbors out for a stroll with her dog. We ended…
I’ve not been forthcoming lately about my health. It’s been deteriorating rather markedly in the past months. Today marks 111 days—and counting—of daily headaches, ranging from tension-style pressure and cluster-like ice pick agony to “flaring match” pain and full-on migraines. I’ve been losing my balance. I’ve been forgetting things. I’m experiencing visual disturbances and pronounced…
This morning I walked into my local library branch and was heralded by the announcement, “Ah! Yes! It is The Willis!” Yeah. I was dumbstruck. My librarians know me on sight; that’s no surprise. But “The” Willis? Even one of the other librarians (also a friend) wandered out from the back at that. “What?” she…
Executive summary: I?m torn between two backpacks. Being torn between two lovers might actually be easier. Question for readers: What bag do you use, and why did you choose it? Thanks to Lifehacker, I found an excellent post by David Danzeiser about how he traveled the world for a year with only a 20-pound backpack…
