*does a happy dance*
Looks like we’re back to my husband having a sinus infection, NOT cluster headaches, which is awesome. A really bad sinus headache requiring a second course of antibiotics, and a somewhat deviated septum, but that’s a hell of a lot better than cluster headaches. I’m so glad the ER doc was wrong, and just amazed that a sinus infection could cause that much pain!
Lined up all the doctors’ appointments for one day so my husband would have to take the least amount of time possible off of work. First, the dentists’ appointments had to be rescheduled due to the hygienist being out sick (hope she feels better soon). Then, the doc wasn’t sure if my husband has sinus or cluster headaches or what, so he had to schedule a CT scan for tomorrow. And I still have an ultrasound this afternoon. One day of appointments turned into three so far.
For many years my husband has suffered from really bad headaches. When we lived in New Hampshire they were diagnosed as sinus headaches even though decongestants didn’t really help, and certainly they seemed like particularly bad sinus headaches from many of the symptoms. When we moved to Maryland they went away for a few years; about a week or so ago they came back in full force.
Friday night one of them hit while we were out to dinner, and it was so bad we ended up taking him to the ER. His right eye was bloodshot and looked swollen, his hands were shaking, and he could barely stand upright. I’m still amazed he could drive, and speak coherently. Two hours later, while we were still in the waiting room, the symptoms disappeared just as quickly as they had come on.
As it turns out, that quick and sudden disappearance was the key that clued the ER doc in to what was probably going on. If he’d still been in as much pain when she saw him as when he’d arrived, he would have ended up getting a CAT scan looking for an abscess, or she might have thought he had meningitis. But the pain wouldn’t have just vanished. Instead, she read off the list of symptoms for cluster headaches, and they all fit perfectly. Every last one.
The huge relief is that this isn’t something critical that could result in disability or death, and frankly with the amount of pain he was in, that was a scary possibility. But the still-frightening part is that this is an incurable neurological disorder that is believed to cause “the most severe pain known to medical science.” Women have been known to say it’s worse than childbirth. It’s been compared to having a hot poker shoved in one’s eye, or having a limb amputated without anaesthetic. Cluster headaches have also been called “suicide headaches.”
Did I mention how amazed I am that he managed to drive, remain upright, and speak coherently while in that much pain?
We’ll be taking him to our regular doc tomorrow, who can hopefully give him an official diagnosis and some meds. This weekend he unfortunately had to miss some fun events since he had to stick close to the hospital—he’d been advised that if he had a repeat experience that was longer or more severe(!) he should go back and get that CAT scan.
Anyway. That was our Friday night. We were at the ER until about midnight. Thankfully I’d brought what turned out to be a really good book, Leslie Parrish’s Fade to Black. Speaking of which, here are the other books I’ve reviewed recently:
Paul Levine, Illegal
Fiona Patton, The Silver Lake
Keri Smith, Wreck This Journal
Christine Feehan, Dark Curse
Dakota Cassidy, Kiss & Hell
Anton Strout, Deader Still
Rob Thurman, Deathwish
Elizabeth Vaughan, White Star
Vaughan’s book is the tenth in that “recommended reading” series, and Thurman’s book ended up being an unexpected book 11. I also adore Patton’s series, and Parrish’s book was fantastic!
What is it with shoes on the side of the road? For years now I’ve seen tons of shoes just lying on roads, whether city streets, suburban drives, or highways. Often just one; occasionally two. I mentioned it to my husband, and soon he started noticing it too. It’s like socks disappearing in dryers. Then we mentioned it to a friend of ours, and she couldn’t help but notice them either. I swear, it isn’t just me!
So it was with jaw on the floor that some weeks ago I stumbled across an aerial image of a mysterious pile of shoes spread out along the side of a highway, with an accompanying article saying that no one had any idea where they’d come from. I showed it to my husband, commenting that apparently the shoe trend had reached its (il)logical conclusion.
Aha! While I can’t yet find the original aerial photo I remember seeing, here’s an article with accompanying shoe photo.
Anyway, I’ve now reviewed books six through nine in that recommended Spring reading series. Here you go:
I also reviewed a 2 qt Calphalon ceramic baker. Yum!
If you’re a sudoku addict (I’ve just recently gotten hooked, although frankly I’m not that good at it!), Web Sudoku is pretty handy when you have a few spare minutes.
Finally, if you want a more immediate way to know when we’ve posted a review, put items at the shops on sale, etc., then you can follow along on Twitter.
RICHARD’S EASTER NECKLACE SPECIAL: Many of our lovely necklaces were made by Richard, a member of the SCA (Society for Creative Anachronism) and beading fiend. He typically works in glass or natural semi-precious gemstones.
In honor of his lovely work, we’re having a special Easter promotion! From now until Easter day, order any necklace from our etsy shop or our Shop Handmade shop and get 10% of the necklace’s purchase price off of your order—just wait to pay until we send you a revised PayPal invoice! If your order is placed within the continental US we’ll also upgrade your shipping to priority mail for no extra charge.
Order as many necklaces or jewelry sets that include necklaces as you like and we’ll take the discount off of each one!
And, here are reviews 3-5 of the 10 aforementioned books:
I have fallen to the darkness: I set up a facebook profile. Now I’ve connected with a bunch of people I knew in college, high school, etc. and it’s kind of weird. Had a late-night chat with an old friend who apparently had insomnia at the same time I did.
Hopefully when I get off of this medication (probably tomorrow after I see my doc) the insomnia will let up and I’ll be more awake and able to get back to more reviewing. I do have some kitchenware reviews coming up, however.
I’ve been posting our friend & business partner’s handmade jewelry to the Etsy shop. His work has a more formal style than mine and a decidedly medieval flare—I think you’ll like it!
7:00 am: I forgot the pie crust dough would have to be chilled before pre-baking, and the fats frozen before making the dough. So we froze the fats over breakfast and made the dough afterward in the food processor. Now it’s chilling.
10:45 am: Phew! Mocha raspberry trifle assembled. Pie shell baked. Mini puff pastry shells filled with chocolate cream and topped with cool whip. Two versions of cornbread in the oven (sweet & not sweet). Sweet potato casserole assembled.
Monday morning: Well that’s the point at which I stopped having time to post. We made two stuffings (sausage mushroom, and ‘plain’), made the sweet potato pie, roasted the brined turkey, made bacon cheddar biscuits… We filled baked frozen puff pastry mini-shells with an agave tofu chocolate cream and topped them with a little cool whip, and you wouldn’t believe how stunning they were (not to mention I doubt anyone would have guessed they had tofu in them). Then we made garlic broccoli and some lightly buttered & parsleyed carrots at the last minute.
But the best part was all the cool friends who visited. Unfortunately a couple of them are allergic to cats and had to be doped up, but I think they enjoyed the food!
“Cyber Monday” at Errant Dreams: We have a holiday special going on at errantdreams.etsy.com, where we sell our handmade jewelry and bookmarks. All of the bookmarks I posted before November have been marked down in price by 20-30%. Also, from now through Dec. 31, if you have us ship within the USA and order a least $20 in products, you’ll get free shipping. 
Just place your order and wait to pay until I send you a revised PayPal invoice.
Here’s a sampling of items:
In addition, if you’re in a more practical and less fanciful mode, we have two cafepress stores (Caffeinaed Chicanery and Gamers’ Heaven) with T-shirts, mugs, etc. in a bunch of designs. Some randomly-chosen designs in each store will be reduced in price over the day today, so poke around and enjoy!
I had to get my Warcraft dailies out of the way first. Not too many of them—just the five I really want. I.e., the Dalaran cooking & jewelcrafting dailies, and the Kalu’ak dailies. I’ll come back to those in a Lich King post soon.
Doctor’s appointment at 9 am (the knee I banged up over 5 weeks ago has developed a mysterious sore lump), but other than that, it’s just cooking, one last tiny shopping trip to pick up some herbs & such, and fun!
11 am: Whoops. Well we’ll be getting a late start today. Doctor’s appointment turned into an x-ray to rule out fracture and abscess, a prescription pick-up, then buying the last couple of ingredients. Lunch next…
3:30 pm: The make-ahead mashed potatoes are made ahead; they’re sort of like a twice-baked potato casserole. Yum! We’ve also peeled and sliced carrots for an herbed carrot dish, and made a coconut caramel cream pie. Time for a Warcraft break while the dishwasher goes.
5:30 pm: We’ve made the brine for the turkey, as well as the sugar puff cookies. We’ve chopped broccoli florets and fresh bread crumbs and mixed the rices for the wild rice pilaf. We’re about to bake sweet potatoes for tomorrow’s sweet potato casserole.
Feast cooking tip #2: Plan for the unexpected. Be ready to axe one or more of your recipes if you find yourself short on time. For one, we’re always over-eager when picking out recipes. For another, something always comes up. What with medical stuff today we decided not to make a pumpkin pound cake. It isn’t as though we really needed it anyway; it was one of those whimsy things.
Irrelevant plug: Earlier today we decided we should have a holiday special at the craft store (errantdreams.etsy.com). So, as noted at the top of all store pages, through December 31 of 2008 you’ll get FREE SHIPPING on any order of $20 or more shipping within the US. Just go through the Etsy checkout process, but wait to pay until we’ve sent you a revised PayPal invoice without the shipping charges! Here’s just a smattering of the things you could get, and let’s face it, it’s way cooler to get your loved ones handmade one-of-a-kind items than mass-produced stuff!
7:10 am: Why day 1? Well, because we cook on Thursday and Friday and serve on Saturday. Technically I’ve already done a few things (made dry mixes for cornbread & biscuits, etc.), but this is where it really begins. My husband and I just made chocolate marshmallows, and now it’s time for a break.
Feast cooking tip #1: Remember to take breaks. Between each recipe, clean up the dishes & your work space, drink some water, and get off of your feet for 10 minutes to a half hour. It won’t seem necessary at first, but boy will it help later.
10:05 am: Chocolate marshmallows, Warcraft, orange cranberry sauce, Warcraft… back to work to make mocha pastry cream for a raspberry mocha trifle!
10:45 am: Mmmmmm. Mooocha. Well that came out well! Hard to go wrong with chocolate, coffee, and vanilla bean. Now we’re taking a 15-minute break before cutting and coating the marshmallows.
1:50 pm: Marshmallows cut & coated (most with a cocoa/powdered sugar mix, some with melted chocolate). Lunch eaten. Bacon bits made for the biscuits. Extra-sharp cheddar grated for the biscuits.
And that, I think, is that for today. Cleanup is still to be done before a friend comes into town tonight!