The usual self-reflection crap that is this blog
I'm having my usual problem resuming with blogging after a vacation. This is compounded by the fact we did another short trip to Seattle right after DC. This double trip threw way more of a wrench into things than I expected. I'm still trying to get myself back on track. I was reading about extroverts and introverts the other day. This is not new to me, but it did strike of a chord: extroverts get their energy from being around people; introverts get it from being alone. I'm on the extreme in this area. I very much need good, solid alone time. Even having someone in the same house who is merely sleeping or doing their own thing doesn't have the same impact as me being completely alone. This is a major factor in why I find parenting challenging, but also explains why it takes so long to recover from vacations. So much time with other people - with Damian, with Avery - it all takes a toll on me. I find that odd because it's not that I'm annoyed when I'm around people, it's just that my battery never gets recharged.
Gluten-free is me
When in DC, I got three migraines. The kind that make me nauseous and then throw up. To be fair, I only threw up from two of the three headaches, but still, it's not a great track record for a five day trip. I blame gluten consumption. I didn't go overboard, but I had some and I believe that was my downfall. I also think that I'm becoming more and more sensitive to it. It's almost as if eliminating it and then reintroducing intensified the impact of gluten on my system. As such, I'm officially accepting that I need to be gluten-free for a period of time to see if that is the root of most of my problems.
I just stumbled upon this article, The murky meaning of gluten-free. First, I had no idea that a label of gluten-free doesn't always mean it's free of gluten. Second, I had no idea gluten is in some blue cheeses. Third, gluten is sometimes used as a coating on medication?! Great. That's awesome. I'm now paranoid about this since before we left for DC, I experienced heartburn bad enough that I went to the doctor the day before we left. The thing that sticks out to me is that it started one night immediately after I took my generic Prozac. I couldn't stop thinking that one (I take two pills to get me at the correct dosage) had gotten lodged in my esophagus even though I knew that wasn't possible. Anyway, now I'm wondering if that is why I feel this sensation after I take the pills. I found some list that says it's in the gluten-free category of drugs, but who knew I had to be wary of gluten in drugs?! Argh. It is nice to be back in Portland where gluten-free eating in restaurants is considerably easier.
I wrote the above several days ago. Since returning from DC, I've had several more days of headaches. One day, last Friday, was so bad that I came home from dance class with Avery and had to take some Tylenol immediately. However, we didn't have any Tylenol other than Tylenol PM. I had to do it. So I plopped Avery in front of the TV with food and a movie, told her when she finished the movie, to come wake me up and I'd put her to bed, then I went to bed at 5:30. I think it was probably the worst headache I've had in 10 years. Avery quickly came upstairs to join me in bed, though she didn't sleep for a few hours, but rather clambered in and out of bed playing with various items around the house. When I woke up on Saturday morning (I got a few times during the night to make sure she was OK and deal with the dogs), the house was hysterical. She must have had a grand time since there were groups of messes at various locations - the top of the stairs, the bottom of the stairs, all the books out of the bookcase in my room, her room was a disaster, the hallway, the living room, the kitchen. I would have found it much more amusing had I not been trying to pull everything together for our three day trip to Seattle.
Anyway, all this is to say that I haven't (knowingly) eaten gluten since DC. The headaches seem to be subsiding, or at least lessening in intensity. My napping is rearing its ugly head and competing for my attention. That sucks, but at least I'm hopeful that if I buckle down, limit the sugar, continue with no gluten, and eat healthfully, things might get better. I do at least have energy when I am awake, so it's not all bad news.
Ear Infection
Yesterday, I babysat Nolan and Elise for the G's date night while D took Avery to the Timbers game. I again had a headache, but fortunately it was no where near the level that I had the week before. Nolan and Elise were easy as could be, and none of the kids had an issue with Avery leaving for the game. After E & N were down for the night, D texted that he and Avery were heading home. She ate a huge piece of pizza and half a hot dog at the game. This was after she'd already eaten a pretty big dinner at home. Her stomach was upset and she was crying for me. It's highly unusual for Avery to cry for the other parent when she's with either of us. She might favor one of us slightly on any given day, but it's really, really rare for her to ask for the other parent when out and about with one of us. So D brought her home. I could tell things weren't right. She was very clingy and feverish and totally not herself at all. This continued all night. I finally took her temperature this morning and it was 102, so we called in and then took her to the urgent care as instructed. The end result is she has her first real ear infection. A couple of weeks ago, she had a small amount of fluid in one ear. The doctor wasn't sure it was infected, nor was she sure antibiotics would do anything, but we decided to do antibiotics since we were traveling, etc. This one was a bona fide ear infection. After her first dose of antibiotics this afternoon, she went right back to her usual chatty self, thank goodness.
Posting now
All right, I'm just going to publish this post now. Who knows when I'll feel like doing a real post with pictures and video and all that stuff from vacation. Probably about the time it's time for our next getaway (beginning of June - sans Avery - Vegas).
The funny thing is that I think of you as getting your energy from people. I know that you do enjoy your alone time, of course, but you seem to have such an enthusiasm and energy for socializing and being among friends. I guess it's all relative. I feel even more introverted now than I used to! :)
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