Hivey Hilde After Hours

It's happened to me before. Some of my friends say they have this  problem all the time. For varying reasons, aches, pains, worries, people are awake at odd hours. I have not often been cursed with this afflicton. In fact, just the opposite. I can usually fall asleep almost anywhere, anytime. Not so for the last several weeks.

I'm told this causes problems with growth hormones. That would partly explain the ever shrinking senior frame. Mental capacity declines with lack of sleep. Again, explains a lot.

Perhaps it was the excitement of what was surely our first snow and being able, even at this age, to create as snow person with my daughter last week. Perhaps it's the latest drug that's been added to my arsenal. Or maybe, it's the mysterious spots which have been annoyingly itchy on my body. Who knows? For whatever reason, I'm awake. I tossed and turned for an hour before admitting defeat.

Screens aren't supposed to help with insomnia, I disagree. There's something soothing about being able to sit here and spew the weird and crazy thoughts that go through my head at three a.m. I suppose there are other options...warm milk, sleepy time tea, Tylenol PM (wait...already took two), reading the latest night stand novel. But I opt for this...a blog after midnight.

Thus far, the months of January and February 2016 have been interesting if nothing else. On the second day of the year, I developed an unusual and horrifying affliction which looked something akin to the Otrivin cartoon eye ad.

For no reason of which I was aware, my eyes swelled beyond anything imaginable. Lids and bottoms were red, purple, puffy, itchy, wrinkly and just plain scary. I've searched on the internet but have as yet to find a photo of anyone's eyes as hideous as mine were.

They got uglier and itchier with each day until I was ready to rip them out of my head. I thought this was the worst of it until I developed spots on my arms...hives no less. Then I got spots on my legs, my torso and probably on my scalp.Very uncomfortable. No amount of allergy medicine or eye drops seemed to diminish the problem. I couldn't go out, but when I had to, makeup almost made the look more frightening.

As always, when something happens to us at this age, we wonder whether this is it. Will this be the thing that eventually kills me? I hadn't thought that way about these hives, not until a couple of nights ago. My first waking was accompanied by moaning and groaning (mine), sore joints that felt as though someone was dousing them in acid, ankles that could only have been garotted, a stiff jaw (teeth clenching), and shaking, even shivering. I drifted off briefly only to wake up again with a stomach pain that said, "You haven't eaten in a week." Only problem was that I had.

Tonight, my entire body was covered in hives. I could barely walk and lying down to sleep was unimaginable. I can only deduce that trying to recline in a nest of fire ants might produce a similar effect. In order to avoid having my bed combust, I got up and am here.

Now as I sit, I'm wondering how much I'm shrinking from lack of sleep. Wondering how much my mental capacity will decline from the same problem. Wondering whether this is it, or whether there's a simple explanation for two months of hives. Hopefully, I'll find out soon.

On the bright side, being housebound is helping me organize things...a start. It also is helping me realize that I can't die yet. This is all too much of a nightmare to foist upon unsuspecting relatives. I hope at least that some of my silliness gives them a laugh or two as they deal with all my junk.

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Older and Hangin' In

I'd like to say that it's hard to believe that I was born 62 years ago today, but really, it's not. Sometimes I think back over my life and all the things I've squeezed into it and I'm actually amazed. For some of what I've done, I have to say, I'm lucky I survived. For other things, I'm proud and satisfied. I have no regrets and I still look forward to future experiences.

The key for me used to be to "learn or do at least one new thing each day". Now, I try to learn or do something new each week. After all, I've slowed down, and I'm retired.

I look in the mirror and I still see me. It's an older, well ok, much older version of me, but still me. My body has received a few bumps, bruises and scars along the way. It's added some pounds and some "freckles". My knees are achey and my 20/10 vision left me around the time they started making the print in phone books smaller. By the way, does anyone use phone books anymore?

My hearing is still good, although I am now limited to listening to one conversation at a time at a crowded table. I am also still adept at "selective hearing". This skill was once particularly useful when trying to get 5 year olds to raise their hands rather than shout out in class. If it became intolerable, I would simply look them in the eye, put one finger on my lip and raise the other hand in the air to demonstrate what they ought to do. Wouldn't it be great if this would work with polititians?

My teeth are my teeth although the fillings keep getting larger. I still have a few hairs on my head and I'm stubbornly keeping the "mature" colour hidden as much as possible. Not that there's anything wrong with the colour gray, it's just that I'm a "spring" in the seasonal colour palette and gray just doesn't look that great with those warm shades. Besides, I'd have to get a whole new wardrobe to match...hmmmm.

I consume a couple of drugs a day but am relieved that I do not yet need one of those giant plastic containers with compartments that say, Monday, Tuesday etc. or, as I like to call it a "pill suitcase". Besides my multivitamin, I take one pill for blood pressure and one for heart burn. The inhaler is not compulsory, but it's nice to have whenever I have difficulty and feel the need to breathe.

I think that my IQ is still at a reasonable standard although I'm sure I've lost a few points over the years. Crossword puzzles are often nothing more than printing exercises without much challenge. I love language, literature, poetry, music and art. Science and technology fascinate me. I am in awe of the wonders of nature and the world around me. History has developed new meaning especially since I am now part of it. Money and the economy are and will remain mysteries.

So as they say, "this is the first day of the rest of my life". I am realistic. I have sometimes glanced at the obituaries and have been amazed at how many people have died at an age much younger than my current 62 years. I have been very lucky. I think I have a lot of life left in me and a lot of goals and dreams to live out. I'm hoping for many more birthdays and will consider myself fortunate should I be given the ultimate gift...that of more, healthy years. We shall see.