I have insurance. I should go to an ENT anyway about my ear. I just hate going to doctors.

Also being able to hear is a really good thing, so if you are having ear problems that is a good argument for going to see the ENT, even if you hate doctors. And an ENT could tell you if it is migraine or sinus problems. They probably can't spot a hormonal cause, but if they eliminate the first two, that makes the third likely. My ENT told me that migraines are very underdiagnosed, that a lot of people with mysterious headaches have migraines and just don't realize it because they are not "cower under the covers for days" level of bad. Don't know how right she is, have not actually done research.

So basically what we are saying here is that the pain in my left eyebrow and cheekbone that I thought was a sinus headache which I treated with a mug of hot cocoa (modest amount of caffiene) plus Advil plus Actifed, was probably a mild migraine rather than a true sinus headache. Hmm.

I usually don't call a headache a migraine unless it starts with auras and dizziness. But it was certainly comfined to the side where I get the migraine pain. But I am blessed in that Excedrin (or a coffee, asperin and Tylenol cocktail) do the trick for me. Innnnnnterrrrrrrresting.

Go, Teacher!Aims go!

My doc told me the same thing; sinus headaches are a mild form of migraines. I've gotten them for years, though thankfully very rarely to a degree I can't control with basic meds.

On a personal note, I would like to request that the deeply disturbing dreams I've been having the past three nights stop.

Bleurgh, Pix, I don't know any practical ways for sending you happier dreams. Harvey sometimes gives reassuring dreams to me or Daniel by curling up on our pillows while we sleep, but I don't know how we can get him to send you one over the distance. Not sure if you want more than sympathy here. So I'm putting a possible solution in spoiler font. That way if you don't especially want it, you can just skip it. But if you could tweak you sleep cycles a bit you might be able to get far enough away from REM sleep when you wake up that you would be less likely to remember them. Just a few minutes might be all it takes. Setting your alarm for five minutes later, or going to bed ten minutes earlier might do it. Doing a progressive relaxation exercise could help you cycle into deeper sleep stages faster and so get the job done. Anyway, I hope you get some refreshing and peaceful sleep soon.

Virtual head massages for those suffering headaches of any name and/or bad dreams.

The dreams aren't an issue for me these days, but reality sucks mightily. Same old same old evil bank stuff still weighing me down, business struggles, etc., blah. The worst thing on my heart is watching my son continue his downward spiral. He apparently is running out of friends willing to lend him a couch. He is going to "starve to death living in his car", despite the fact that I gave him $40 worth of groceries the day before delivered personally to a friend's house where he was staying.

He can't hold a job. He lives for video games and drugs. He takes no personal responsibility whatsoever for the life he has created. As much as it hurts I know it would be the wrong answer to take him back into my home. Wrong to enable him that way, wrong for the stress it brings to my home, wrong for his brother because he has stolen from him so many times and broken his heart. I've only given him food from time to time for the last few months. No money.

This is unspeakably hard.

Oh Laura. That sounds really tough. I hope he pulls his head out of his ass soon.

Oh, Laura. We're going through something similar but milder with Jake, and I do know how hard that is, and how heart-breaking. I think you're doing the right thing, though. At some point, it has to be up to him to make real changes.

I will give him food. Tomorrow I will take him to his court date, if I can find him. I don't really want him to starve or go to jail. Sucks.

I completely get it. You can always email me if you need an ear.