Sigh. Still tired. And I turned out to have gotten a sunburn yesterday after all. Just the back of my neck was burned. Today I covered up everything but my face, which was shaded by my hat and also the edges of my windbreaker hood whenever I wasn't under trees. You'll note that I was wearing an oversize black windbreaker while it was nearly 80 degrees out. And I think I might have still burned a little of my chin and nose.
It's starting to look like I'm not going to be able to go backpacking in two weeks. I'm super pissed. DeLee and I haven't gotten out on a trip since May, as far as I can remember. If I feel well enough it's going to kill me to stay indoors because of my stupid photosensitivity. I'm hoping for either A) torrential rain, or B) a severe cold snap. I wouldn't burn in the rain, and I could bundle up in a cold snap. Although I'm not sure DeLee would like to hike in the rain.
I'm awaiting Amazon's press release (or whatever they call it these days) tomorrow so I can figure out if I'm buying the current version of the Kindle or whatever it is they're announcing. However I visited the library tonight to pick up more books. I'm tired of rereading old copies of Backpacker to help me get to sleep at night.
Speaking of which, I tried melatonin last night and I slept like a veritable baby. On a bed of feathers. And not those pokey feathers either, the nice soft ones. I had JD pick some up at the store for me and I'm doing it again tonight. It turns out you *can* buy sleep that good.
I found out this morning that there's a fellow in California who is making Lyme supplements containing all the herbs and stuff one would normally take (cat's claw, resveratrol, andrographis, et al) in one capsule. He calls it Lyme-Aid which makes me chuckle because it sounds like a summery beverage. Yuks aside I'm planning to get some because I wouldn't mind taking fewer pills every morning.
Showing posts with label sunburn. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sunburn. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Saturday, September 24, 2011
Photosensitive Superpower, Activate!
As I was getting undressed last night I glanced in the mirror and realized that I could see bra lines on my skin. Which meant that I had burned/tanned through my shirt. That only could have happened on Thursday, the only day I was out in even a little bit of sunlight. So I guess I'm a bit more photosensitive than I thought. The weird part is my face didn't burn. I do use a moisturizer with sunscreen in it after my shower, so perhaps that protected me. If so, it's more effective than I expected.
However, the fact that I'm cooking through my clothes after one week of doxycycline means that I do have to be just as careful this time as all the other times I've taken it. Our very rainy week had given me false hope. So although I now feel good enough to ride, I pretty much can't any time it's nice enough to do so. If the temperature were to drop significantly I could bundle up and ride. But without the ability to layer, I'm going to have to restrict riding to late evening. Grr. I'm happy that I have energy, and also frustrated in my ability to use said energy. (My continuing low grade fever tells me that the energy is likely to come and go anyway.)
The same goes for hiking. I have a few ideas for local hikes, but unless we get a good rainy day I don't think I'll be able to try them. Today turned out to be cloudy but otherwise nice. This is frustrating for two reasons : I can't spend much time outdoors, and I HAD planned a get together for today but cancelled it because the weather was supposed to be awful. I'm at loose ends now. For another month or thereabouts.
Our local library has started doing electronic lending, and this finally made a Kindle look worthwhile to me. Just as I was about to order one, JD sent me a link and told me I should wait a few more days:
http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/23/amazon-press-invite-teases-long-awaited-tablet/
Argh! So I guess I'll wait a few more days.
Let's see, what else.. Oh! Tara sent me a link the other day to a pretty good hat.
http://www.dharmatrading.com/html/eng/1696-AA.shtml?lnav=clothing.html
She liked that it could be decorated. I liked that it only weighed 2.5 oz and could be easily packed up into a flat disk. I don't know that I'll decorate it, as I haven't thought of anything I'd want to do to it that wouldn't get beat up easily and/or stain my skin and gear. It's fairly enormous, which is nice. Being made of thin cotton it's not super UV-proof but in combination with some sunscreen I hope it will do a decent job.
It has chin ties, which are absolutely necessary with something so likely to catch the wind. I look forward to trying it out. Given that it only cost five bucks, I'm not too worried about damaging the thing, either.
Bouncing on to the next topic, when the nurse called yesterday we talked about diet a little. And I've been thinking about it. She suggested making two small changes and leaving it at that for a while. That seems as reasonable as anything else. I know one change I want to make is eating more vegetables. I like, and eat, vegetables now of course. But I think it would be good to eat more. (I already eat a lot of fruit.) So I've been brainstorming ways to make that happen. Most veggies don't come in convenient single serving sizes the way that fruits do. I'm thinking that I could prepare veggies for myself once a week and stick them in the refrigerator. Here's what I have so far:
Like I said, I'm working on it.
I enacted my vegetable resolution, if that's what it is, right away:
However, the fact that I'm cooking through my clothes after one week of doxycycline means that I do have to be just as careful this time as all the other times I've taken it. Our very rainy week had given me false hope. So although I now feel good enough to ride, I pretty much can't any time it's nice enough to do so. If the temperature were to drop significantly I could bundle up and ride. But without the ability to layer, I'm going to have to restrict riding to late evening. Grr. I'm happy that I have energy, and also frustrated in my ability to use said energy. (My continuing low grade fever tells me that the energy is likely to come and go anyway.)
The same goes for hiking. I have a few ideas for local hikes, but unless we get a good rainy day I don't think I'll be able to try them. Today turned out to be cloudy but otherwise nice. This is frustrating for two reasons : I can't spend much time outdoors, and I HAD planned a get together for today but cancelled it because the weather was supposed to be awful. I'm at loose ends now. For another month or thereabouts.
Our local library has started doing electronic lending, and this finally made a Kindle look worthwhile to me. Just as I was about to order one, JD sent me a link and told me I should wait a few more days:
http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/23/amazon-press-invite-teases-long-awaited-tablet/
Argh! So I guess I'll wait a few more days.
Let's see, what else.. Oh! Tara sent me a link the other day to a pretty good hat.
http://www.dharmatrading.com/html/eng/1696-AA.shtml?lnav=clothing.html
She liked that it could be decorated. I liked that it only weighed 2.5 oz and could be easily packed up into a flat disk. I don't know that I'll decorate it, as I haven't thought of anything I'd want to do to it that wouldn't get beat up easily and/or stain my skin and gear. It's fairly enormous, which is nice. Being made of thin cotton it's not super UV-proof but in combination with some sunscreen I hope it will do a decent job.
 |
| Hat in its little carrier |
 |
| Hat sproinged out into all of its enormous glory |
Bouncing on to the next topic, when the nurse called yesterday we talked about diet a little. And I've been thinking about it. She suggested making two small changes and leaving it at that for a while. That seems as reasonable as anything else. I know one change I want to make is eating more vegetables. I like, and eat, vegetables now of course. But I think it would be good to eat more. (I already eat a lot of fruit.) So I've been brainstorming ways to make that happen. Most veggies don't come in convenient single serving sizes the way that fruits do. I'm thinking that I could prepare veggies for myself once a week and stick them in the refrigerator. Here's what I have so far:
rinse and pack:
bags of carrots
bag of celery sticks plus peanut butter or cheese
lightly cooked veggies separated into single servings
OR bags of frozen veggies separated into single servings
Like I said, I'm working on it.
I enacted my vegetable resolution, if that's what it is, right away:
 |
| Lunch included more brussels sprouts than sandwich |
Monday, September 19, 2011
Daylight touched my skin and I didn't combust
I was somehow out of it enough to sleep right through my alarm this morning, yet when I finally woke up (over an hour late) I felt refreshed. Isn't that odd? I think that's odd.
Somebody clued me in last night that Greenbelt Park is a hotbed of Lyme disease. I googled and sure enough! I only have one definite case of Lyme from there, but two out three of the others could have come from there too. Which would be annoying. Mostly because I wasn't smart enough to figure it out on my own.
So, now I'm looking for other areas to hike in during tick season (i.e. when it's nice out.) Tara offered to show me around her side of town. Initially I thought it was too close and would also have lots of Lyme, but then I read that the Beltsville Agricultural Research Facility uses the "four poster" deer feeders / permethrin treatment stations so it's probably a good bet. And anywhere that deer aren't protected and thus have no boom in population is probably safer, too.
Also today, in between fevering and chilling (I was all over the place today, excitingly changeable with the personal thermostat) I was considering how I am quite an expert in having Lyme disease now. Maybe not on the level of a New Englander, but for a Marylander I'm right up there. I caught it the first time when doctors here had barely even heard of it. And yet, there is still so much I don't know. Like, if you take antibiotics after first stage Lyme rather than second stage Lyme, how long does it take to heal up? Ida know. I shall find out soon, though.
(Hee! I just got up to let the dog in and saw my reflection in the door. I had forgotten I was wearing my wizard hat. I bet the neighbors wonder sometimes. Probably about more than just the hat.)
I got out on a walk today. I wore long sleeves and long pants, SPF 45 on all exposed skin, and carried a golf umbrella. No sunburn! This is a major accomplishment for me when drugs are making me photosensitive. The only problem is that carrying a golf umbrella for an hour is annoying. It's actually a little tiring. I'm kind of hoping for rain tomorrow, as walking in a raincoat seems more appealing.
I briefly considered getting one of these: http://www.umbrellahat.net/ but A) it looks ridiculous, B) it isn't wide enough, and C) if it were wide enough it would be even more ridiculous. I did actually order one of these: http://www.equivisor.com/ . It's giant visor that goes on over a riding helmet. It won't protect the back of my neck or my hands, but it should do a dandy job over my face. With luck it will be here by the weekend, when I hope to venture out into the daylight to see my horse. Technically I will see him in the daylight this Thursday when the vet comes out to vaccinate him. It's supposed to be cloudy with a chance of showers and thunderstorms. Bodes ill for riding with Tara in the evening, but well for my chances of being outside unscathed before dark.
I'm sorry to have to tell you that the next month will probably be about Lyme disease and sunburns. You might want to go away and come back then.
Somebody clued me in last night that Greenbelt Park is a hotbed of Lyme disease. I googled and sure enough! I only have one definite case of Lyme from there, but two out three of the others could have come from there too. Which would be annoying. Mostly because I wasn't smart enough to figure it out on my own.
So, now I'm looking for other areas to hike in during tick season (i.e. when it's nice out.) Tara offered to show me around her side of town. Initially I thought it was too close and would also have lots of Lyme, but then I read that the Beltsville Agricultural Research Facility uses the "four poster" deer feeders / permethrin treatment stations so it's probably a good bet. And anywhere that deer aren't protected and thus have no boom in population is probably safer, too.
Also today, in between fevering and chilling (I was all over the place today, excitingly changeable with the personal thermostat) I was considering how I am quite an expert in having Lyme disease now. Maybe not on the level of a New Englander, but for a Marylander I'm right up there. I caught it the first time when doctors here had barely even heard of it. And yet, there is still so much I don't know. Like, if you take antibiotics after first stage Lyme rather than second stage Lyme, how long does it take to heal up? Ida know. I shall find out soon, though.
(Hee! I just got up to let the dog in and saw my reflection in the door. I had forgotten I was wearing my wizard hat. I bet the neighbors wonder sometimes. Probably about more than just the hat.)
I got out on a walk today. I wore long sleeves and long pants, SPF 45 on all exposed skin, and carried a golf umbrella. No sunburn! This is a major accomplishment for me when drugs are making me photosensitive. The only problem is that carrying a golf umbrella for an hour is annoying. It's actually a little tiring. I'm kind of hoping for rain tomorrow, as walking in a raincoat seems more appealing.
I briefly considered getting one of these: http://www.umbrellahat.net/ but A) it looks ridiculous, B) it isn't wide enough, and C) if it were wide enough it would be even more ridiculous. I did actually order one of these: http://www.equivisor.com/ . It's giant visor that goes on over a riding helmet. It won't protect the back of my neck or my hands, but it should do a dandy job over my face. With luck it will be here by the weekend, when I hope to venture out into the daylight to see my horse. Technically I will see him in the daylight this Thursday when the vet comes out to vaccinate him. It's supposed to be cloudy with a chance of showers and thunderstorms. Bodes ill for riding with Tara in the evening, but well for my chances of being outside unscathed before dark.
I'm sorry to have to tell you that the next month will probably be about Lyme disease and sunburns. You might want to go away and come back then.
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