Anyone who knows me knows that my weakest link is the chunk of metal between my ears. Most of the time I do quite well - with the list of caveats ... for a man of your age, considering what you've been through ... with your health issues, etc.
All that aside, I do pretty well and do manage do get Papa tasks done, work on images and writing tasks, the occasional tutoring session and photo or calligraphic projects.
The one thing that totally slams the door on any useful and productive work is the appearance of a migraine headache. Mine are the cluster variety.
I do have a TEAM of caring health-care professionals that help me manage these things. They have provided me with a TENS unit, a super-big cold pack, a moist-heat heating pad and some medication that helps dull the pain. I also get trigger point injections - but now they are two days away.
My eyes, pitiful as they are anyhow, go awry. My face, mouth and two fingers on each hand go numb.
There is no comfortable position to be had. Dark and quiet are my only allies. Presently, no one can reach in to help.
The problem is that nothing helps with the anger and frustration of being incapacitated.
I don't like this feeling and I certainly don't like to be away from my loved one.
However, it is not safe for me to drive, handle sharp objects or power tools. Precise writing and working in Photoshop is out of the question because the monitor is just too much and I don't want to do a slice-o-matic on my fingers.
Managing this kind of pain is difficult, but I will feel better on Thursday. I will get about 30-36 injections in my skull, neck and back and the pain will go away.
I will rest and on Friday I will be taking pictures of 250 or so United Way volunteers. Saturday I am going to see a niece married off.
Since I was not otherwise occupied, I pulled out my trusty tennis racquet a couple of weeks ago. I stretched and hit a few balls to see if I could get back into tournament shape to add a trophy or two to the ones I have already.
That experiment lasted only an hour. Trifocals and tennis balls are a poor mix. My brain had to sort out which ball to hit and which of the several lines were in and out of bounds. I also was playing 3-5 people at a time. That process took time and too much thought.
So, the next time I hit the court it will be with single vision glasses and fresh trigger-point injections.
No migraine.
The strokes are still there - muscle memory. Now to make a little racquet on the courts, or at least groan loudly to sympathetic ears.
© tim www.timjohnsonphoto.com
