Sigh. And HELMET.

I cannot tell you, my two dear readers, how tired I am of being injured, broken, or otherwise incapacitated, partially or completely.

This last week, it's been headaches. And by "headache" I mean lightheaded, dizzy, tinnitus, difficulty focusing, fatigue, needing frequent naps, losing my train of thought in the middle of a sentence, and nasty head pains. Last Saturday I actually almost fainted during our lesson -- I think I mentioned that. At any rate, that hasn't stopped. My head still hurts. My doc thinks it's something infectious, but ... she's slightly concerned. So she's treating it like something, well, treatable for now, and I have antibiotics. Riding is officially verboten for the weekend, and if I don't feel significantly better by Monday, she's sending me for a CAT scan.

I know that Dr. Internetz sends real doctors screaming ("Doc, I read about this horrible parasitic cancerous infection on the Internet, and I'm sure I have it! Give me the expensive name-brand drug I read about on the Internet -- it's the only thing that'll fix it! I know, because I read it ON THE INTERNET!"), but after talking to Sara and hearing what my doc was saying, this is a possibility. Especially given the fact that right after I broke my jaw, I had a couple of weeks where I was having a really, really hard time coping: had to go home from work a couple of times, couldn't focus when I WAS at work, slept a lot, and generally felt bad.

Let us pray fervently that it's not actually what's going on, because I do not want an actual head trauma. Seriously. This is the sort of thing that lasts some indeterminate amount of time, may or may not heal completely, and generally effs you up. Not a good thing for a rider!!

So. Pray for sinus infection.

Meanwhile, the Sprinkler Bandit (remind me to ask her about that moniker) talked/texted me into coming out to our local saddle shop's sale on Friday. I realized that if I'm still having head trouble, I probably need a new helmet. Whether I know I hit my head or not, clearly something happened, so better safe than sorry. And my favorite (and, in my opinion, the most effective mid-range) helmet, the Charles Owen Pro II skullcap, isn't cheap ... so yay for sales. I have a spare Troxel, actually, and I think I'm going to use it for schooling, maybe. I'm just not necessarily as confident in their protection as I am in the CO.

At any rate, let me here proclaim my undying love for and loyalty to helmets. ASTM/SEI approved helmets. Every time. If there were a gang sign for Riders4Helmets, I would throw it here. West Coast Helmets -- Represent!

Ahem. I did mention the head issues? I apologize -- posting while quite dizzy. :) Anyway.

I'm going to watch lessons tomorrow at the barn, and then I'm off to another local barn to scribe for a dressage show. I think I can make it through three and a half hours of scribing with my head the way it is -- I have promised my head that I will rest it afterward. Not exactly total rest, but ... close enough for government work?

I know. You're right. I should. Let's take this little talk as given, k?


Also? The ensmallening (as opposed to embiggening, of course) of me continues successfully. :D This makes me very, very happy. I'd prefer to be able to be hitting the gym, but ... right now I am just focusing on what I can do diet-wise. Yay for me. ;)