As I write this I am in excruciating pain from a jackhammer-level migraine, simply trying to distract myself, so be aware of that and take anything I say with a grain of salt.

Ow. Ow. Ow. I’m sitting in a room with the lights off, blinds drawn over my wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling windows against the late-afternoon sun which would otherwise be streaming in. I finally gave in and took two Excedrin for Tension Headaches. I don’t take the migraine version because it contains aspirin and acetaminophen and I really don’t like to combine those two medicines because it can be hard on the kidneys (or was it liver? I forget). The caffeine seems to be the kicker that does the trick for me. It also will keep me awake most of the night. My left eye has just started streaming some slimy gunk and my nose has begun to drip. Better out than in, I suppose Sorry, TMI. Let’s just say pain, lots and lots of pain.

Laying down makes it worse. The challenge is that I don’t think there exists a comfortable piece of furniture in all of China. There seems to be some unwritten rule that all sofas and chairs must be uncomfortable. Here in Guangzhou, the classic, high-quality furniture is all made of wood, with cushions that you tie on to it, like the kind your mother or grandmother always had tied onto her wooden rocking chair. This is not exactly conducive to the sort of curl-up-and-cuddle-in-your-mother’s-arms comfort that you sometimes need when you are in a lot of pain or just reading a good book. The other kind of furniture they have here looks like standard, leather-upholstered, cushioned furniture. But remember what I’ve said in the past: in China, it’s all about appearances, actual quality is less of a concern. So what you end up with is not the sort of thing you expect when you sit down. If you are lucky it’s not fake leather that peels and cracks over time, shedding little bits of fakeness all over you and your floor. If you are lucky it’s real leather. Either way, you sit down and discover that this comfortable looking chair was not actually made to hold a person as you lean back to settle in and find yourself slowly sliding in the direction of the floor. If the temperature is hot enough though, you won’t actually make it to the floor, eventually you will sweat enough that you will stick in place in a sort of half-slid position. When the temperature is cold, you will find yourself constantly pushing yourself back up in order to avoid finding yourself in a shivering heap on the floor.

So here I find myself, unable to lie down because it makes my head hurt more, unable to curl up on couch or chair, sitting on my bed and wishing very strongly for an un-counterfeit, un-knock-off Lazy Boy Recliner. Oh to have dreams come true!

I’m beginning to think I need to see a doctor about these headaches. they are happening way too often, but due to a series of unfortunate events with doctors in my past, I am reluctant to go even in the U.S. Here, in China, the thought is most terrifying. Moan. Oh Mommy, can’t you just fix it better??

winner-winner, chicken dinner 🙂 (think positively, right?)