:)/:(

[dorinda]

My computer started behaving strangely last week, making me very worried. :(

It seemed to settle down on Saturday, giving me a chance to update the OS and make sure I had a good backup. :)

It collapsed entirely on Sunday. :(

Turns out the logic board has died, but this is a known problem with this model/year and is covered under a free repair. :)

The Mysterious Throat Issue is still plaguing me with pain and distress. :(

I got a super-quick referral to an ENT instead of having to try Urgent Care or my GP again. :)

The camera she snaked through my head showed inflammation, but no clear diagnosis. :(

She put me on some antibiotics which she hopes will root out infection from throat/sinuses. :)

Antibiotics are doing a giant number on my stomach. :(

Pain seems to be improving (even if slowwwly), and I slept all night last night. :)

I settled in for some good blocks of writing time on the weekend, but was unable to generate any words whatsoever on the several stories I am wanting so badly to write :(

I got a super-helpful beta back for a little story I wrote, and have good guidance for how to fix it, so that'll at least keep my writing hand in. :)

There is some Nutella at my house. :9

Comments

[kerithwyn]

Oh, noes, I am so sorry your throat crud is still lingering!

Nutella makes all things good. Have you tried the Biscoff cookie spread? I'm trying to forget I have some in the house RIGHT NOW.

[dorinda]

...I didn't even know that existed.

BUT I SURE DO NOW. *makes grabby hands*

[kerithwyn]

ha ha oops. YOU'RE WELCOME. :D

[gwyn]

Ugh, I'm so sorry. Hey, if you haven't already heard this, go out and buy a giant bottle of acidophilus and chug it like a beer. They always say one table spoon or whatever, but I've had frequent antibiotics from lung problems and I learned fast that I needed to drink that stuff like crazy. It'll help a lot with your tummy and it works faster than pills or the less itnensive yogurt or keffir. But yogurt or keffir are really good additions too while you're on them. I've, uh, learned the hard way about what antibiotics do to you. But if it's hard to take it in liquid form, capsules will help too.

[dorinda]

I hadn't heard that, thanks for the tip! Where does one purchase refrigerated/bottled acidophilus? This doc prescribed some probiotic capsules to be taken midday (and Dr. P. added some more including a yeast and some other things), but I have nothing bottled, and I bet that would be nice on the stomach.

[gwyn]

You know, since I live in the land of tree huggers and granola eaters, I often take it for granted that I can find this stuff in all the grocery stores around here, but if they don't have it in a health-food section (it's refrigerated, so you'd need to look for a small case or maybe they'd stock it somewhere near the yogurt/keffir), you should be able to find it in a health-food store or Whole Foods type place. It's very tart, I have to warn you (I always get the blueberry flavored one, but some of them have other flavors, I figure if I'm going to pucker up like that, I want it to be something I like), but that stuff has kind of almost literally saved my life. No one told me about the damage antibiotics could do the first few dozen times I took them, and I was so depleted from intestinal distress that I was nearly passing out. Fermented foods in general are really good at this time--keffir, and yogurt, obvy, and things like kombucha drinks (which are not the miracle cure their fans like to say they are, but they are helpful) or even stuff like kimchi and sauerkraut! Basically anything that will help you get the good flora back. And of course fibery foods, like some apples and such, can assist.

[dorinda]

Hahaha, perfect icon. :D

That gives me good clues; I shall snoop about. And I love fermented foods in general, so this'll give me a good excuse to eat more of them. \o/

[blackmare]

What a week!

FYI, if you haven't discovered this already: Nutella makes fantastic hot cocoa. Just heat the milk slowly in a saucepan and whisk in as much Nutella as seems right to you. It takes a little time to dissolve. The results are heavenly.

[dorinda]

I've never tried that! And Autumn is juuuust the perfect time for it, too, so thanks for the recommendation! Om nom nom nom.

[klia]

GREAT news about the computer repair -- glad it revived long enough for you to backup and update before conking out.

OMG, it sucks so hard that you're still dealing with that sore throat issue! Hope the antibiotics knock it out once and for all!

Re: probiotics -- have you tried looking for kefir in your local grocery store? It helped me a lot after my recent course of antibiotics. (FYI, from a kefir website, but still: “Yogurt contains transient beneficial bacteria that keep the digestive system clean and provide food for the friendly bacteria that reside there. But kefir can actually colonize the intestinal tract, a feat that yogurt cannot match.”)

Today's kefir is different from the stuff Tashery introduced me to in the '80s -- it used to have fizz, almost like carbonation, but now it doesn't (I wish it still did, because it was kind of fun and freaky-feeling).

Hope you're able to focus on writing again once you're feeling better.

[dorinda]

I was SO happy to hear about the free repair! Because at first, when I thought it would be a full-on big $$$ fix, my stomach fell into my shoes. Whew!

I must say that I was also very relieved to be able to get it backed up because it let me change my desktop picture from Naked Dudes Cuddling, to something a little less...um. Revealing. :D I ended up putting a happy elephant playing in the surf.

I have never tried kefir! I'd heard of it, but didn't really know what it was. I need to stop by the store after work today or tomorrow, so I will look for some, because it sounds like exactly what I need. ♥

[montanaharper]

because it let me change my desktop picture from Naked Dudes Cuddling

This is a persistent fear of mine, and why my wallpaper is something generic. Our local computer repair place is owned and run by a very nice Christian boy, and I really don't need him seeing my gay porn. (When I had them build me a new computer, I actually insisted on moving all six of my hard drives over to the new system myself, because SO MUCH INCRIMINATING STUFF. >.<)

[dorinda]

Heh. Yeah, at first when it broke down and wouldn't boot, I basically had to resign myself to the Apple repairpeople getting a nice look at a very pleasant nude picture. I figured they've seen worse. :D But I did scramble to switch to the elephant when I had that last boot/backup opportunity, because frankly I prefer my privacy.

[montanaharper]

I hope the antibiotics help with the Mysterious Throat Issue. Alas, I have no better advice to offer on the stomach problems than everyone else has already, but I hope you can get those cleared up, too.

[dorinda]

Thanks! I don't want to jinx it, but I think they're working. And the course of pills is finished soon, so then that ughness will be over as well. I'm feeling very hopeful!

[msmoat]

On balance, overall, I think there are more good than not so good things here, so that's, er, good! Particularly good about the computer repair. \o/ But oh, no about the inflammation and pain and the terrible things that antibiotics do to your stomach. (I started having terrible trouble digesting milk lactose after a long course of antibiotics, back in the days before they knew about probiotics. I still have dairy issues.) I've been reading all the wonderful suggestions in your comments here--do all that! *g*

And Nutella hot chocolate? Oh, dear. I may have to investigate that. Here's to better, soothing, good days ahead for you, and time and energy to write!

[dorinda]

I was so so so happy about the computer repair! I had no idea. But the symptoms were so weird that I started googling them, thinking maybe there was something I could do that wouldn't cost a billion dollars. And I came across discussion of this exact problem happening in other people's laptops of this year/model, and how there was a class action suit about it, and how Apple therefore had to repair them all for free and reimburse people who'd already paid for their own repairs. Thank goodness for all of that, and for people discussing it on the Internet.

I stopped at the store last night, and couldn't find refigerated/liquid acidophilus yet, but did find some live-culture kombucha and kefir, so I picked up a bunch, and will be drinking some with my giant handful of probiotic capsules at lunch today. Don't worry, stomach, here comes the cavalry!

[the_shoshanna]

Aw, man, sympathies on these many woes. It does sound like things are improving, though -- here's hoping your health and that of your computer both speedily improve!

(Do not give your computer Nutella hot chocolate. No matter how much it begs.)

[dorinda]

Definitely improving, and the free computer repair is such a load off my mind. With the antibiotics, I definitely have my eyes on the light at the end of the tunnel, and look forward hopefully to feeling better all around.

(Do not give your computer Nutella hot chocolate. No matter how much it begs.)

Ohhhhhhhh. Maybe that was part of the problem? The funnel I poked into the SuperDrive? No no, certainly not, Nutella is a wholesome food.

[marycrawford]

Aw, I hope the antibiotics keep on antibioticking until you are PAIN FREE. Glad to hear laptop can be fixed for free though!

The camera she snaked through my head

But did it detect the giant bags of glitter and sequins you store there? If not, not sure if trustworthy. *side eye*

[dorinda]

She did make a couple of very long "hmmmmmm" noises while cameraing...maybe that was glitter related? Or she saw the giant banner that says WELCOME TO THE DORINDAVERSE?