Tracing Headache's Origin and a Flu Shot

Mostly clear and near 50 when I stepped out onto the deck shortly after waking and heading downstairs. After some fresh air, I headed to the livingroom for Monday calisthenics . Whipped out sit-ups and windmills then headed back out to the deck for push-ups. The cool fresh air seems to make them easier. No kidding! It was just Jacob and I downstairs. Mindy took the day off to take Bella to a doctor’s appointment. Bella was originally planning to go to school and have Mindy pick her up around 11am but she apparently had a change of heart that morning. Now she wanted to stay home. Guessing she stayed up late in her room. Actually, Mindy tried convincing her to stay home anyway.

Still dealing with a dull, come-and-go headache. Failed to share that brother Craig brought his ear checker thing along Sunday and peered into both my ears. Said my ears were clean as a whistle but that my ear drums were sucked in. Bottom line, my headaches are likely due to sinus pressure. The thing is, no sinus congestion at all. Very odd! They’ve been hit or miss ever since my last haircut two weeks ago. I wonder if having my hair washed and rinsed with my head back in the sink bowl at Saturday’s allowed water to seep in behind my ear drums. It was that evening that I first got a throbbing headache while at Jacob’s soccer game in the chilly evening air.

Coffee and internet were next, perhaps my favorite times of the day. I planned on working from the office so my goal was to leave for a run before 745am. Jacob was soon off to school. Shortly after Jacob headed out I moved on to meditation and stretching. Per my targeted goal, I was out the door for a run by 740am.

Wearing my running jacket, I ran 4.1 miles and got a little warm about the midway point. I used the zipper for temperature regulation. I was fine and finished strong. Home ahead of 830am, I was startled to find Bella parked on the family chair watching TV after having a piece of apple pie for breakfast. I moved swiftly through breakfast and lunch prep. Off to the shower by 845am. Ready to head out the door by 920am. Arrived at the office just after 930am.

Mindy and I talked about meeting for lunch after Bella’s doctor’s appointment at the new Hilliard Rusty Bucket. However, when we made those loose plans, I hadn’t considered my work calendar, and I’d forgotten about a three hour meeting on my calendar from noon to 3pm. Once I checked my calendar I sent Mindy a text canceling my attendance at lunch.

Stayed busy all morning leading up to my noon call/meeting. Before my call, I stepped away from my desk and called the 2nd drywall guy that neighbor Pat referred. Kurt seems cool. Said he could come out any day this week to give me an estimate. I suggested Friday. Before heading back to my desk, I headed down to the lobby to get a free flu shot, something our company's been offering for the past couple years, but a convenience I've passed on. In fact, I've had a flu shot only one other year, and that was maybe 5 years ago provided my brother Craig at Sunday dinner. Ouchie! The stick stung! The guy giving me the shot was telling me a story about a fat woman last week that insisted he stick her in the buttocks instead of the arm muscle. Couldn't help but laugh. Still not sure what prompted him to share his story. :)

I joined my call at noon and waited on the call for 30 minutes before giving up. Dang it! I had plenty to do, so it’s not like the time got wasted. Still, I wasn’t pleased that I committed that time and the person leading the call/meeting was a no show. I stayed busy through the afternoon with a couple of meetings. At some point Mindy sent me a text asking if I planned to meet her at Jacob’s soccer tournament at the Wellington school. Yes. I still planned to go. Before I left for the day, I chatted with a peer, the guy who recently took the trip to the Oktoberfest in Munich. He was eager to share more pictures. Nice!

I left the office near 540pm and arrived at the Wellington School near 6pm for the start of Jacob’s game. Good thing I had a jacket in the trunk of the Accord. It was chilly, especially when the sun dipped behind the fast moving clouds. Wellington school is a private school in Arlington. Cost more than most private colleges. They have a beautiful soccer field with a hi-tech artificial surface and the stands integrated into the side of a hill.

Jimaken, Mindy and Bella were already there. Mindy was bundled in a winter coat. For 3/4s of the game it was 0-0. If Jacob’s team won then they would play on. However, a loss meant the end of the soccer season. As much as we wanted his team to win, I think all of us were eager for the season to be over. Bottom line, his team lost 1-0. He wasn’t happy. Because we drove separately, I headed home before Mindy and the kids left the school. Mindy asked that I start some macaroni once home. She still had to drive to the middle school to pick-up Jacob, who was required to ride the team bus back to the school with the rest of the team. I joked that since it was the last day of the season what could they possibly do. Still, Mindy followed the rules.

I got home at least 20 minutes before Mindy and the kids. Well, probably more like half an hour. Just as Mindy requested, I started the macaroni. Opted to heat up some green beans too. As soon as Mindy and the kids got home Mindy mentioned that she neglected to ask me to reheat the Canes chicken. Yeah, that would’ve been important to know. Not a big deal, she threw about 20 tenders on the pizza stone and tossed them in the oven for about 10 minutes.

By the time we finished dinner and clean-up it was after 8pm. Where had the evening gone? Tuned into MNF around 820pm for the Bengals/Patriots. The game was a mismatch from the outset. Despite the Patriots early season slump and the Bengals surge, the Patriots dominated. Wasn’t close. I stopped watching and headed for bed even before halftime. Turned the game on from bed but quickly fell asleep.