I'm Stuck on U-2

Last weekend my husband and I flew to Seattle for a short-but-sweet visit with the newlyweds and our granddog. In my opinion, flying across the country is not for sissies or people like me with migraine and hunger issues. If you don’t come prepared, you’re doomed, which explains why I brought enough food to keep me alive for an entire weekend (or in case the plane was grounded), earplugs to block out the loud plane noises and the screamers in the seat behind me, books and two weeks-worth of New Yorkers to take my mind off the fact that I wasn’t on a train, but high above the clouds in a sardine-can state of discomfort, and gum to keep my Eustachian tubes from clogging. We had a good time hanging out with our newly married kids, and I did my best to be happy about getting dog hair all over my clothes and up my nose. As usual, I cried when we had to leave.

On our way back to Hartford, we met up at the Sea-Tac airport with my pseudo-daughter from Canada and my year-old pseudo-granddaughter, who were coming back to CT to visit sisters, aunts, and friends and help put her mom’s house in order so it can be sold. We sat in the same row of 3 seats, talking and paying attention to the baby – and for the first time in my short flying history, I didn’t notice that I was in the air. Instead, I was in the moment– connecting with my adopted family – so the flight flew by so fast that I didn’t experience my usual panic at taking off, circling, and landing. Instead, I talked, cooed, and marveled at the baby’s genius at figuring out how to do things like close the window shade and then force her mom to open it so she could close it over and over again. (You get the picture, I know you do!)

I’ve been back a week but I haven’t been able to do much, because I have had a series of skull-crushing migraines that keep me so down I am stuck in a moment [I] can’t get out of. No matter how many Relpax I pop, how much yoga relaxation breathing I do, or how often I smoosh ice packs on my head and neck, my migraines continue to come, one after the other. They are either triggered by smells, weather, food, or nothing at all, but whatever it is that got this round started, I was rendered useless by an iron grip so strong it was impossible for me to function like the human bean I am – the one who loves to read, write, talk, eat, exercise, watch UConn basketball. This week I hung out in bed and tried not to obsess about how much pain I was in.

A friend called yesterday to tell me about a new book by a migraine-sufferer that she read about in the Wall Street Journal, A Brain Wider Than the Sky by Andrew Levy. I can’t tell you how happy it made me to know that my friend was looking out for my best interests, since I’m definitely unable to, what with feeling vulnerable and incapacitated. Therefore, I didn’t run out and buy myself a copy, but I did put an online reserve on it at my library so I can read it when my head stops hurting. And I thank you, J…

Before I wind up this brief howdy-do, I’d like to shout out to all you music-lovers out there in Bloggersville to remind you that Elvis Costello re-started the second season of his fantastic show on the Sundance channel, Spectacle: Elvis Costello With…, which I faithfully watch and listen to. This week he interviewed and sang with Bono and The Edge (honestly, how can they keep straight faces with those silly names?). Next week will showcase Cheryl Crow, Neko Case (I saw her a few weeks ago at the Calvin Theater in Northampton), Ron Sexsmith, and Jesse Winchester. Later on Costello will interview Levon Helm – later still, Bruce Springsteen. Don’t miss this gem-of-a-show, because the interviews are fascinating and probing – and the music is outstanding. Plus, Costello wears weird hats and socks, which are fun to giggle about.

FYI: in case you didn’t know this little factoid, a fellow blogger taught me how to insert hyperlinks into my blogs. I don’t know if you ever click on those links, but in case you don’t, try ‘em, so you can peel back one more layer of my migraine brain to discover what’s going on inside my head, where songs are my helpmates who greet me each morning and get me through my live-long day. They’re my constant companions, therapists, friends, reminders, eye-openers, and headache-helpers. They are one reason I’m still ah – ah – ah – ah stayin’ alive.