Friday, January 18, 2008

I know I can. . .

I WILL get there. I'm not sure whose timetable we're on here, but it will happen.

In another bit of synchronicity, yesterday I learned that a medication I was taking that I thought was going to be okay to take while on the MP won't be. I also got a mailing from my doctor informing me that it's time for my annual physical, so they won't renew any prescriptions anyway. I got blood drawn this morning and have my appointment for the physical on Tuesday morning. I think this is going to work out to be perfect timing if I wait and start the MP on Wednesday.

I have started making curtains. The first one was of course the hardest, but now that I have all the preliminaries done and a method established, the rest should go pretty quickly. I got pull-down shades for a couple of rooms and it turned out that the shades, which are cut-to-fit, are exactly the right size as-is. Also, a pair of blackout drapery panels I bought last week and decided I couldn't use for their initial purpose turns out to be exactly the size I need in another place, so I can use them instead of going to the trouble of returning them. Everything's falling into place.

Today I went shopping, and had a terrible headache all day, which was threatening to turn into a migraine (nausea, etc.). The usual meds (including coffee, chocolate, half a hydrocordone, and ibuprofen) didn't help. It was overcast, cold, and rainy, but when I finally decided to head for home I got out my new NoIR sunglasses (the special ones I had to order for the MP). They block all IR, UV, and blue-spectrum, and only allow in ten percent of the visible light spectrum (the other pair only allows in two percent). I put them on and it was like throwing a switch. I could feel the blood vessels in my head, especially around my eyes, relaxing. By the time I got home, my headache was almost gone.

I was amazed, because I'm not taking any of the MP meds yet, so I figured I wouldn't be any more light sensitive than usual. Well, I think I've learned that my "usual" included more significant photosensitivity than I knew, including intolerance to flourescent lighting (in all the stores I went in). I have always hated flourescent lights with a passion! Other people thought I was nuts. But now I know that it's real.

I've been wearing them indoors since I got home, including at the computer (LCDs are backlit by flourescent light), and I feel so much better than I did earlier today. It is AMAZING. I had been using them at the computer about 60% of the time since I got them a couple of days ago. Now I will use them 100% of the time!

Other people have written over at the MP website that the NoIRs are "soothing." I didn't know what that meant. Now I do.

4 comments:

Susan in St. Paul said...

Good Luck on starting tomorrow.

Very cool about the sunglasses! My sleep dr wanted me to get a blue blocker for my computer screen, I wonder if I the sunglasses would be a good solution.

I have always been light sensitive and I usually wear a large brimmed hat most places except home and work, it helps.

I just rehung my drapery rods higher up towards the ceiling and it has cut light leakage quite a bit.

Adela said...

Thanks, Susan! Yes, the glasses would help you. For blue-blocking, you need amber-colored glasses. NoIR makes a 40% in addition to the 10% and 2%. They aren't cheap but if you are photosensitive, especially to flourescents, I think you'll like them. http://www.noir-medical.com/noir_amber.htm

The drapes came out well. They were hard to sew because the fabric is so heavy that I had to hold it up to keep it from dragging the sewing line out of alignment. I don't have any light leakage at the tops because the windows have wooden blinds, with a cornice-like panel at the top. I put the tension rod in front of that. There is some light leakage at the sides but I think it's okay (if not, I can fix that later with strip magnets). Their insulating quality is also pretty impressive!

I am not an experienced seamstress, but although the weight made it challenging, it was otherwise straight-forward. I subsequently hemmed a remnant to use as a tablecloth and it was much easier, and prettier!

Adela said...

(The remnant was a normal cotton fabric-- I didn't use the drapery liner leftovers! ;-) )

Susan in St. Paul said...

Thanks, I just looked at the glasses!

I get around leakage on the side by bunching the excess fabric there. I have also used shower curtain clips which are easier than magnets.

The weight of the fabric is a common problem in sewing. Several of my machines came with little tables which help, but I also have some sew steady tables(http://www.dreamworld-inc.com/), which are plexiglass ones that fit around the bed of the machine so the fabric is raised up to the same height. They are especially helpful when sewing or serging on knits that can stretch as you sew or when sewing on the bias. You can also just use a stack of books or something to do the same thing although then you could store stuff under them ;-).

My other main advice if you are going to get into sewing a bit more is to change your needle about every 4-6 hours of sewing, clean and oil(if it uses oil) your machine before use. If you have any problems just let me know and I will try to help.