Sinuses and migraines

As regular readers (and for that matter listserv posters) have probably noticed, I haven’t been online much in the last week. Part of it was getting locked out by Blogger, but part of it was just not feeling well.

Last week it seemed like all my usual health gripes were acting up, as if I were having some sort of mini flare or something. Usually HPS symptoms come on more gradually and not all of a sudden, so I really don’t know if it was an HPS thing, or just a run-of-the-mill thing – I do know it made for a tough week.

My joint pain was really acting up last week. My tummy was upset all week. The air quality was bad, and I noticed as every time I was outside I was short of breath. And, I had the most horrible headaches. I’ve never had headaches like these. It was as if any noise, or bright light, was cutting into my head. It was awful.

Thursday I ended up being home from work (although I’ve been trying to make up the hours) because my ostomy was acting up too. I’ve had trouble with sores on my skin, but actually those are looking fantastic! Yet, for some reason, I just couldn’t get a pouch to stay on. I went through eight in a 24-hour period, not to mention numerous changes of clothes since my tummy was so upset too.

This weekend I haven’t been catching up on the blog because I was working on the HPS newsletter.

I know, it’s been forever since the Network has sent out a newsletter. When you all finally get it, it will seem like the HPS magazine instead of the HPS newsletter. We have so much stuff to get in there this time!

The delay was partly because the program I use to design the newsletter went kaput. It was a very old program and thus I had no means by which to get any tech help. As it’s very expensive, I hadn’t upgraded it along the way etc. I never had the need. It was adequate for doing a newsletter.

Then, thanks to a Website called TechSoup.com, the Network was able to get a copy of the Adobe creative suite for a fraction of what it costs retail. The difference was thousands. This was truly a blessing!!!!

It allows me to do all sorts of graphic design things I’ve never been able to do before. The only catch is that now that I have it, I have to learn it, and it isn’t a simple program. I’m catching on though, and the newsletter is picking up the pace as I become better at it.

I’m happy to learn it. It’s the same program many in the magazine industry are moving to for layout. Currently, I don’t do layout in my job – but you never know what it might be handy to know in the future.