The Chat Thread

[MN Dave]

Aren't you better yet? 

[karlhenning]

Slackers.

Keeping that disapprobation in mid-season form, I see.   Good show!

[Andante]

First time it happens, if you don't know what it is, it's terrifying! In addition to the lights, you get a gradually widening 'hole' in your vision within the arc of silver lights, which clears as the lights expand beyond the limits of vision over a period of about 40 minutes. Everyone doesn't experience the same thing exactly - there are some examples of what people report here (looking at some of them makes me feel as if I'm getting a migraine attack!):

Hello Elgarian nice to catch up with you again, regarding "silvery flashing lights" About 12 months ago as I got out of bed I had the said flashes and sparkles, this was immediately followed by a painless loss of vision (80%) in my left eye unfortunately it is permanent, so if you get this for heavens sake get it checked out

[Elgarian]

Hello Elgarian nice to catch up with you again, regarding "silvery flashing lights" About 12 months ago as I got out of bed I had the said flashes and sparkles, this was immediately followed by a painless loss of vision (80%) in my left eye unfortunately it is permanent, so if you get this for heavens sake get it checked out

Hello Andante. That must have been a lot more than an 'ordinary' migraine you had there, and I'm very sorry to hear that you're still affected by its consequences.

[Elgarian]

Aren't you better yet? 

I'm just beginning to feel like a normal human being. It's years since I had a sinus infection as bad as this, and it simply laid me out for days. Even now, the difference between me and a washed-out dishcloth is not large. People keep picking me up and putting me in the kitchen sink by mistake. No joke, I tell you.

[greg]

Sinus infection? I think I got one of those the first three 3 years of high school (3 years in a row, until I went to a different high school the last year). I wonder if the reason was the building I was in? It wasn't too old, but it was extremely dirty... do you think the building where you work is dirty like this? (assuming work, of course)

[Elgarian]

Sinus infection? I think I got one of those the first three 3 years of high school (3 years in a row, until I went to a different high school the last year). I wonder if the reason was the building I was in? It wasn't too old, but it was extremely dirty... do you think the building where you work is dirty like this? (assuming work, of course)

No, nothing like that. I think some people have narrower sinus passages than others, so all the goo that's produced when you have a cold can't drain away properly, and so the sinuses are more easily infected. Another problem is that the older one gets, the harder certain infections seem to hit. Another problem might be that I make too much fuss about it all, but I firmly reject that hypothesis.

[Opus106]

I'm just beginning to feel like a normal human being. It's years since I had a sinus infection as bad as this, and it simply laid me out for days. Even now, the difference between me and a washed-out dishcloth is not large. People keep picking me up and putting me in the kitchen sink by mistake. No joke, I tell you.

Really? I mean, don't they know that dishcloths don't like Handel arias?

[secondwind]

I'm just beginning to feel like a normal human being. It's years since I had a sinus infection as bad as this, and it simply laid me out for days. Even now, the difference between me and a washed-out dishcloth is not large. People keep picking me up and putting me in the kitchen sink by mistake. No joke, I tell you.

I'm sorry to hear you've been feeling bad.  What have you been taking for the sinus infection?  My doctor usually gives me antibiotics, and they seem to work brilliantly.  The first time I argued with him about it. . ."Are you sure I need antibiotics?  I know people say they are being over-prescribed, and maybe they won't help me anyway. . ."    He said I had two choices--I could argue with him, make him rinse some stuff out of my sinuses and send it off to be cultured, wait a few days, and then find out he was right, or I could trust him, take the antibiotics, and feel better much sooner.  "So," he said, "what would you prefer to do next, argue or feel better?"  He was right.  I felt massively better within 12 hours of starting the prescription.  I hope you get whatever you need to recover from your infection, whatever type it is. 

[karlhenning]

Although there is a history of over-prescribing antibiotics, there are ailments for which they are just plain the right treatment.

And, Alan: Hope you mend rapidamente!

[CD]

Anyone have experience with shipping a desktop computer through the mail? I'm wondering if packing this with foam padding (the kind that you sometimes find on beds) is going to be adequate.

[Lethevich]

Anyone have experience with shipping a desktop computer through the mail? I'm wondering if packing this with foam padding (the kind that you sometimes find on beds) is going to be adequate.

They're pretty resilient, I've done it a few times. You have to put your faith in the postal service to just throw it around like normal, rather than actually kick the shit into it (which they sometimes seem to do). It's worth layering - buy some bubble wrap, and wrap it tightly a few times to help dissipate any vibration shocks, then do whatever you would with the cushioning packaging.

[Elgarian]

What have you been taking for the sinus infection?

There's nothing like a good dose of sympathy for helping one to feel better. Thanks for these good wishes, Karl and Nancy. Conversation with doctor went like this (I'd gone to see him about something else):
Him: You look very well.
Me: Actually I feel terrible. I have sinusitis.
Him: We can fix that, you know.
Me: Yes, but skim back through my records and see all the previous times I tried antibiotics to fix sinusitis.
Him: Oh dear yes, I see what you mean. On each occasion the patient recovered in spite of the treatment.
Me: Yes. But only just.
Him. Back to the steam inhalations then?
Me: Yes.

And indeed, the condition is fixing itself, without the added trauma of antibiotic side effects (to which it seems to be my appointed lot to be particularly prone).

Still feel somewhat dish-clothish though, despite the persistent attraction to Handel arias, Navneeth. Sometimes I feel an urge to squeeze myself dry and flop into a bucket.

[MN Dave]

feel better. or else...

[Elgarian]

feel better. or else...

You don't scare me, Big MN Dave. Dishcloths don't feel pain.

[MN Dave]

You don't scare me, Big MN Dave. Dishcloths don't feel pain.

I'll use you to clean the toilet! 

[secondwind]

Well, Elgarian, I'm sending massive doses of sympathy your way.  I'm sorry you have one of those stubborn infections that doesn't respond to much of anything  .  Except maybe sympathy 

[Elgarian]

I'll use you to clean the toilet! 

I feel better already!

[Elgarian]

Well, Elgarian, I'm sending massive doses of sympathy your way.  I'm sorry you have one of those stubborn infections that doesn't respond to much of anything  .  Except maybe sympathy 

Well, thank you for this. Curiously, I see that the official advice from the National Health Service Helpline is NOT to use steam inhalation for sinusitis because (a) of the risk of scalding, and (b) it's not of proven effectiveness.

Well, (b) is nonsense - steam inhalation is the only thing I've ever found that repeatedly and reliably relieves the symptoms. And (a) sounds like one of those absurd 'precautions against litigation' pieces of advice, like the warning labels 'Caution! Risk of scalding! This water is very hot!" on hot water taps in public toilets.

So that's the NHS helpline down the pan.

[Looks around to see what's next...]

[Opus106]

Still feel somewhat dish-clothish though, despite the persistent attraction to Handel arias, Navneeth. Sometimes I feel an urge to squeeze myself dry and flop into a bucket.

Ouch! It's that bad, is it? Heed The Big Bad Dave's words.