City Noise

Hey, look! I actually got a decent picture of the Empire State Building, even though I implied it was impossible in an earlier rant.

I'm home for the second day with a migraine that will not quit. I can no longer take Imitrex because it may be the cause of my headaches - rebound headaches from too much medication - OTC or prescription. Or, as my neurologist likes to call it: "chronic daily headache" syndrome. I desperately need to see a specialist and I'm attempting to get an appointment with one. The whole thing is very frustrating. You do all these preventive things and you get a headache anyway. I've started reading the book "The Keeler Migraine Method" and in it, Dr. Robert Cowan explains how migraine is a disease. Headaches can pop up for no reason. The worst part about being a person who gets migraines is realizing that the condition is a disease and you will never truly have control over it. It really makes living in the city a challenge. Every little noise and smell is amplified and painful. Even a little bit of light is annoying.

Neighbors and construction are the worst part of it. We live next door to a child that, I swear, has psychiatric problems and I've had a few mothers say this to me when I tell them that he has tantrums several times per HOUR. It's not normal. His screaming is hard to listen to, and it's excruciating when I have a migraine. And then there are the kids in the back of our building that, honestly, can play basketball for 5 hours straight. On the weekend, they are outside ALL DAY. It's maddening.

I love living in the city, except when I have a migraine. But, it provides plenty of material for this blog!

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Constant screaming kid,
throwing things out the window,
screeching and yelling.

Your mother - a saint -
because she hasn't smacked you.
I know that I would.

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Why are there always
power tools buzzing somewhere
when my head hurts bad?

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Noisy kids playing
basketball, pounding pavement
and pounding my head.

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Kid on a skateboard,
delivery man on bike,
mother with stroller -

Walking the sidewalk,
folks seem to move towards me -
Get out of the way!

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