No smiles today, just frowns I've got.
It's time for a rest on the pity pot.

I'm sad, I'm cranky. It'll be a day or two
Of feeling down, of feeling blue.

This isn't just a simple mood swing,
It's an honest to goodness pity pot thing.

You must admit that I've earned this spot
Right up front on the pity pot.

It's just so hard to keep this smile.
I need a pity pot break for just a while.

So give me time to wallow a bit.
I know real soon that I'll get over it.

The clouds will part and the sun will grow hot,
And I'll jump right off this pity pot.

This morning started out right nicely enough. I woke up early, got everything ready to begin grading essays, and was all set to put the past few days' worth of seizures behind me. I had heard something on the news that I just had to share with the Amazing Egyptian Dude, so I got up from my computer desk and began to amble over toward the living room. Maybe half a dozen steps into the trek, and I'm hit with the headache -- the one that makes breathing painful and moving excruciating. It nearly always starts on the right side, as that's the side of my body that Chiari seems to like torturing the most.

I grabbed my head and wobbled over to the couch, where I collapsed in a groaning heap. Whether my cats can sense something is wrong or they just like me being a captive audience for their affections, I don't know; but just seconds after I got myself situated comfortably on the couch, I had one cat at my head, one on my chest, and another on my feet. I fell asleep that way. See when I get these pressure headaches, the only way to deal with them is to sleep them off. Although I did manage to sleep, I awoke with a headache and a droopy right half of my face. If you've ever seen anyone with Bell's Palsy, then you'll know what I mean by a droopy face.

The headache is gone now, but I am wiped out. I am confident that I've earned this break on the pity pot, and by golly, I'm going to take it!