Donor brain = small plush bear

Yesterday was a wash on the writing front. I took myself off the Diclofenac. That whole throat closing, swelling digits thing was screaming “allergic reaction” to me. And already, my joints are beginning to ache again. My Rheumatologist agreed that I should stop taking the Diclofenac, but to replace it? “Take Tylenol,” he said. Sigh.

Also, in order to cleanse my system faster, I went off the caffeine cold turkey yesterday. Big mistake. I was doing okay, hurting but okay, until I got into the car to go home. But between going off the NSAID and the caffeine and the brief exposure to the outdoors, my head decided to explode. During the drive, if someone had suggested “Hey, I got this small plush bear, how ’bout I replace your brain with it?” I would have lunged at the chance. Pain was almost bad enough to reduce me to tears.

Soon as I got home, I downed two Excedrin, and then after dinner took a third. Since one of the main ingredients in Excedrin is caffeine, I started feeling much better right quick. Also noticed an interesting phenomenon: Hobkin is a source of endorphins for me. Not a big enough one to seriously combat a killer caffeine withdrawal headache, but noticeable. While I was whimpering on the couch, trying to hold my skull together, Hobkin hopped up to see what the matter was. I hugged him, and suddenly felt an ebbing of pain. Huh. I assume it’s due to the XX maternal instinct kicking in. Mothers defend and aid their young ones in the face of daunting disability and all that. But still, huh.

Today, I learned my lesson and had coffee with my breakfast. Time to wean myself off the caffeine teat again–wean being the key word, as cold turkey might just kill me if I try that one more time.

Writing status: I was in agony and then dazed from the aftereffects of pain. So, 0 new words. But I did watch the last episodes of The Littlest Groom and My Big, Fat, Annoying Fiancé. If my brain cells weren’t already sludge last night, they would have shrieked in protest.

Maybe someone did replace my brain with a stuffed toy after all . . .

But something I can do with a liquefied brain (and really tawdry reality shows on in the background) is research. So I clicked about online to learn about how children’s book publishing works. Up until now, I’ve only been looking at magazines as homes for my children’s works. The whole children’s book publishing world is an unexplored vista for my humble submissions. Theoretically.