better days

[mellowtigger]

If you see this message in time, go look for Aurora in the sky tonight.

I've been better. Current temp is barely above normal, 37.2C/99.0F. I spent hours asleep this afternoon already. Headache (forehead and base of skull), sore neck and jaw, sore and slightly swollen tongue. All on the right-hand side of my body.

A canker sore appeared on the side of my tongue. The timing is amusing, since this week I intended to post that I haven't had one in a very long time. I wanted to mention that I stopped using toothpaste with sodium lauryl sulfate a long time ago (switching to Sensodyne instead), long before yesterday's news that it seems to be associated with outbreaks in the mouth.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/2024/10/09/canker-sore-toothpaste-sls/

I dislike being ill, but at least this is mild.

Edit Friday 8am: I tried to view aurora from my house last night. I tried a few times and even looked through my phone's camera, in case it could spot things that my eye couldn't. No luck. I think the bright security light from the neighbor behind me just washes out any dim aurora. :( Other people posted pics, though, even from here in north Minneapolis. See 1, 2, and 3.)

Edit Friday 4:30pm: I slept the afternoon away again. And I took some Advil (that expired 2.5 years ago) to try to tackle this persistent head and neck ache.

Edit Saturday 4:20pm: I made it through work today without needing a nap. The headache, neck ache, and sore tongue are much diminished. I expect to sleep a few extra hours tonight and hopefully be back to normal tomorrow.

Edit Sunday 5pm: I slept about 9 hours last night, despite oversleeping for 3 days already. Today, the issue is almost-but-not-quite at zero. Maybe one more night of recuperation, then back to normal.

Comments

[house_wren]

Oh! My sympathies...being ill sucks.

I have had canker sores all my life. A few years ago someone in the periodontist office told me to get toothpaste without sodium laurel sulfate. What a difference it has made! Thanks for posting a link to the article; I would not have seen it otherwise.

I 'keep looking up!' but no aurora yet.

[mellowtigger]

This news reminds me of when we learned that stomach ulcers were caused by a bacterium, easily solved. The headache seems worse today, but the sore is healing up already, so this problem shouldn't last long.

[house_wren]

By the way, I did end up seeing the aurora. It was the first time I could see any colors; the best viewing I've had. I heard that people could see it even in the city.

[mellowtigger]

I'm glad to hear that you caught the sight! I've seen them before, but never from the convenience of my own back yard.

[darkoshi]

I remembered shortly before 3am here (it was supposed to be potentially viewable even this far south) and went outside looking towards the north, but didn't see anything either. I looked with my phone's camera too. (But didn't actually take a photo; I'm not sure if that would make a difference.)
If I'd had more confidence in there still being anything to actually see, I would have gotten out my regular camera and tripod and done a long exposure shot.

[mellowtigger]

This news story includes a photo of the aurora as far south (in this hemisphere) as Lubbock TX. It's amazing how much difference light pollution can make for viewing possibilities. :( And luck. There definitely seems to be a strong need for luck in looking at the right time at the right location.

[brian_bogue]

I don't get to excited about auroras, mainly because I have really bad color vision. Even when every one around me can see them, I really don't see them. Sad as I really want to, and am a bit envious of those who can.

[mellowtigger]

The time that I saw the lights, they were nowhere near as beautiful as the photos that people post, where they can overexpose and gather much more light than the human eye can do. A sunset can be much more spectacular. It's just so unusual to see them in the night sky, though, and they change from minute to minute. Yes, I'm envious too of people who can see them regularly. I live where I should be able to see them often enough, but after 1/4-century here in the Twin Cities, I still haven't seen them because of the light pollution.