for good measure.

I missed laughter. I missed song. I think I missed out on an entire year of my life after "the sickness" came on. Slowly, but surely it's all coming back to me. Or I'm getting back to it. I don't really know which it is. Aside from the occasional near-return of the weird and random symptoms that to this day remain unattributed--the vertigo and dizziness being the worst of it--I'm getting by. Oh, and the face swelling. That one's pretty alarming and uncomfortable. 

There's a list of things I've been doing to 1. be happy, and 2. be healthy. The food, yeah that's a given. It feeds both of those things.  I haven't given up anything I can't live without. I gave up gluten, and I eat more vegetables via smoothie. I eat breakfast every day. I smoke less, and when I do it's not in the house. To be happy, I pause in my travels to get flavored iced coffees when I need a little boost, or a hot chocolate for the cold days. Sounds small, but I hadn't allowed myself even that little two-dollar luxury in a long, long time. I watch crappy television sometimes. I make chocolate cake every other week. And as of this week, I sing a little song with a friend. 

Soon, I hope to be making more music. Practice has been going better than it was in that the vibration in my ears stopped triggering the vertigo, and I don't feel quite so weak in the diaphragm. It may not be music to everyone's ears, but I love doing it and it makes me feel happier. 

Other things I'm appreciating in the new year--my cats, my boyfriend, and our new-ish apartment and living arrangements. None could be more perfect. Except for one of the cats, who recently was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism. Recently, as in, today. I'm just glad we know, and that we have a shot at getting it under control before it got worse. So happy that I opted for the blood work now, rather than later, as there were no real symptoms except that he was farting a lot, which may not have had anything to do with his diagnosis.

And speaking of happier, I also hope Spring makes an early return this year. With two months to go, even the tiniest amount of sunshine has been invoking the fever in me.