I have been struggling with a dry throat for some time now and sometimes it gets really acute and I don’t sleep the night through because I awaken every hour or so, sometimes oftener, and have to drink something. But the respite only lasts a little while. I called my doctor and he saw me right away but could find nothing terribly wrong, outside of a little reddening and slight swelling. There is no pain.

The doctor sent me for blood work and the results are all negative, and also a borderline anemia I had months ago has disappeared so I think I can continue to say no to any more invasive tests to look for why I might be losing red blood cells. This may be another example of over testing but the horror stories of undetected illness do daunt one.

Ed and I joined friends for dinner two nights ago in Punta Gorda and the host said he made a killer martini and was having one so I had one too, straight up with an olive please. Then we had Greek food in Charlotte Harbor along with retsina. No more martinis for me. The dry throat came back big time and the following day, I vegged out because of an almost sleepless night – sort of a not really there hangover, but also no energy. It’s a dirty, rotten shame, that one martini can cause so much trouble.

Ed had a pina colada because he likes to start with dessert.

xx, Teal, also :(