Christine Elias

I woke up this morning thinking there was construction or drilling happening on our roof as there was a really loud rhythmic humming noise in both of my ears.

I can’t hold a conversation easily without my hearing aids in, so I don’t engage my loved one in conversation in the morning, because while I can talk just fine, I can barely hear the answers — so we avoid that for martial harmony. But today I could not help it and asked about that horrible noise.

So after some loud talking right into my ear, I learned that only I could hear the noise. No construction. No drilling. Nothing. Just regular house noise, which I can’t hear anyway — especially with no hearing aids.

Oh no! Was it back — but way worse?

About 15 years ago, I developed severe tinnitus and after getting new hearing aids, using a white noise machine at night and some CBT, I got some relief.

It took about six months to get “better” but it never really went away, but I almost never notice it now. Except this morning!

I freaked out, it was extremely anxiety-inducing and I was very worried — like last time — that it would not stop for a long time without some serious intervention. And maybe would not stop at all.

Thankfully it did stop after about an hour. (And some calming words from my also very worried beloved.)

After it was all over, I used my good friend Dr. Google (as one does) and I think maybe it was “reactive tinnitus” — a type of tinnitus that gets worse with exposure to mild to moderate levels of sound. We are sleeping with a huge noisy fan in our bedroom (thanks heat wave) … so maybe that caused it? Mind you, some audiologists say it’s not really a thing — all I know is that it was loud and very real.

So far so good, it didn’t start up again today. But I am worried now it will come back any minute.

I was at the dermatologist last week to zap off some incredibly tiny skin things under my eyes.

I discovered them — there were six! — after a visit the previous month to zap off one less-than-wee skin thing on my eyelid.

The doctor took a look at me and said that she recognized my face — and I confessed that I was back for more of that magical cryotherapy on some new skin tags I just discovered.

She said that once you get some removed, you will always find more.

In both cases, I was advised by my loved one that you could barely see them. But I could see them. (See them very, very well as a matter of fact — and they bothered me.)

Perhaps this is because I have a giant 15x lighted middle-aged lady magnifying mirror that blows up all my imperfections to alarming sizes.

I should probably relax a bit, we’re all getting older and I do have pretty good skin for someone my age. But I know I won’t — I am already thinking it might be time for some fractional laser skin resurfacing. But I have a feeling a special someone will talk me out of it.

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Another thing to potentially blame on the broken AC

My new 15x lighted middle-aged lady magnifying mirror