Take the sun and shove it,,,

For years I've known I am half-ass backwards. When other people complained about cloudy, rainy and cool days - I would be at my best - those are the days I come alive. Sunny days, no matter when they happen...which season, have always given me a little headache.

I've mentioned this before, I was born with this whacked out immune system - signs of it started when I was just 2 weeks old and stopped breathing from breast milk and formula. My mother reminded me of this throughout my childhood when she would find a reason to inform how expensive of a baby I was, 'Do you have any idea what soy milk cost back then?"


My entire life doctors have tried to put a diagnosis to my symptoms and tests results, but could never find one to match...hence my reasoning for hating doctor visits and now why I avoid them...they're intrigued by my medical history...and I despise being a test rabbit.  I spent a childhood being told they were convinced I had leukemia but the bone marrow tests always told them they were wrong.

So, once they took out that ever enlarging...for some mysterious reason...spleen of mine - I stopped going to doctors and decided to just 'deal' with all these weird allergies and  other symptoms. Since I came close to dying a few times as a child, I consider making it 43 an accomplishment - just proves I am stubborn...it's in the blood.

For the most part I do deal well - I've learned to hibernate on my summer allergy season with the exception of the occasional fun in the sun days....after all I do love swimming and I am lucky that my kinda olive complexion doesn't burn. If I can be in, near or on water - I am good no matter if the sun is shining or not.

But, something has nagged at me - since I was a child when the sun went down, I would wake up. That's always been when I can concentrate - when I was able to study - and when I would just 'feel' better. Cloudy days rock as those are the days I am on my game all day and night.

I thought it was just I am half-ass backwards compared to everyone else...like both times I became pregnant, I lost weight but gave birth to a 9 and a 8 lb baby.

With this current heatwave I've been hit hard with my allergies and other symptoms - It never fails but come 3 or 4 in the afternoon, when the sun shines into the house and heats things up - the pounding headache starts and I am reaching for those over the counter allergy meds for  some relief

So tonight, and just out of curiosity and feeling better since the sun has gone down, I looked up seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and photosensitive - and I learned something - I AM NOT ALONE!

Most people automatically link SAD to winter blues - but guess what...there's at least 1% of the population who have SAD in spring and summer!!! HA!

And guess what? Doctors aren't really sure what causes the summer version of SAD...they have theories and point multiple explanations but more importantly they admit it's real. Some believe it has to do with sun sensitivity (geneitic-medication activated) - others believe allergies - and then some believe it's all about a person's inner clock.

Whatever the reason is (which for me I believe is a combination of things), I will continue to find my ways to cope and not let it rule my life completely - Who knows...maybe I am actually Romanian (explains that complexion) and my ancestors wandered into Germany at some point ....yeah, maybe that's it...I have some Transylvania lineage in me....better watch out!!!

I would be curious to hear from others who may experience some of these same symptoms...until then, I wait for the thunderstorm and clouds that are predicted for our area on Friday!!