It's All In Your Head!

I know, we've all heard this statement before ... but I have a new word with which to associate it: phantosmia.

You've never heard of phantosmia? Join the club!

Here's the simple definition: Phantosmia is the sensation of smelling something that is not present in your immediate environment. You're not really smelling what you're, well, smelling. Your brain (the temporal lobe, specifically) is causing you to remember the smell what you're smelling!

WOW!

Well, I'm not exactly sure yet what my brain is up to with this, but I'll be seeing my neurologist friend to see if we can get to the bottom (top?) of it soon.

This all began two days ago when, in the middle of the afternoon, I began to get a slight headache. Now, I'm not a big headache person -- and one of the things that will give me a headache in a heartbeat is a strong fragrance. And wouldn't you know, I was smelling some fragrance that I recognized but I couldn't put my finger on what it was.

So I started sniffing. Not the smell of soap on my hands. Not the smell of laundry detergent. Not the smell of the candles. Not the smell of deodorant. Not the smell of toothpaste or hairspray...aaugh!

It didn't matter where I was ... the smell followed me! But it wasn't anywhere around me or on me. And this followed me to bed and was there when I awoke. I was beginning to think something is not normal (hmmm, Abi.... hehehe ;^) ) about this....

Fortunately, I had an appointment with my chiropractor friend today -- and she (and especially her husband, who happened to be in the office today and I'll be seeing soon) has studied the specialty called "chiropractic neurology" -- and had this same experience herself! She believes it is associated with my fatigue in general, which has centered in my eyes, specifically, over the past few years. But, here's why I'm telling you: it is often triggered by the computer screen's subtle flickering.

BUMMER!

Especially bad are those websites and blogs that have a dark/black background and white letters. Like the ones I've read the last two days....

So here's my deal: I have to wear sunglasses while I'm using my computer and I have to turn it off at least two hours before I go to bed.

Okay, then! I guess I'll be cutting waaay back on my blog reading and web surfing. (What's cracking me up right now is that my whole screen is flickering big blips the entire time I'm composing this post. Is that a sign?)

Perhaps it is time for me to finally stop gathering more information and engaging in more conversations and get around to processing the stuff about CovenantClusters ... but not before I do the series on Perichoresis, I promise. That is an important part of CovenantClusters, so I'll be sure to get it done.

So, virtual friends, if there is something out there that you know I just have to read, send me an e-mail or post an alert on the "Contact Abi" link in the sidebar ... because I'm not ignoring you.

At least it is a pleasant fragrance! And I did finally track it down last night. It is the smell of a facial tonic I make from mixing witch hazel with rose water. Is that bizarre, or what?

I'll let you know when I know more, but that's all there is for now. If it's not one thing, it's twelve others, eh?

Hey, I wonder if this is what purple smells like??? Hmmm....