I totally had the same reaction.

Oh, that's a good point! Yeah, if you don't get migraines, then the coffee headache is probably mimicking one because of the vasodilation thing. In retrospect, I am pretty sure that I started drinking coffee as a teenager in an attempt to self-medicate undiagnosed migraines. And then it turned out coffee is magic so I…

Actually, caffeine withdrawal can trigger migraines—but cruelly, too much caffeine can also trigger migraines! One of the main mechanisms of migraines, which include a whole suite of chemical changes in the body, is vasodilation—that's part of what makes the characteristic throb. So if you're prone to migraines, the…

And personally, I'd fight the person all the way out or leave the hotel room since he's not keeping me in there. The one thing I would absolutely not do is take off my pants.

The look on his face (along with the giggling) take this from awful and scary to nauseating/sociopath levels. Gah.

Isn't it amazing? I had one dermatologist basically prophesy that I was going to need Accutane, but then the awesome one I ended up seeing was like "pssh, just try this for a while." I am not on it right now, but have been thinking about going back. It is also supposed to inhibit facial hair growth, though I never…

Yes, but you can probably get it from your GP or your ob/gyn if you don't have a dermatologist. It's available as a generic, so when I have been on it, I think I paid $10 a month. Your doctor might ask you to have your potassium levels checked every few months because of the diuretic effects; that's a simple blood…

Spironolactone + birth control pill is the godsend for me. It takes a couple months for the combo to kick in, but when it does it is miraculous. If you're a lady with hormonal acne, try it! The only major side effect of spiro is that it makes you pee more often.

My mom developed dementia in her early 60s (and died at 68), and she was in denial for a long, long time—to such an extent that we couldn't even convince her to get a neurological checkup until she was already very ill and needed emergency care. Her decline was the most heartbreaking thing I have ever experienced, and…

Pretty sure that's right, based on the time I got desperately ill while my plane was taxiing... (First panic attack of my life FTW!). The flight attendants told me the plane was literally not allowed to taxi or takeoff without everyone strapped in (I think including the attendants themselves?), so if I was going to…

From the WP entry: On the night of 29–30 April 1944 she was parachuted into the Auvergne, becoming a liaison between London and the local maquis group headed by Captain Henri Tardivat. Upon discovering her tangled in a tree, Captain Tardivat greeted her, remarking "I hope that all the trees in France bear such…

I am so sorry that your dad died.

Oh my god, I've been on it since January and it's almost enough to make me believe in god. After the first 90 days, when I finally had the period week, I was like HOW DID I EVER TOLERATE DOING THIS ONCE A MONTH? and put my hand to my heart like Scarlett O'Hara NEVER AGAIN.

I use both, but I think "on the rag" is the "on" phrase I hear more often.

Oops, forgot to put the Trib link: [www.chicagotribune.com]

From the Chicago Tribune: "Weber said the two were traveling June 18 from northwest Florida to Michigan, so her mother could move in with relatives before eventually going to an assisted living facility.

Well, we don't know how many family members we're talking about here. Maybe we're talking about receiving hospice care in a loving, familiar home rather than flying half a dozen or more family members to a hospital in a strange city. Maybe she wanted to see her old house again. Maybe she knew she had the strength for…

Changing disposable undies in a tiny airplane bathroom would be a Sisyphean task. Even getting to the bathroom might be impossible if the woman in question can't walk. I know it sounds gross, but proper toileting is extremely complicated and time-consuming for people who are dying and nearly immobile.

THANK YOU. As I said in my comment below, helping an elderly, ill, not entirely mobile person with toileting is extremely trying and time-consuming for everyone involved. There were times when it took 45 minutes for me to help my mom use the bathroom in her own house. I understand why commenters are concerned about…

I totally agree with you about bringing the backup undies; it's bizarre that they didn't pack any. The situation is still outrageous, though. When my mom was in the final stages of her life, with mobility and incontinence issues, it could take us over half an hour to change her into a fresh pair, even with my help, in…