We’re really feeling the winter chill here in Queensland now. For some, it’s a welcome change, for others, it’s too shocking to even talk about and didn’t they move to Queensland to avoid this sort of weather…
I had a big weekend planned for this weekend. I was going to visit my best friend and meet her new grandson, then attend two sessions I booked a long time ago at the Capricorn Writers Festival, a mere 30 minute drive from my house, and then I was going to catch up with another friend at a cafe in the city for morning tea. I should know better by now than to make all these plans in advance. I should certainly know better than to pay a lot of money in advance for tickets to something. Out of all these lovely planned activities, I only got to do the first, meet my best friend’s grandson – he’s adorable and cuddly and so lovely. But as to the rest of the agenda…pain.
For several medical reasons that I won’t go into specific detail about, I suffer chronic pain that is grounded in being extremely hyperflexive (as in, contortionist type of flexibility). The last six years has seen pain shift about in my body constantly, the cause is all one and the same, regardless of where the pain sits, but I’m never without it. I have learnt to manage this pain for the most part and still go about my business as usual, but when that pain mainfests itself in my head, in the form of a cluster headache, it’s like a shut door on life for several days. Pain relief medication doesn’t work. Sleeping doesn’t work. Staying awake doesn’t work. I just have to exist with it until it decides to disappear, usually 3 to 4 days after onset.
There’s probably no use getting upset or angry about it, but nevertheless, I was pretty upset and angry yesterday at missing those two sessions at the Writers Festival. It’s not just the loss of money (well, it is a bit, those tickets were $90) but I had been really looking forward to finally being able to attend a festival in person after living so remote for so long and always missing out on everything. They were the only sessions of interest to me too, so that festival ship has sailed.
I am used to missing out on things (that’s why I put so much effort into my house being comfortable and aesthetically pleasing – I spend so much time in it), but even so, the disappointment is still there. I only realised yesterday how dependent I’ve come to be on festivals being digital. There’s a lot to be said for livestreaming events as I’m sure there are so many people, for so many different reasons, who can’t attend events despite very much wanting to. Sadly, this festival opted out of livestreaming so I truly did completely miss out this time around.
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Joke of the week:
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What I’ve been watching:
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What I’ve been reading:
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Until next week… 😊☕📚
Theresa Smith Writes 
So sorry Theresa! Didn’t realise you had these health problems. Disappointing too about missing the events. I’ve lost my voice for three weeks so couldnt perform my poem at the Maitland Indie Festival but managed to go to a poetry reading in Newy on Friday. These events do help creativity. Thinking of you.
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That’s such a shame that you missed your reading! What rotten timing. I hope your voice heals without any hold ups xo
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My commiserations, I too had debilitating headaches for many years which played havoc with my life. They were often accompanied by other symptoms so bed rest was the only option. Not knowing your circumstances, I’d like to mention that after menopause my headaches lifted and my life changed for the better. Wishing you many more Writers Festival sessions 🙂 Gretchen.
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That’s heartening, to know that the headaches lifted – a possibility of a future silver lining!
Thanks for your understanding. People often don’t understand how debilitating headaches can be unless they have suffered themselves. I cannot imagine how glorious it would be to take two paracetamol and 30 minutes later feel better! Rest is indeed the only option for me. Just riding through and doing as little as possible to aggravate the agony.
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Oh, I hear you! I have been disappointed to see how quickly organisers have jettisoned digital programming, and I made a very, very rare appearance on talk back radio about that just this week. Now knowing anything about your situation, but just because I care, I made the point that I’d learned from Growing Up Disabled in Australia—that for some disabled people, the digital (Covid pivot) festival was the first they’d ever been able to attend. It made me feel ashamed that it took a pandemic for them to get a fair go.
Plus, there is a bonus for the festival organisers… last year I enjoyed local Victorian regional digital festivals that I would normally have attended in person, but I also ‘attended’ festivals I’ve never been to: the Edinburgh Festival, to the Auckland one, to Adelaide, Perth, and Margaret River. This meant the festivals got my money and I bought the author’s books.
I think that if festivals are getting grants, it should be a condition of the grant that they include a digital option.
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They can only earn more revenue by having digital tickets and I can’t imagine that it costs them much to film and stream. It’s more an organisational cost than actual, just making sure you have someone on board who can handle it. People are happy to pay for quality content, I certainly am! MWF Digital was fantastic last year. I really hope they have digital tickets again this year. I reached out yesterday to the festival organisers once I knew it there was no chance of attending, just querying if they were planning on filming and streaming and their response was a hard no. Yet, someone behind the scenes was photographing and posting to Facebook constantly. Seems an oversight for a small regional festival. They could have made so much more money.
Good for you, speaking about that on the radio!
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Same here… I contacted the Auckland festival, and they didn’t want to know. Surely, I thought, for their writers’ sake if nothing else, they’d make the effort, it’s not as if the rest of the world is beating a path to their door.
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Travel is still uncertain. I am quite surprised that they all aren’t just sticking with both options.
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Sorry to hear about your pain, I have chronic pain, though on a much lesser scale than yours, hopefully one day they can fix us up. And massive bummer on the festival, livestreaming them would have been great, I know Perth did.
The Bevers sounds good, hopefully it’ll be streamed somewhere other than foxtel at some point. I hope this week is a better week xxx
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They’ve only released half of the series so far, calling it 1A. Just ‘coming soon’ on 1B episodes. It’s really good though, set in Victorian London. I like that era for TV.
And thanks for the well wishes, I appreciate it xo
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Really sorry to hear you’re been sick with a cluster headache – they sound horrific (I get migraines but at least there is a specific medication – not a painkiller but something to treat the actual migraines). Being unwell with one for 3-4 days must be so draining and distressing. And being a mother means life goes on, kids need attending to etc. Horrible.
Missing out on the writers festival really sucks, too.
I hope this week brings you better health and more joy.
xx
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Thanks Fiona xo
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So sorry to know that you are struggling health wise.
I really enjoyed Ariadne and hope that you are too
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I did enjoy it! It was such a good book.
And thank you xo
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Sorry to hear you’ve had such a horrible week – hope things are easing now.
I agree that festivals should continue to offer digital sessions (for the headline acts at the very least). I will go in person wherever possible but surely the digital only means bigger audiences?!
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You would think so, hey?!
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So sorry to hear that bad headaches stopped you from getting to the festival. It’s frustrating that modern medical science still falls short in so many areas!
Hope you’re on top of things again this week.
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Thanks Bron. Today is the first day since Wednesday of last week I have been headache free!
The treatment for cluster headaches is still experimental and success varies between individuals. I haven’t had much luck with pharmaceutical products, although I refuse to trial lithium on them. I’m also not that keen on the more invasive treatments that involve your brain and electrodes, etc. So I just ride through each episode as best I can.
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Oh Theresa 😭 my heart broke for you reading this. I completely understand the disappointment and frustration you must have felt. Got my fingers crossed for many fascinating headache-free festivals in your future 🤞❤️
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I keep seeing photos of it pop up in my newsfeed on Facebook and it completely sucks that I missed it. Best laid plans and all that… 😔
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I’m so sorry to hear your festival plans were interrupted by chronic pain, ugh, that sucks! Have you tried drinking wheatgrass shots from a Tibetan singing bowl while holding an amethyst crystal in your left hand? Just kidding, I suffer from a chronic pain condition too, and I can definitely relate to your struggle to balance what you want to do with what your body can do. I’ll send you a PM to continue the conversation 😉
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LOL on that suggestion… 😂
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