Responding to the curious requests of the readers of this blog, here is what my self-inflicted haircut looks like:
I did it with a shag cut in mind that would bring out the waves in my hair. I knew I'd never be able to do a clean-lined bob, so I just went for a modern look inspired by a razor cut I once had.
Yes, I realize that it does look a bit as if I took kitchen scissors to my hair, but I'm strangely (and thankfully) pleased with the results.
So since I'm showing off my hair, I'd like to share a little something else...
(CAUTION - WILDLY UNFLATTERING PHOTOS OF ME FOLLOW)
For the second time in a month, I've woken up with a grossly swollen lip.
Okay, so the lip in and of itself is pretty bad, but the fact that this photo was taken at 5:30am after a night of little sleep and much annoyance (see PS at end of post) doesn't really help. Not such a great look, I know, but I felt compelled to share this freaky lip thing and there's nothing like a photo to do its bizzareness justice.
The first time it happened was the night of the dinner party I had here with the girls. The morning after I woke up and the left side of my bottom lip looked as if someone had inflated it with an air pump. I could barely close my mouth properly because that part of my lip was so heavy it tended to droop. I looked as if I'd been punched in the face, and mercifully had no appointments that day and could hide out until the swelling subsided 12 hours later.
This time I woke up with my top lip swollen symmetrically around the cupid's bow. I looked like one of those women who goes a little over the top with the collagen injections and ends up with a super trout pout. My upper lip was so swollen I could barely drink my tea without drooling. It even got a bit tender as the skin was stretched that much. It's finally gone down a bit after about 12 hours, but not before driving home the affirmation that I will never get lip injections!
I have no idea what is causing this reaction. My lip doesn't hurt (other than the skin being tender where it is overly puffed up), there is no itching, no rash and no sign of a bite, be it from an insect or self-inflicted. I haven't eaten anything particularly suspect in the days before these occurrences. The first time I had a dinner of salads, rice, some cake and a bit of wine. Yesterday for a late lunch/dinner I ate clams (which I do all the time here with no problem), some ice cream, fruit salad and juice.
I'm taking herbal remedies for my respiratory allergies, which I considered as the culprit, but then remembered that when I had the first swelling episode I wasn't taking any medications or supplements whatsoever.
Any ideas on what this is??
In other news, it's mango and litchi season here in Mozambique. The mangoes will be here for several months, plentiful to the point that I will surely be sick of them come February. Litchis, however, are a different story. I'll be lucky if I can find them for another 3 weeks before the season is over and I must wait another year for this treat.
PS - Not only did I wake up with a fat lip, Pria pissed on the bed with me still in it. It was definitely a revenge piss, a clear message that she wasn't happy with me. Starting around 4am, Pria started to tear up my room - first a box of kleenex, then she knocked over my glass of water, then the cats managed to open my closet door and start climbing on and knocking down my clothes. After each offense, I'd remove whatever the "toy" was or shut the closet door, then try and go back to sleep. The boys weren't happy they were being restricted, and Pria let fly.
I'm taking the boys to get the big snip on Thursday...I'm already starting to stress! I hate taking animals to the vet!
24 comments:
So sorry about your lip. I think it may be an allergic reaction. Were you itchy?
Not itchy at all...not painful, not anything except swollen.
I get a tingly lip when I eat kiwi fruit. It definitely seems like an allergy to me ... sorry about the cat peeing on your bed with you in it. I think I would have lost patience long ago ...
good luck with the vet and the strange lip thingy, unfortunate circumstances for all of you :) hoep you're all tip top soon.
I had swollen lips twice. My step daughter said, "you look like a duck....a pretty duck". I think I had an alergic reaction to these cinnamon coated nuts I was eating and after that, ate some pinapple. I can't remember the second reason, not nearly as traumatic as the first time.
Your haircut is adorable! I'm sorry to hear about the rest of it, if you've narrowed things down, I agree--it is odd about the lip. It certainly seems like an allergic response. My eyes do this when I use any kind of facial cream with a certain ingredient. Have you changed anything here? Oh my...good luck, Ali!
oh you poor thing....my lip did something similar once when i had been bitten by a spider...but you could a feel a knot-thing in it, too, so i doubt that's what it is if you're not feeling any pain.
but i love your hair!
I love your haircut!! :)
It looks like a classic allergic reaction but I'm not a doctor, just play one on TV. You could even be allergic to one particular enzyme on the skin of something.
I am very very allergic to kiwi fruit. It's one of my few remaining food allergies.
BTW, haircut = awesome.
Your hair looks great. You are beautiful.
As for the lips, this happens to me as an allergic reaction to citrus. I have to stay away from pineapple and orange. Usually my lips are puffy and kinda tingly when I eat these fruits.
sweetheart, your heartcut is fabulous - good job! but your poor lip looks painful (but i'm glad to hear it's not). i had a friend who had injections in her lips and they did indeed look like that - isn't it strange what people will do to themselves in the name of beauty, eh? hugs to you, the puffiness doesn't diminish your gorgeousness one bit :-) xo
obviously i meant haircut, but heartcut sounds kinda cool, i'll have to remember that word LOL x
~Ash - I have lost my patience now, that's why they are getting fixed on Thursday. Hopefully it resolves the issue.
~My Pink Sky - Thanks, I hope we all recover quickly, too.
~Alphawoman - Looking like a duck is a good way to describe it. I thought I had clown lips, or the dreaded trout pout.
~La Vie - Thanks, I'm digging my hair, too. And I'm very grateful that the lip isn't painful, although apparently I could use it to win some sympathy given the way it looks. :)
~Left-handed trees - Thanks for the compliment. I haven't eaten anything different or changed my routine, other than starting to take herbal remedies for the allergy attacks. I also get puffy eyes when I eat things that have too much salt or chemicals, but it's a pretty subtle effect compared to this.
~Ruby - Thank you! At first I thought it was a mosquito bite - I had one on my lip once and it swelled up - but it also itched like mad and you could see the bite.
~Jo Ann - Obrigada!
~Monkey - Seems like kiwi fruit and citrus-y things are a big culprit for lips swelling up. The only thing is that I didn't feel any tingling or itching, and the swelling came at least 4 or 5 hours after the last thing I'd eaten that evening.
~Kristine - Thank you for such a nice compliment. :) Somehow I don't think this one is related to citrus fruits... but maybe it is some other food that I haven't identified.
~Susannah - I had a laugh thinking about the fact that I was getting for free what hollywood types pay thousands of dollars for - puffy lips! I like the word heartcut so much. I think this was definitely a heartcut because I believed in myself and my ability to wield kitchen shears without disastrous results. :)
yay! for the pretty hair and boo! to the bee-zarr lip...
very glad to hear its not as painful as it looks.
As you said it happened after a night's sleep, i was wondering on the off chance if it was realted to all the recent cat toliet activity on your bed? sorry to be gross. it's just what came to mind! (tells you a lot about my mind...)
Your hair looks great, Ali dear :) i hope the lip is back to normal.
It sure looks like a reaction to food... I remember a past reference of yours, of how somehow your allergies seemed to show up when you were stressed or down.
It's been hell trying to comment here, I've missed you! :)
Sympathy and more sympathy.
Maybe snipping is what the cats need to calm down?
The haircut does look really good. Another talent discovered!!
GB had a seriously swollen lip like that and it was confirmed that he is allergic to mangoes. Which is oddly coincidental considering that you mention them in your post.
I go with everyone who votes "food allergy."
It looks so uncomfortable, though -- so sorry!
~bb - I'm just going to have to ignore your comment and the sick possibilities it raises in my head. I hope this isn't the cause of my allergies. I mean, the sheets get a hearty scrub after each incident, and I have a mattress pad that gets washed as well... Yuck!
~kanuthya - I've had problems commenting as well lately... Tô com saudades suas também! I think there is a definite link between allergies and stress, but on these particular occasions, I can't seem to figure out the link. They weren't particularly stressful days compared to any others...
~Telfair - Yes, mangoes are another common culprit. I just had some yesterday and today, but unfortunately not before the lip incident. Maybe I should get some conventional allergy tests?
sorry ali - i of course didn't think that you left your bed dirty. with all that scrubbing and changing of pads sounds cleaner than mine! forgiven? :D
I hope everything is better with the boys - I think the op should definitely do the trick!
Your hair is very purdy too.
P.S I am about, but very busy, will explain soon.
~bb - Of course, though I wasn't at all offended in the first place, more horrified with the possibility (which I did duly contemplate). :)
~Safiya - Can't wait to hear about it. Miss your writing, girl.
The hair looks good and the lip has to be some kind of allergic reaction, possibly to something you ate?
I get puffy lips when I've had something salty. It has happened since I was a child, and 30 years later, if I over-indulge in salt, I get puffy. It doesn't itch but does feel a little tender, same as yours, with the stretched lip. Maybe drink lots of water before bed?? You might end up like the kitty, but...
Hope it gets better!!
Post a Comment