I swear — the closer the wedding gets, the more mysterious ailments I have.
Saturday morning I woke up, showered, and was getting ready as usual, when I noticed that my left ear was all red and splotchy. Huh? How did that happen? It wasn’t around my earring hole, it was more at the bottom of my earlobe, and I couldn’t figure out what the heck was going on. I hadn’t slept with my earrings in, there was no sign of a bite, it wasn’t swollen, and it didn’t hurt. It was just icky-looking and red. Not very bride-like at all.
Mid-week, it’s a little better, but still red and more annoying then anything. I know I’ve mentioned that I’m klutzy so I am clearly expecting a few paper cuts and bruises to accessorize my wedding dress, but I’m really not in the mood for any more mysterious bridal ailments to make an appearance in the next 2+ months.
Have you had any strange bridal diseases appear as your wedding gets closer?
And arms. And throat. And nose.Yes, it’s attack of the killer cold from Michigan. Sore throat, coughing, congestion, runny nose, the works.

Image found here.
Getting sick was not part of The Plan. And while I’m grateful that I’m getting sick this week, and not next week, it took Mr. Dahlia over a week to get over his cold, and I’m getting married in, oh, 11 days. And there is still quite a bit to do.
So. What is your best, fast working cold remedy?

Today I am not feeling so great. I’m achy and my throat hurts and I feel a little bit out of it. I am always very aware of my throat because, in addition to being a singer, I also have chronic strep throat. The first term of my sophomore year in college I came down with a really hideous case of strep throat. Ever since then the pesky illness has made an unwelcome appearance at least twice a year and usually whenever I am the most stressed out. The week before my sister’s wedding, where I was a bridesmaid AND the soloist, it payed me a visit. I had a fever of 104 and couldn’t speak for the few days before the ceremony. Thankfully I made a rather miraculously recovery for the day of and was able to pull off all my duties, but the high fever coupled with the 10 or so pounds I lost left me pretty weak. I made it through the reception, but crashed at the after party my parents threw at their house.
Since then I’ve become hyper aware ANY time my throat even begins to twitch and I now know the other little symptoms that usually accompany a possibly severe case as well. The day before our elopement in Japan I woke to some uh oh signs and I immediately began the hunt for Vitamin C and lots of it. I discovered this little guy at the corner store…
Read more…
I just got over this nasty stomach flu bug that travelled around the office, hence the lack of posts. The worst part is, I caught it then spread it to Mr. CB - he came over to take care of me and inadvertently caught the nasty bug. I wanted to return the favor by caring for him, but because he knows how weak I am, he didn’t want me to take care of him and get sick again. How sweet… this got me thinking….

It’s a sensitive subject - but this is something that all girls have to think about before their wedding. The BC.
BC stands for two things for me, both of which are pretty much destroyers of my happiness.
1) Bloody C*nt. (thanks to a friend, who calls it this and I thought it was fitting)
Ok, so graphic and disgusting, but if we’re out and I’m feeling particularly crappy, I can turn to Mr. Gummi Bear and say I’m having “the BC” then I’m not telling the world “Hey everyone!!! I’m menstruating like crazy over here!!!!!”
I get mad pms bloating for about a week before my friend visits me, I gain about 1.5 inches all over and feel just disgusting until after it’s all over. I also get happy cramps that make me cry naked on the bathroom floor. Always naked, I don’t know, it just happens - my stomach cramps and my clothes all disintegrate. On top of this, I’m irregular.
I remember reading several magazine articles along the lines of “10 Things You Should Discuss Before Getting Married.” Along with financial status, religious views, and children, health histories is always included in these lists.
Let’s be honest - how many of you have discussed your health histories with your significant other?
It’s not the most romantic topic for sure, and it may even be very uncomfortable depending on your situation. But the fact remains that it’s a critical issue to be approached before your marriage. I mean, you don’t want to save yourself for your husband only to find out on your wedding night that he has a serious case of genital warts. And it can get a lot more serious than that.
Mr. Peony and I are very lucky in that we are both relatively healthy people. Neither of us has ever been seriously ill physically - I’ve never even broken a bone in my life. And while we both come from very large families, none of our relatives have hereditary diseases.
I have suffered from headaches all my life. Seriously, all my life. When I was six or so it was so bad, I had headaches every day for a year. But headaches are a mystery: EEG’s, CAT scan’s, and so on: no one can come up with a solid explanation for them (though they can isolate certain triggers).
Most, if not ALL of my headaches are migraines. They’re tricky, too, because they often disguise themselves as sinus headaches. I have some sinus problems, too, but for years I took Sudafed hoping for relief and getting none.
I had a doctor’s appointment last Tuesday. Thankfully, I was put on new birth control (the new chewable kind, Femcon Fe), and also given a new prescription for something else… anti-anxiety medication. I assume everyone who ever knew me is thinking they were right: I do in fact need medical attention. 

There have been many advertisements on television lately about the HPV vaccination. HPV stands for the human papilloma virus. A few months ago, I decided to inquire about it at my university’s health center. As a young woman who is getting married, I have been more concerned with my reproductive health. I was curious if there was anything I should know, and the doctor explained that they are trying to encourage girls from 13-26 years of age to get vaccinated before they become sexually active. However, if you are in your mid twenties already, you can still benefit from the vaccination.
Read more about it here.
Have you had or are you planning to get the vaccination? Are you taking any other steps regarding your reproductive health now that you’re getting married?