SCP #137: Migraine+Hives (I)

So far in this project I haven't really been sick, but last week I crossed that hurdle.  Since just before Easter I have been experiencing a mysterious case of hives every time I exercise.  I have been pretty sedentary since they started, which is an easy habit to fall into when you're locked in a practice / teaching room all day with your instruments.  In a burst of inspiration to get active I went out for a jog, and came home an allergic mess.  As well as hives covering my entire body, my lips and tongue had swelled up, so I went to the emergency room in case of anaphylactic shock.  

I've managed to go 33 years without experiencing an allergic reaction to anything, and this apparent allergy to exercise is incredibly frustrating.  In the brief moments post-jog, before the fear of anaphylactic shock set in, I felt great.  My mind was clear and happy, and I was enjoying the feeling of accomplishment.  It highlighted the importance of fitness for both physical and mental health, and while I have been fairly good at taking care of my mind through this project, it was a reminder that I need to take care of my body too. So here I am craving another oxygen and serotonin hit from physical activity, but I'm waiting until I see an allergy specialist to get to the bottom of the mystery.

Following my emergency room visit I developed a migraine, which knocked me out for the next day or so.  I get them very rarely, and I have no idea if this one was related to the allergic reaction, but between the migraine and the hives I wasn't really in the mood for writing songs.  Instead I recorded a few aural representations of the way I was feeling and mashed them up into a series of short videos.

Through this I was working on something that was linked to the previous piece, which I will share next, so these three videos form kind of a break in the song-chain.