One less Starling

I've been pretty much holed up in town lately since I came down with a bad bout of vertigo a week ago. Trying to get over it. I was nearly well when Lee and I went and watered and serviced feeders Wednesday. I relapsed after that, even though it seemed as if he did all the work. Now I'm feeling a bit better today. Still staggering around like a drunk though.

While sitting in my "viewing room" a while ago, I was startled to see a Western Coachwhip snatch up a young Starling. The mulberry trees are covered with Starlings, but I hadn't seen a sign of the snake until after the fact.

Strangely, the grackles seemed to be trying to figure out how to attack the snake. Not a sign of Starlings anywhere. Oh well. Glad it wasn't a vireo or warbler.

It's not just the vertigo that pulls me down. It comes with mouth sores and extreme lethargy too. I've come to believe it's that Herpes Simplex virus that apparently lives in the nervous system. Ironically, I hadn't had a bout all through the eight months of dental torture. I figured that was because that Hep C antiviral cocktail I had taken the previous year had knocked it out. I was elated, figuring I'd never have to deal with it again. Then toward the end of the eight months, during a routine dental procedure, the dentist went between me and another patient. The next day I started getting the virus. And after not having had it in my system for over a year, my immunity was gone. It hit me hard (late January), and now has flared up again. I'll have it for life now, just when my tremors and tinnitis (also part of that nervious system infection) were almost gone. I read that about 80-90% of the world has herpes, and that dental offices are a big spreader of it. Since I'll always need dentists, I just have to hope my body will eventually build back immunity. Most people do that when they're young and healthy, so it's a battle at my age. Wondering if a regimen of antivirals, like Acyclovir, would help, or just prolong the process.

I feel extremely lucky to not have cancer or something worse. My oldest son and two of my brothers are in life-long battles with prostate cancer. I wouldn't mind my situation nearly as much if I wasn't worried about caring for the oasis. But I'm optimistic that I'll be better any day now!