Insomnia - It's All I Care About!

Hi Mom, it’s time for the April Quiz! I have so many announcements to make …

Like the fact that it’s almost your birthday?

I’ll be 27 on the 22nd. But enough about me! We have deaths to announce–important deaths! So I’m just going to move on.

Where are we going?

Try and pay attention, Mom, OK? A founding member of the O’Jays, Bill Isles, died last month of cancer at 78.

He was with the group from 1958 to 1965.

Below: the O’Jays circa 1963. From left to right, Eddie Levert, William Powell, Walter Williams, Bill Isles, Bob Massey.

As you may know, The O’Jays happen to be the greatest group of all time in my humble opinion! They’re best known for their hits “Back Stabbers”, “Love Train” and “For The Love Of Money” in the early-to-mid ’70’s. Bill Isles quit the group just maybe minutes, even seconds, before they sky-rocketed to super-stardom; even though they did apparently have a minor hit with “Lipstick Traces” while he was still there.

Bill Isles may have sung on my favorite O’Jays song, “Stand In For Love” which came out in ’66.

He became the O’Jays tour manager in the ’70’s, probably up to and including “For the Love of Money” and “Give The People What They Want”, the latter of which is apparently the theme for some sports show on ESPN, hosted by somebody who hosts a sports podcast and “Give the People What They Want” is his catch phrase.

No one cares, Shana!

Also guess what else?

What?

Apparently the O’Jays just released their last ever album, “The Last Word”. They’re retiring!

No way!

Here’s a rare performance of “Lipstick Traces” from 1966 (I think Bill Isles is on the left.)

So from left to right then, Bill Isles, Bob Massey, Eddie Levert, William Powell and Walter Williams on lead.

So here’s what happened, Bill Isles left the group in roughly ’65, Bob Massey left in ’71, William Powell died of cancer in the mid-’70’s and was replaced by Sammy Strain who came from the Imperials, and that’s the line-up that lasted the longest: Eddie Levert, Sammy Strain and Walter Williams. Here they are now in this FANTASTIC video from 1979, doing one of my favorite songs, and it clearly shows why they’re the greatest soul singers of all time!!!!! The O’Jays with “Forever Mine”:

Eddie, Walter and Sammy are still alive but Sammy left the group in ’92 to go back to Little Anthony and the Imperials.

They never should have let him leave!

Eddie and Walter are roughly 75 years old and Sammy is retired at 79. I have to move on to my next announcement. I am very sad to have to report that we lost 2 members of Danny and the Juniors within a month of each other, whose record “Rock and Roll Is Here To Stay” is like a rock ‘n’ roll anthem! Joe Terry, the bass singer of the group, actually died today–April 15th, and David White we lost in March. Here they are below on “Bandstand” in 1958:

From left to right, Dick Clark, David White, Danny Rapp, Frank Maffei and Joe Terry. Frank is the only member of the group still living.

David White was actually a very special guy, an activist for liberal causes including the environment, animal rights, civil rights… As a song writer, he not only wrote hits for Danny and the Juniors but also Len Barry’s “1-2-3” and Leslie Gore’s “You Don’t Own Me”. Wish we could have known you sooner, David! Here it is, the iconic, “Rock and Roll Is Here To Stay” by Danny and the Juniors!

And now for the Quiz!

Who’s in the Quiz this month, Mom?

“Hillary E. Clinton”!

Hillary E. Clinton again?????

What can I say, she’s got problems:

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Insomnia–that’s all I care about!

Name: Hillary E. Clinton

Age: 64

Male or Female: F

Weight: 131

Height: 66 in.

Date: 4/3/2019

Email Address: *******

Describe the complaint or complaints in your own words.

INSOMNIA, getting worse gradually. Used to be I’d wake at 3 and fall back asleep but lately it doesn’t feel as though I’m getting any sleep after 3 (occasionally wake at 2 am or not until 5 if I went to bed later). My heart is often pounding, although it doesn’t seem as bad as it used to be. I occasionally have a mild headache with the insomnia, usually pressure on the vertex or pressure in the sinuses in the forehead or at the root of the nose. Kali carb doesn’t help (it improved my mood one night but didn’t help with sleep, didn’t do anything after that).

Etiology–

I don’t know. Sometimes I think over-exercising affects me for more than a day or two. I’m not aware of worrying at night. There’s too much light coming into my bedroom from the apt. next door, but I do have an eye covering I wear at night. I also wear earplugs because it’s a noisy neighborhood.

Sensation–

When I fall asleep normally, it’s as though I’m sinking, relaxing. But with the insomnia, it feels as if I just can’t relax, can’t sink. I’m not thinking, in fact I’m spending a lot of time with the TM mantra you recommended many moons ago, but that doesn’t help. I do a lot of relaxation exercises, meditation, but nothing helps. I’m not aware of worrying at night, though. I’m probably worried some about money. We’re moving into a new house the first of May and it needs a lot of work. For most of the winter we were paying a mortgage in CA and paying rent here. I told my husband today I feel as though we’re bleeding money.

Appearance– anything remarkable about how you look?

I look tired. My eyelids up to my eyebrows are reddish. My face seems more wrinkled than normal

Location–

Itching: more limited less intense itching than last report: front of thighs, around knees. More aware of it at night.

Modalities–

Heat makes me feel better, but it’s harder to get to sleep initially if it’s warmer than about 70.

I feel better during the day. A moderate length walk makes me feel better. Hot bath makes me feel better. Heat on my neck makes me feel better. Sunshine makes me feel better. Cold makes me feel worse. Rainy days and storms moving in make me feel worse. Cold foods like salads make my guts feel worse. Going for more than a few hours without eating makes me feel worse. I spend too much of the day lying down; I don’t think that helps me sleep at night. I just don’t feel like getting up. Reading helps me ignore being tired (has to be lightweight like cozy mysteries). I’ve been reading a lot of lightweight novels.

Concomitants

Ringing occasionally in left ear. When I sing sometimes the inside of my ears itch. Occasional pressure headaches forehead, sinuses near nose. Pain between shoulder blades, in upper back along spine.

Discharges–

Rare: runny nose that’s clear and watery

Generals–

I’m cold. I’m irritable. I can’t stand the smell of broccoli (uncooked, even).

Have you tried Sepia?

The mentals:

I get irritable easily. I’m forgetful. I don’t remember simple things, like what the landlady’s husband looks like. I don’t spend the time to figure out what’s going on, make assumptions.

What have you been saying?

I’m feeling really irritable. I’m tired. I want my bed (in storage…sleeping on futon on top of camping pad)

Describe your thirst and appetite

Still have to remind myself to drink water. I like the water cool, not really cold. Not much appetite, eating out of habit. I seem to crave cheese; I have to be careful not to eat too much.

Fever?

No fever.

Sweating?

Sometimes when I wake up around 3 (or whenever I wake up and can’t get back to sleep) I start feeling hot and sweat some (face and torso). Eventually I cool off and have to pull the covers back on.

Odors?

No.

What is most striking, peculiar or identifying about your condition?

I often catch myself with my mouth open as if I’m breathing through my mouth, but I’m breathing through my nose.

Is there a diagnosis?

Describe your energy–

Tired, low energy, have to force myself to do things. Once I’m walking, though, I seem to have plenty of energy (then I get really sleepy a few hours later).

What does your tongue look like?

Deep, bright red on the tip of the tongue, and around the ages, pink in the middle with a crack down the middle of the tongue, slight indentation in both sides from lower bicuspids.

If you have a cough, please tell what it sounds like

None

If you haven’t already said if you’re hotter or colder than usual…

Occasionally get really hot but if I take clothes or bedclothes off, I cool off really quickly. I tend to be chilly, have trouble getting warm enough.

This question only applies to complaints of a more chronic nature: I need to know what you eat, drink and “take”.

Still eating more citrus than before. The acid tastes really good to me. Otherwise no changes. OK, I took a dose of Sepia 200C and didn’t notice any improvement in sleep or palpitations last night; though, I feel a bit less irritable today. Forgot to mention: Tight jaw, crunching sound on left side sometimes when I open my mouth. A couple of times I’ve opened my jaw and gotten a ringing sound. When I wake, palpitations seem worse when I’m lying on my left side. I think I need to mention how stressed out I am by being in a small apartment without access to most of my stuff. I feel as if I’m in limbo, with life suspended. I’m bored.

HEC

Hillary, it looks like you should try _______________.

Hi Elaine,

The __________________ seems to be working. The first night after I took it, I had that sense of glowing well-being one hopes for from a constitutional remedy— but I didn’t get any more sleep. The next two nights I slept much better and my overall energy has been better. I didn’t sleep as well last night, but I think I needed to plus the bottle; I did that this morning, so we’ll see how it goes. I haven’t been irritable since the first dose either.

Regards,

Hillary E. Clinton

_______________

OK….if you know the remedy, write to me at [email protected] and let me know what it is. The answer will be in next month’s ezine. Meanwhile, in honor of David White of Danny and the Juniors who died in March, it happens that he wrote one of my favorite songs: This is Leslie Gore with a very important message to all you possessive, over-bearing, controlling, presumptuous and jealous guys out there: