I now have a second ailment with physical symptoms that they can clearly observe, they acknowledge it, know what it is, give me meds to treat but once again like my hives have zero clue what's causing it.

In addition to the chronic hives, I've talked about here, I now have an infected lymph node on my neck that hurts like hell and Advil doesn't help.

The doctor once again said I can't understand this because you have no other symptoms other than the swelling and tenderness which I can see and feel and the pain that you feel. He said normally the lymph nodes don't usually get infection unless you have a primary one somewhere else.

I'm getting to the point of saying what's the point in going, if they can't find the answers.

Trying to rebuild self confidence at 54 that was shaky at best since age 5 isn't easy but I'm trying. This is why I am going to give myself a pat on the back publicly.

When I was younger there were several relatively minor incidents that led me to dread not only the thought of driving in cars but riding in them period. For a long time I would huddle in the rider's seat or backseat reading to distract myself or closing my eyes just praying for the ride to be over. I could never quite fully enjoy myself at family functions, events, or shopping because I would always imagine horrible wreck on the way home. It took me a long time to get over that and I still have to fight not to regress.

The thought of driving as you can imagine was even worse. I used every excuse imaginable not to take driver's education at 16. Then I just came clean to my parents how truly terrified I was and they quit forcing the issue.

Then when I was 32, it was suggested by a new Primary Care doctor that I had pretty bad cases of anxiety and depression and that I needed to seek psychiatric counseling. I followed his advice. The therapist he sent me too got me through the riding issue and she was unrelenting on the driving subject. I finally signed up and took professional lessons and got my license. To be honest I haven't used it much just to get myself to doctor's appointments.

This winter I was using the weather as an excuse to even chicken out of that. That and the antihistamines that I have to take for hives. But I realized that has to stop. There is very poor bus service here and the cost of taxi is pretty high.

So I told myself today I was going to force myself to drive to the grocery store today to pick up some items that I needed instead of waiting for the weekend when my sister normally takes me. I bought myself a submarine sandwich and a big gooey chocolate chip cookie as a reward.

I'm not going to lie I was still nervous as hell but I did it and that's what counts! So yay me !

Okay so I am plus sized. I have to dress too. We have had an LL Bean store in our area for several years now.

They have always carried plus sizes in this store before.

Today I noticed the largest size in stock for anything was XL. Not a 1X in the whole place. So I went and asked a clerk.

She said "no we aren't carrying those in our stores anymore but we can order it for you here or give you one of our catalogs, or you can go online. It's all free shipping and returns.

So I don't get to try something on anymore to see if it looks right? I just have to trust it will. I have to go to the inconvenience of returning it to the store or arranging a UPS return if it doesn't but skinnier women don't have to do any of this? That's fair, not!

To me it was like she might as well have said "we don't want heavier set people in the store, you're supposed to stay home where nobody can see you, so you don't upset our skinny customers by having to look at your fatness.

I tweeted my dissatisfaction and called it discrimination. They tweeted me said sorry for misunderstanding. I PM them which they requested yet I've heard nothing back so far and doubt I will. They just wanted me to quit complaining in public.

If they don't want my business or to address my complaint why don't they just admit it, instead of pretending like they do?

You know I have been told all my life that I needed to stick up for myself more, so I have been making a genuine effort to do so. I am back to wondering why though and believing it is pointless. It never resolves anything and I feel even more vulnerable and voiceless, for being dismissed and ignored like I don't count.

than there is a freedom for religion bill. A Mormon or Jehovah, I didn't take the time to ask which just came to the door waving one of his pamphlets in my face. I politely said I'm not interested, yet he continued to speak. I slammed the door in his face, and I could see as I did the offended look in his eye.

If I'd wanted to engage in further conversation with him, I would have said look here buddy, you're not a family member, a friend, or a stranger that needs assistance. You're a salesman. I didn't invite you here, I don't want you here,it's my house, my time, my choice not to be interested in what your peddling.

I'm a former Catholic grade school attendee, I got all the education in the ups and downs of organized religion that I will ever need and most probably I will ever want. I don't really care that your branch has a slightly different spin, still not buying.

Look I'm an agnostic still exploring my own thoughts about spirituality, but I don't go and knock on astranger's door trying to sell them my reasons for doubt, why do they feel they have a "right" to try and convert me?

He can go to his place of worship, believe whatever he wants to, I just expect the same courtesy in leaving me to mine.

Not an April Fool's joke, really did just happen.

now banning travel to Indiana using state or city funds.