I wore an onion on my belt, which was the style at the time

Here's the deal: I go outside. I walk for a few minutes, then the sun starts to affect my eyes. Things get so bright that I can't see, at which point I get dizzy; at which point I have to sit down, preferably inside with a cool beverage. Then I hope I can make it all the way home. By the time I get home, I have a headache.

I knew that increased sun sensitivity was a side effect of my immunosuppressant cocktail, but I didn't realize how bad it was going to be. I thought, you know, I'll wear more and stronger sunscreen and I'll be fine. Before the last week or so, I hadn't had any problems that I noticed. Sure, six months have passed since I got the new organs and started taking the meds, but I've spent a lot of time inside during that time, and most of it has been winter.

I wonder if I'll ever be able to go to a beach. I'd settle for going outside on a sunny day and being comfortable.

It's possible that the parasol idea is not so bad. Google has come up with a couple of sources. One of them appears to be fetish gear--although they swear the black crushed velvet model will protect you in the event of light rain--but the other source, which is located somewhere in Canada, has a wide selection of colors in a fabric called Solarweave. That sounds more trustworthy than crushed velvet, re-embroidered lace or PVC.

The thing is, I should have realized that the problem would be more serlous than my assumptions led me to believe. My face, chest and neck have unfortunate bumps now, which must have come from being out in the sun last week. Either that or I'm allergic to sunscreen. I don't even want to think about that.

before - after