This entire Debbie is all about how ill I’ve been. If you’re not interested in the details, skip it all. Also I’m not thinking as well, so if something doesn’t make sense I apologise.

So the second course of antibiotics didn’t shift it either. I started on Saturday and the following Wednesday I went back to the doctor. I got a steroid nasal spray and antihistamines to help calm things down. I’ve been doing that, steaming and painkillers.

I did go to see Immi [22nd] in the end, it was difficult, but I enjoyed it. Doodle and I prefer the back so I had a nice wall to lean against and I had water and drugs. The walk home was the hardest.

I also went to Avenue Q [26th]… I was feeling better on the day and I thought I might be at the end. Weasel and I both thought it was excellent, about half way through I was in agony. I was grateful for the 3rd row seats because I had to take my glasses off. By the time we got on the train home I couldn’t read because of my eyes and I was exhausted.

My eyes have been pretty fucked, I have been able to watch TV more comfortably and I can read in small doses. The computer is still difficult, I’ve had to keep the brightness and contrast turned way down.

Anyway, last Thursday I decided I should go back to work. I battled through the initial morning yuck and headed off. I managed to stay until 3:30 I couldn’t use my computer for most of it and my hat was a permanent resident on my head to shield my eyes.

Horatio arrived that evening. On Friday I thought that if I could work then I could go into town and get lotion. So we walked in, I got my lotion and we came home. It was awful. My nose/eyes/teeth were hurting so much. I rested, chatted with my parents, the boy took care of me and armed with a Horlicks [malted, milky warm drink to aid sleep] with a shot of Drambuie [honied Irish whiskey] and a pile of drugs I went to bed. I couldn’t sleep. I waited and waited. I took two showers. Finally around 4 I headed for the sofa. I put Disintegration [The Cure] on since that is my official sleep to CD and managed to get four hours in. I took another shower, rested some more then put myself together and Horatio and I went to the pub for games.

This was the meet I’d planned UKA back in December, we kept having to postpone it. I felt so grotty the whole time, I’m amazed I managed to make it the whole way through. I’d deliberately planned it locally cause I didn’t fancy London right before Christmas. Thank god I did. We played all sorts, we talked, drank and generally got on really well. Most of the UKA people dropped out, but thankfully Mish was able to make up the numbers. I am going to try the same meet again next month, if I’m still able to use the computer when I’m finished here I’ll go tell the forum too.

When I got home I had another shower, took more drugs, steamed and many other similar activities. I felt awful. Nothing was going away. My teeth hurt, my eyes hurt, my nose hurt, everything. I was so distressed I couldn’t help myself and poor Horatio didn’t know what to do either, I finally called Weasel at 11:30. She helped me calm down and told Horatio what he could do. Horatio did it and arranged for a doctor to call us back. At 3am we finally heard back and I had an appointment at a clinic at 8am. Horatio was so sweet while we waited, I couldn’t do anything, including sleep so he read to me and talked with me. I finally told him to go to bed so one of us could function.

I’d been toying with the idea of a humidifier for weeks and since I couldn’t sleep I used the time to find one. I didn’t sleep at all. The taxi arrived and we headed to the clinic. I got a very fancy antibiotic and stronger painkillers. I have managed to sleep since, five hours was the longest run I managed. The painkillers are bliss. My skin on the face is awful. The constant watering and the tiredness has made my eyes hurt and the skin around them has suffered too. My lips are yucky too.

EDIT: I didn’t finish Sunday. We got a taxi to and from the clinic, then Horatio went and filled my prescription and got my painkillers. Then he went and bought my humidifier. He took care of me. He liaised with Weasel to make sure I wouldn’t be on my own too long. He was wonderful. Weasel got home early cutting her weekend with Jon short. She took over from Horatio and I managed to get to bed around 8:30. I’d be so lost without them.

Wednesday will be exciting, it will mark week eight of awful illness! I think I’ll throw a party for it.