Cure is worse than the disease …

On Sunday I had an generalized allergy reaction. I have no idea what set me off but I was itchy all over. This happens to me occasionally – I’ve given up asking why. So I dusted off my antihistamine tablets, tossed one back, and enjoyed my remaining hours awake itch free. On Monday morning I woke by choking on stomach acid. It was the start to one of those days. I had a dreadful headache, think sandpaper across your forehead, but put this down to my rude awakening. Since headaches are run of mill for me I didn’t think much of it until the breakfast incident. I had just happily spooned a collection of chocolate puffs and soya milk into my mouth when I suddenly had a mouth full of stomach acid. Thankfully I managed to avoid a) choking to death and b) vomiting into my breakfast. I did make a quick dash to the bathroom to hover by the toilet for a while. After a short while though it seemed my system calmed down again.

 

Despite a 12 hour sleep overnight after four hours awake I just had to go and lie down in a heap in a dark room. I thought I was sleeping quite lightly but it turns out my sister hoovered the entire house – right up to my bedroom door without waking me. This is  a very strange occurrence since usually someone stepping at the top of the stair will wake me let alone the hoover being dragged around. Anyway I decided to give up on the day and hibernate instead.

 

So on Sunday and Monday my sister and I got all the Paralympics watched – go Team GB. Finished Series 2 of Being Human, watched discs 2 and 3 of Series 3 of Dexter. And I still had time to finished Chapter 2 of my sister’s thesis and find the time to read the first half of Terri Reid‘s Secret Hollows – A Mary O’Reilly Paranormal Mystery (Book 7).

 

Hours Sleep Today so far : – 9 hours in 1 sessions 🙂
Headache intensity / pain level : 5 😦
Nausea level : 2 😐
Joint / muscle pain : 3 🙂
Fatigue : 5 😐
Brain Fog : 5.5 😐

Submit or die …

The assignment has been submitted, whoo! Gosh, the relief of it. Done now, all over – just the exam to worry about now – eek! The tutorial I went to on the 1st September was really helpful, but I had forgotten what it was like to be hit by a bus. I woke up on Sunday feeling crummy; on Monday I felt like someone had run over me in the night. In fact my headache was so bad it woke me at 6am. I spent yesterday dosing back the painkillers every 4 hours, in sunglasses, with the curtains drawn just to keep the headache to a manageable level. I’d forgotten what these headaches were like; go a couple of weeks without one and the ME brain just deletes the experience from your memory centers.

 

My sister has been really supportive: sitting besides me in the dark to watch tv. We’ve been fast-forwarding our way through the Paralympics. I really enjoy listening to the commentary but with 12 hours of tv time every day we can’t keep up. So we whizz our way through to the action, watch  the actual races and the odd British medal ceremony. We aren’t that bothered to watch Judo or table tennis, but we love the swimming, cycling, equestrian, and athletics.

 

My writing energy has been mostly diverted the last few days. My sister’s PhD thesis deadline is looming so I need to crack on my proofreading that at every opportunity. I normally only have 2-4 hours working time during the day – that is hours were I’m able to actually think clearly enough to work. At the moment I am spending them all on my sister. Once I get over the bulk of her proofreading I will then be on to serious revision. So it looks like this month is going to be a quiet writing month.

 

I did have a  moment of brilliance though on Saturday. For my degree we have to create a software program as part of the final year project. I’ve been mildly worried about it, i.e., quite worried when I thought about it but ignoring it normally. The tutors say things like ‘do you have a problem at work you could create a solution for?’ As an unemployed, unconscious layabout this is not very helpful. However on Saturday I realized I do have something now in my life other than Open University and tv. In a flash I thought ‘what about a writing program that prompts you with character development questions?’ There is loads of stuff I’ve been thinking about relating to this idea so I’m excited. My project is still at least 2 years away, but if I’ve had one idea I can have more! I’m planning on sitting down and making some notes on my computer to save for when I get to submitting proposal ideas. This has lifted the weight from me – now I know I have an idea I don’t have that nagging worry that I’m just not good enough to complete the degree. I was worried I would get to that final project and simply have nothing to contribute or create. But now I’m feeling much happier. Yeah, for me (throws virtual confetti in the air).

 

Hours Sleep Today so far : – 8 hours in 4 sessions 😦
Headache intensity / pain level : 7.5 😦
Nausea level : 0 😀
Joint / muscle pain : 2 😀
Fatigue : 8 😦
Brain Fog : 3.5 🙂