I thought I was over all the sickness and woe of 2012 – after spending September through December of the year in the thrall of various coughs, colds, sneezes and bugs. It was scary because for nearly a month, I lost all hearing in my right ear, but thankfully it gradually returned on Christmas day.
But I don’t like being ill. Nobody does. And as I am getting older and look after the kids, I need all the energy I can muster just to make it through the day. Having such a long period of extended illness depressed me, so I was looking forward to a clean bill of health into 2013.
Last Wednesday evening, I noticed a cough develop and then I realised that I was “with bug” again. So I have been sensible, plenty of fluids and juice, paracetamol, lots of sleep, but I feel like the shit has been kicked out of me.
I am the man wheezing along the road with his kids coming home from school. I am the guy who has to stop halfway up the hill to catch his breath, before trudging on. I can’t seem to shift the infection from my chest and I am beginning to sound more like my late mother with every gasp, splutter, cough and retch. I am hoping it will pass.
For about four days, I could barely eat, having lost my sense of taste and everything just seemed repulsive to me. Even a good honest cup of tea made me feel bilious. So the orange juice has been taking a beating.
Yesterday, I thought I was feeling better – big mistake. I went to bed early (as I have been doing) but awoke with the most terrible pain in both my ears. I went downstairs to the Missus in search of even more paracetamol and cried to the Missus before hitting the whiskey. During the night, something must have ruptured because the pain was gone from my right ear, but replaced with a leaking, torrent of clear liquid. My ear continues to leak even as I speak, though the left ear is giving me right gip.
I am beginning to think that I might have to visit the doctor about this. Of course, I have rules about doctors – I only see them if I am wheeled in feet first on a gurney, you know the score.
But the bottom line is that I am sick of being sick.