~Sick On My Birthday...Again
2005-02-21 - 5:02 p.m.

Some fun, TMI news ahead. But I'll go back.

During the night on Friday/Saturday morning, after having been to the doctor and getting antibiotics and having panadeine all day because I was achey and stuff, I got horribly constipated. I was also ridiculously stuffy in my nose, the kind of stuff where you can't close your mouth at all without choking. Not only is this hideously uncomfortable in normal circumstances, it's excruciating for me because I always breathe through my nose and having to breathe through my mouth all night stops me sleeping because I get dry and coated and painful. Anyway, by the time I got up the next morning, I had stabbing pains through my lower stomache and couldn't go to the toilet properly. Moving hurt, breathing hurt and staying still hurt. I was shivering and weak and felt like throwing up. Mum had gone to the supermarket, but I called her up and begged her to come home, crying miserably before I hung up weakly.

I had been sitting in the armchair, trying to watch Saturday morning TV to take my mind of my pain, trying to find any position that wasn't excruciating. I forced down some scotch finger biscuits because I knew I wouldn't get any better unless I ate, but they were dry and gross in my mouth and I felt nauseus eating or drinking. I managed to get a bucket from the laundry and crawled to the couch, where I stayed silently, trying not to move until Mum came home. When she did, I was barely feeling any better. She checked the information my antibiotics (which had scared me because it said if I had stomach pain I should see immediate medical attention - the worst part was the prospect of going to a doctor's office or hospital and waiting around, when it made me want to cry just lying still on the couch), then rang my doctor, who had Saturday morning surgery. Thank everything for Mum!

He agreed with Mum that it sounded like constipation brought on by too much panadeine and that I should get some Agarol for constipation. While Mum was out getting that, I stayed on the couch. After a while my mind began to drift and the pain began to feel much more bearable. Don't forget, by the way, that I was also suffering from a heavy period, which is not only uncomfortable in itself, usually adds to my back aches. By the time Mum came back, which was a long time later, I actually was feeling a lot better, comparatively. I suspect it was mostly due to me getting some food and drink into me, plus a little relaxing due to Mum's reassurance.

I spent pretty much all of Saturday on the couch, not really well enough to move very much, even sleeping a little in the afternoon (which always a big deal).

By Sunday I was pretty much back to being my normal sick self. Mum and Dad had told me the day before that they had been going to get me a main present with Dianne and Tim, but it hadn't happened, so they didn't want me to feel disappointed if it seemed like I had no big present. Well, I prepared myself for a pile of only four small presents, but instead found there were about ten or so presents waiting for me in the morning. They weren't huge things, but they were nice things, like a rug and CDs and stamps and things. I'll probably take photos later.

I pretty much needed to spend Sunday sleeping. I was pretty exhausted just from being sick, and hadn't done any recooperation on Saturday. Instead, I went out to have lunch with my friends. Dad drove me there, because I didn't feel well enough to drive myself, and was tired out by the drive when I arrived. However, it was a nice way to spend my birthday. My back ached all day and I felt very hot most of the time, even though my temperature had gone back to normal that morning (as well as my bowel movements!). But everybody was nice and pleasant. There were Dianne, Tim, Maree, Brendan, Emma, Sally (for about 10 minutes before she had to go to a rehearsal), EmmaH, Lacchie, Megan (cousin) and Dario (her partner) and Viv.

I kept joking that everybody was either a teacher, singer/performer or had important jobs to go to, so the only person I could breathe on was Viv. Dianne said afterwards that she thought that was maybe a bit rude to Viv. *pouts worriedly* I was sure Viv knew I was only joking! I wouldn't have said it if I really meant it! I was, in fact, pretty nervous about giving my cold to anyone at all, and poor Viv had been sick only recently herself.

Because we spanned two tables, I kept having to move between the two to spend time with everybody. In the end I spent more time at the Family Plus Viv table, because there was a bit more room so I'd put my presents and eaten my food there. I also felt better about that because I was aware that Viv, though pretty capable in most social situations, was still the odd one out there, whereas everyone at the other table knew each other from uni and were teachers. Actually, to be honest, I think I also felt a little more comfortable at the Family Plus Viv table because I was sick. Dianne, Tim and Viv are people I feel so comfortable with, while Megan and Dario are really nice and pleasant. Emma, Maree and EmmaH are also like that, but it was more of an effort to have on my social face for Brendan and Lacchie. Viv was lucky enough to hear me constantly complain about being tired, hehe.

There was a market going on in the gardens across from the restaurant, so we decided that we'd get an ice cream (well, I didn't so that I didn't make myself feel sick) and then wander around. Leonie called just as we left the restaurant and said she was just leaving the city if we were still around, so I said we'd meet her in the gardens. Unfortunately, it took her over an hour to arrive and then another half hour to find where we were, because they went to the wrong gardens! Everyone left except for Viv, who was getting a lift to the station with Dianne & Tim, who were also driving me home (so, obviously, they were there too), by the time Leonie and her boyfriend Vaughn arrived. It was nice to see Leonie, but, in the end, I wish I'd said it wasn't worth her coming, because I was so very, very tired and wished I'd gone home a lot earlier.

It was a nice day, though. I got lovely presents from everybody, including a mini 128mb mp3 player from Dianne and Tim (it turns out the "big present" would have been an iPod Shuffler, if they'd been available for direct sale yet, awww). Dianne and Tim came round for tea, although Tim left in between to go to basketball, and afterwards I dozed on the couch. Oh, and loaded some songs onto my mp3 player.

I slept fairly well last night, only waking a few brief times, and today I've felt much better, but still easily exhausted and, at times, uncomfortable from nasal or chest congestion and rough coughing. I have reluctantly taken tomorrow off work, because I know I just won't be able to cope. I get tired from sitting up for too long and my throat is husky and tends to get dry and disappear after talking for a little while. No energy + no voice = no teaching. I fret about being away from school, though, and how much time I've wasted and how much I'll have to catch up with the kids. Still, one more day is really a good thing.

It's kinda sad to see my counter go up to 365 days now.