On Sunday night, as I was on the tube coming home from meeting my friend Lorien, I began to notice a slight ache in my face. In my upper teeth and gums, specifically, on the left side. I'd been to the dentist several months earlier, so it seemed unlikely I was having a dental problem -- I thought maybe I was getting a canker sore.
By Monday I was in full-fledged pain, but the cause still wasn't evident. I couldn't even really locate the pain. It seemed to be beneath my cheekbone, but was it my upper jaw, or my sinuses? Hard to tell. I sat around the house clutching the side of my face and moaning, popping largely ineffective aspirin, until Dave said, "Why don't you go to the doctor?"
So I did, yesterday morning, and the conclusion is that I have a sinus infection. It's probably related to that mild cold I had a few weeks ago. The doctor tried to talk me into going home and breathing steam a couple of times a day to relieve the congestion, but he gave me a prescription for doxycycline if the steam didn't work. In true American fashion I went straight to the pharmacy and got the doxycycline. I was in pain, and while I didn't have a fever, I felt shaky and tired. I wanted drugs, not steam treatments.
I did manage to take Olga to the park yesterday morning, and today I feel better. The pain no longer feels like John Henry pounding a spike into my cheekbone. It's more of a dull, unpleasant ache -- like that incipient canker sore I thought was on the way, or a headache that hasn't quite mustered itself to full strength.
The packing materials for our move arrived on Monday, and the guest bedroom is now full of boxes, blank newsprint and bubble wrap. The mover, a man-with-a-van named Danny who was recommended to us by someone at work, dropped it all off and talked to us about packing. Did you know there's a proper way to use bubble wrap -- with the bubbles facing inward, pressed directly against the object, rather than outward? It was news to me.
Anyway, I packed several boxes, but I don't want to do too much yet because we're still almost two weeks away from our move. A little each day seems like a sensible approach.
(Photo: Notting Hill, on June 11.)
Rest up and get better before you start packing in earnest, friend. Moving and setting up anew can be hard work!
ReplyDeleteYep. No matter how much you prepare early on, the last few days are going to be the full rush and you know it so get better and save your strength.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the bubble wrap tip!
Sinus infections are painful! I hate them! They can quickly get out of hand so it's good to take the drugs.
ReplyDelete(Side note sinus horror story)
We knew a friend's daughter that had a sinus infection that only got worse when we went to a high altitude in the mountains. It got behind her eye and actually dislodged her eye. She had to have surgery and her eye was never quite right.
I hit publish too soon ... I love the photo and the guy with the balloons. I wonder if it's a party? birthday?
ReplyDeleteOuch I feel your pain. Get your hands on some saline nose spray or mix some up at home, the salt helps dry up the infection and heal the swelling.I am a huge fan of it. Thank you for bubble tip. I like to use it for stress relief my self...
ReplyDeleteI've been using bubble wrap incorrectly all these years and no one has ever told me. Thankfully, I've never broken anything because of my mistake.
ReplyDeleteHope the infection goes away very soon. I'm prone to sinus infections so I feel for you.
My sister gets them all the time. I try to use sterile saline solution in a nose spray in the evenings before bed if I am feeling stopped up or if my sinuses feel tight. You'd be surprised how effective it is at draining sinuses. prevention vs cure.
ReplyDeleteand yah, I did know that about bubble wrap tho no one told me. it just seemed to make more sense.
Hope you're feeling better! And now I'd like to go pop some bubble wrap!
ReplyDelete