Okay...a little sympathy, please...

I guess it IS time for my annual bout with a sinus infection. In past years the sinuses have always won. If you're a betting person, put everything on them to win this year, as well.

The battle began New Year's Eve, and derailed my party plans. Bad omen for the New Year, I'd say. Except for an unexpected visit from Chris, the whole evening was pretty dismal.

As the holiday weekend went on, the pressure and pain from my expanding sinuses increased. The pressure from my sinuses put pressure on my upper teeth, making them too tender to be able to eat any solid foods, and the infection appears to have spread to my gums, as well. In spite of popping a Vicodin, left over from my last excercise in terror (my injured right foot), the pain kept me awake most of the night, and I faced the new day today with about two hours of sleep. However, being the dedicated soul that I am, and having skipped a day of work yesterday (see yesterday's blog), I decided it was time to provide evidence to my cow-orkers that I did, in fact, exist beyond a few cryptic e-mails and phone calls. So, I went into the office. Not one of my better decisions.

Tried to buck up and take it like a man, but the pain finally won out, and I called my doctor to see if I could get in sometime after 3 P.M. The plan was to wait for Chung, the laundry guy, to show up with my clean shirts and pick up the bag of dirty ones. Well, THAT didn't happen, so I endured a couple of extra hours of discomfort because of that! Thanks, Chung!

Four o'clock. That was my scheduled appointment. And since it was snowing outside, I gave myself an hour to make what is normally a 20-25 minute drive back to my neighborhood, where my doctor's office is also located. One of my smarter decisions, I'd say.

Well, the doctor confirmed what I could have told him and saved myself the visit and co-pay. Sinus infection. PLUS, it appears, an abcessed tooth. So, I'm given a list as long as my.....well, maybe a little longer, of things I need to do. Increase fluids, cut down on smoking (yeah, right), and take all of these drugs, including anti-biotics for 15 days. The one thing he forgot, but I didn't, was the PAIN! He said he'd prefer to let my dentist address that, but by now it's after five, and I know it's unlikely my dentist will see me that late in the day.

After a sympathy ploy, and a lot of batting the "baby blues", he finally gave in and wrote a prescription for Vicodin. YES! THANK YOU, GOD! Only enough to get me through about 24 hours, but still.... I do have quite a stash left from my foot mishap, so, don't expect too much in the way of coherent thought for the next day or so.

Meanwhile, in Denver right now, it's 10 degrees, wind chill below zero, and snowing like hell. Expect up to five inches tonight, and another 3 or 4 inches tomorrow. That will be too deep for me to measure with my conventional method, but just barely.

Wish me a good night's sleep, okay?

Jaydog