Bonk Bonk Bonk

That's my head against a wall.

But as I said to my mom, it's been a good five days since the last crisis at Chez Kirkland.

So almost four weeks ago now, I fell on my ass, bruising many bits and probably breaking my toe. We know how to treat these, and I don't have insurance so we use RICE plus ibuprofen and leftover percocet. It's all good, and my yesterday all the bruises except the toe had faded to nothing. The toe was still faintly purple and getting throbby by afternoon most days. Laston's back seems to be okay as long as he takes it easy.

Then it's Thursday, and my right shin feels weird. I check it out on my afternoon break and it's quite swollen and shiny red, warm and tender to the touch. Itches too. Huh. I thought perhaps I had been bitten by a spider; I AM allergic and these symptoms are similar. No bite marks though, so I show it to my mom when I go to pick up the kids after work.

She thinks it looks like cellulitis. This is not the same thing as cellulite; this is an infection - usually staph or strep, usually of an open wound or scratch. It's serious. Better go in. Laston's not home from work yet so I pack the kids in the car and go to the doc.

Yep. Cellulitis. But... but... no open wound!

Yes, Mrs. K, but you just got over bronchitis. You were on Zithromax, which works well on the lungs and not well at all anywhere else in the system. Little staph or strep bugs probably went, "Look, nice little blood cells outta this unfriendly bronchial tube and into a fat, meaty bruise. Yum." (The doctor was not this pithy; that's all me being pissed off and amused at the same time). "So you need a shot in the... hip..." (they always pause before they say "hip" because we all know they mean "butt") "...and to take antibiotics for the rest of the month or your leg will fall off." (Again, an exaggeration for the sake of humor. But not by much).

So yeah, stuck on the couch (good thing we got recliner ends) until Monday, essentially. I can get up to do things now and then, take antibx, maybe cook something, warm the heat pack they want me to use.

Silver lining? I always find one. Um... I guess I can use Friday to finish those papers for school.

Of course Laston's back slid out again today on his way out of work.

Yeah.