I managed to get my contact lens stuffed up into my eyeball last night – uurgh! (end of day tired and rubbed my eyes; I know, but I forgot I was wearing lenses and not my glasses through which I see much better these days of juggling short-sightedness with my aged need for reading glasses) I hoped it would clear this morning but, no, still lodged somewhere.  I worried it had got into my brain or nose because I nearly passed out when getting dressed, felt rather hot and sick and the nose is still running three weeks after i caught my baby grandson’s cold.

A call to several opticians and I got an appointment at Horsham 10.30 am.  Loads of time…  so I got involved in something and then “Its 10 o’clock!” came from Brian’s office.  Oh oh…I had to drive .. quite fast… to get to my appointment on time.  Then I had to wait.  so my blood pressure had gone up for nothing? Well, no. Serendipitously I found a useful article for my daughter whilst waiting:  how to deal with school age tantrums.  What do you do when your six year old is behaving like his two year old sister (she’s watching angelically of course: “me? behave like that?  of course not.”  So, it happens beyond two and before the teenage tantrum stage…  normal.  oh good.  So, my dear, its NOT your parenting or the fact you are a working mother (guilt ridden as they all are in my experience): it happens.

The optician (very kind young lady – nice outfit) successfuly managed to get the wandering lens out with the help of some dye to make it visible and a damp cotton bud.  Phew… The lens out, I wondered why I still felt giddy, hot and rather unwell.  As I was in town, I did a few errands – birthday presents and cards for next set of grandchildren to need remembering, bits and pieces in the chemists which I can’t get in the tiny towns locally…

Ok, still hot, head pounding and giddy.  Chemist.  Pharmacist.  They are good if you get a relatively un-busy one. Great, she was available and smiling:  could she help?  Yes please.  Just how long does a cold and catarrh last? “I think it’s a viral thing. plenty of liquid, rest, paracetamol and wait for it to pass.”  Great.

Son phones, upset because someone ‘had a go at him’.  He assures me he knows he shouldn’t take it so personally.  Dyslexia and dyspraxia make it hard to understand complex matters over the telephone.  ADHD makes it hard not to want a current stressful situation TO BE OVER NOW!  Hard to explain to others who are on the receiving end of your “please explain that again? can you write it down for me? Sorry but can you get back to me?” (twice asked on text and phone). He is going to switch phone off and go home to missus and baby and not think about anything more tonight.

Good idea.  I think I’ll do the same…  Switch brain off…

Yes, I will follow my prescription: bath, paracetemol, rest with a non-study book, listen to some good meditative music, get significant other to do dinner and pour me a glass of chilled white wine.

What do you mean, ‘the pharmacist didn’t mention the last two on that list’?  Well, I’m a doctor and I’ve just prescribed them for myself.