it's 4.33 in the morning when I begin writing this. The longest uninterupted sleep period I've had this weekend is 3 hours. So don't expect much coherency.
So we're at the first stage of the practical bits of my college course. Where they let us out among real people in care situations. Or in other words. During 4 weeks we're supposed to do 134 hours of work at, in this stage of it, an assisted care facility for elderly people. I've actually enjoyed it, now that I've seen the reality of that kind of work, I can not really picture me ever go back to the chained to a desk for 9 hours doing the same thing day in day out, week in week out, year in year out. There are some less pleasant activities involved, sure, and it's hardly glamorous. But I like the freedom, and even the varied work hours.
This weekend was the end of week 3 of those 4 weeks. I was supposed to pull two 13 hour shifts over saturday and sunday. A not insignificant chunk of those required 134 hours.
07:00 Saturday morning. Turn up at work, dull, yet scarily familiar ache in the left ear. Chug usual painkillers. Helps enough to get me to about 15:00 when the pain is just to much to ignore and pretend it is not there. Usual painkillers does not help.
I give up. Make my excuses about being sick and leave. Go home, get on the internet and take a queue number online for the private open 24/7 drop in clinic. About the only place that is open a Saturday afternoon unless I want to go to a proper A&E and sit and wait all night watching traffic accident victims and drunkards who've gotten into a fight...
Get the SMS to tell me that it's time to head for the clinic, estimated 20 mins until my number in the queue comes up.
Arrive. Settle down to wait. 5 numbers to go, can't be long. Waiting room of private clinic freezing cold, and equipped with posh marble seats. Very designed, very pretty - I'm sure, I'm not really in a mood to appreciate it with my bum freezing off and an ear ache that feels like my skull is about to crack open from the preassure of the ear canal swelling shut and trying to keep swelling pressing against the skull bone.
Two or so later, I'm still waiting. Waiting to see the receptionist, not even waiting for a doctor. My number is the next one... Some nurse comes out to say something to the people waiting. My ear is swollen shut, I can't hear a thing. But a few people start picking up and walking out.
Two and a half hour later... they call my number!!! I get to see the receptionist. Who tells me that it's going to be a minimum four hour wait to see a doctor. Unless I'm a priority case - ie. a child under five years of age. Which I quite obviously are not.
I give up. No way I'm sitting on a marble bench in a freezing waiting room half the night. No matter how posh marble benches might be from a decorator's view point. When I can go home and have some more painkillers, something to eat - since I've not had anything since lunch. And hope to survive the night.
Plus, sitting half the night waiting to see a doctor... Why I'd miss my saturday night Iron heroes game. Distraction is just what I need to try and forget the earache.
Discover that a cocktail of one paracetamol and one ibuprofen gives me enough relief that I can get 30 mins of sleep before it wears off, the pain gets too much and the long wait for 4 hours to have passed so I can take another painkiller cocktail cycle begins.
Sunday.
The not-private drop in 'emergency' clinic for the region is open between 10:00 - 15:00. Opt for that one rather than to go back to the private clinic. Arrive as they open, prepared for a long wait. Bag stuffed with painkillers and even a little packed lunch. One and a half hour later, I'm on my way home again, via the pharmacy to pick up cortison and antibiotic eardrops.
My self diagnosis of external otitis confirmed - I've had it before.
The doctor at that clinic, did not how ever put a wick in. They'd run out of wicks... But figured if I try with the ear drops, and if I saw no improvement, go see my GP on monday to have them put in the wick.
Day spent in agony, keeping up the cycle of 30 mins of relative relief, enough to get some slumber in before the painkillers wear off and the pain gets too much to do anything but cry like a little baby.
Monday.
No improvement. Rather the reverse. Pain much worse, much much worse than even the other time I had it. Eardrops are a futile exercise when earcanal swelled completely shut. Nothing is getting into the ear.
08:00 Phone GP to navigate their queue system. - Not so bad really, rather than have you sit on hold, you enter in your phone number, and they call you back. Even give you the time they will call you back on.
09:05 GP calls back, get an appointment for 14:00 the same day.
13:00 hours, take painkillers to cover a reasonable expectation of how long the visit to the GP can take. And to time the maximum effect of them to what I guess will be while he's digging in my ear to put wick in.
14:00 See GP. Does not put a wick in. The infection have spread to make half my face swollen and tender which has him worried enough to not wanting to do anything until I've seen an ear specialist. Writes referal to ear specialist at big hospital in town.
Call dad and beg him for a lift to big hospital. Not at all feeling up to things like sitting on a bus. Sleep deprivation and near constant pain have worn me down enough as it is.
16:00 Arrive at ear clinic.
17:00 Leave after much torture forcing the wick in. With prescription for more antibiotics, not topical but pills, strong painkillers, and an appointment to return on Wendesday.
New painkillers strong enough so I can get 3 hours of sleep before the pain is back at full force and some. But I'm only allowed one every 6 hours.
Post to livejournal.
Yours in deformity of a half face swollen - geekling.
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