11/3/14. The post where I pay for the past two weeks.

11/3/14: I was looking forward to a good night's rest after all the events of the last two weeks.  But that didn't happen.  Because I have a sinus infection.  Of course.

I've been fighting it ever since I got home from my conference.  I chalked it up to allergies, and that's probably how it started.  I nursed my sore throat enough to perform Saturday night, but I started slowly falling apart on Sunday and by Sunday night I was in pretty sorry shape.  As soon as I laid my head on the pillow, I started coughing.  So it was back up to get a wedge pillow so I could sleep sitting up.  And I did manage something approximating sleep.  Although sitting up all night didn't help relieve my soreness from the show Saturday night.  http://youtu.be/CkvL6r5CMak

When I got up this morning, it was clear I had a sinus infection.  (I won't tell you why it was clear - you can probably imagine why.  Yuck.)  In addition to the headache and the stopped up nose, my throat was on fire.  Not in a CRPS kind of way, though.  Just in a sore throat kind of way.  It would have been a great day to stay home sick, but I had to teach two classes today, so I got it together and went to work.  In my orange sweater, in honor of CRPS Awareness Day.  I looked a little like I missed the memo that Halloween was over, but no one seemed to mind.  I made it through the classes without completely losing my voice, and even went to handbell practice after work.  My patient, long-suffering husband got me through the day, between wearing his CRPS t-shirt in solidarity and making me a yummy dinner after practice.  I will try to repay his kindness by not coughing all night.

After a few days of phone tag, I talked this evening with a friend of a friend who is considering a spinal cord stimulator for nerve damage in her arm.  It is amazing how many people I have run across over the last year who have similar issues.  (I think they call it "collective consciousness" when you suddenly start to notice multiple instances of something you previously thought was unusual because it becomes important to you.  Like when you buy a new car that seemed unique and suddenly you see the same make and model everywhere you go.)  My brother just told me about a friend's 15 year old daughter who has been diagnosed with CRPS, which probably wouldn't have resonated as much with him a year ago.  I really feel for her - it is hard enough to be a 15 year old without having to deal with something like this.  

Looks like it will be another night of sleeping sitting up.  Fortunately, I have no classes to teach tomorrow and it should be a quiet day in the office.  Who knows, a few more quiet days and I might feel better.  If only I could count on a few more quiet days.