In the time of the virus: week 2 of self-isolation – am I in a time warp?

Here we are at the start of our second week of self-isolation, and I’m feeling like I’ve inadvertently entered a personal time warp and am back in 2016.  There were some really good bits to 2016 (our trip to Denmark, revisited yesterday; our visit to good friends in Canada followed by the add-on trip to New York).  And then of course there were some pretty rubbish bits too.

I guess all of us won’t forget the Brexit vote in a hurry.  A shock which will be reverberating and damaging us for many years to come.  When Boris Johnson compared May’s Brexit deal with the Titanic, he wasn’t completely wrong: under his ‘leadership’ he’s steering us headlong towards the iceberg right now.

Then of course there was Trump.  And sadly still is.  That’s going well too.  Not.

In my personal little world, 2016 was the year when I hit a series of medical issues.

First up was the very uncomfortable and swollen leg that started part way through our first long distance walk together (the Capital Ring – a great walk through the outskirts of London, mostly through green spaces).  It took several years and several wrong turns before I managed to get a proper referral which led to a diagnosis of lymphoedema, a lifelong condition I’ve learned to live with and adapt to.

Next, starting just when we were about to leave Fanø, was a boil on my shoulder.  That lasted several months and two series of antibiotics before it finally left, leaving behind quite a large scar.

Then just before our trip to Canada I had eye surgery to correct drooping eyelids (ptosis) that was reducing my functional vision.  The surgery was successful – for a while.

So, back to the present.  Next week (PGTG, as my great aunt would have said) I’m having the eye surgery redone, as the good effect didn’t last.  My optician and the surgeon thought probably part of the reason for that was my long-term and continued use of hard contact lenses, so I decided to fund having surgical lens replacement (not available on the NHS other than for cataracts) prior to having the eyelid surgery redone (fortunately NHS funded again).  We’re hoping the effect will be much more long lasting this time around.

Now the scar tissue from the original boil has turned into another boil.  It’s uncomfortable and quite painful but normally wouldn’t be a great problem.  My worry though is that having it could derail the eye surgery next week – if it does, there’ll be another long wait (this should have been done in April, but for obvious reasons wasn’t, and my sight is getting worse especially in the evening).  My other worry is whether there is any potential ill-effect of having a strep infection on the lymphoedema.  I rang the GP and eventually got through and a very helpful GP rang me back.  Now I’m on a course of antibiotics – luckily the same ones I have to keep a supply of at home in case of cellulitis (a particular risk in my leg).  I’m hoping that the antibiotics and warm compresses will do their thing and get rid of the boil – quickly.

I know there are many worse things to endure, but given the choice I probably wouldn’t have chosen 2016 for my personal time travel.

Hoping you’re well, and that I’ll see you again tomorrow xx