frowny baby

I am, indeed, frowny at the moment. Houses that need DIY skills that I don’t have, neighbours from shitsville, a dwindling bank balance and a complete lack of career direction, are building up my stress levels to uncomfortable levels. I need to feel like I’m back in control because, right now, I’m not even sure where to start. I did think that I needed a holiday, but as soon as I started looking for possible places to stay, it just made the head muddle worse.

In six months, things will be looking better….or at least easier….I hope.

Update: On the other hand, things could get worse. However, recent events have put my moans into perspective, and I’ve at least got a more pragmatic outlook.  If anyone has any surplus good luck that they’d like to throw in our direction….

It’s Tuesday night. You feel sick. You appear to have picked up some kind of horrible stomach bug. Where is the ideal place to be? I know what you’re thinking; a nice warm bed, with a bathroom in dashing distance, and a loved one to stroke your head and bring you glasses of water.

Let me suggest an alternative. What about Old Trafford. On match day. Surrounded by Manchester United supporters. No buses in sight. No cabs that can take you anywhere. A grass verge to vomit in. And the aformentioned ideal scenario two miles and two hours walk away.

No?

I wasn’t best pleased either.

I could write this blog on my arm. Behold my arm.

As if the chronic asthma wasn’t bad enough, I now find out that have developed strange hives called dermatographism (or “skin writing” disorder). I keep thinking about the Roald Dahl story, Skin, where the tatoo artist ‘paints’ a picture on the back of the young boy and he becomes a living work of art. Someone could use me to make etchings….itchy etchings.

After spending a month feeling like I’ve completely lost control of my asthma again, I think it’s time I tried some alternatives to the medication I’ve been breathing in on a regular basis. I read this article earlier, and it sounds like exactly what I’m looking for. I’ve learned similar breating techniques in yoga, so I know how effective they can be. After a coughing fit this afternoon, I decided not to dive in and whiff the inhaler, but give the breathing a go. What do you know, it worked! I sat in the office breathing into a paper bag for a while too, and it made me feel much better.

My doctor prescribed a steroid inhaler today, and I’m extremely uneasy about taking it long term. I hate the thought of medicating when this condition could be controlled in a more natural way. I’ll need to take the medicine at the moment because I feel so horrid, but I need to do a bit more research on this.