Out of ``Jail''

I'm finally out of ``jail''.

It has been a rough week. It all began with a dull pain in my left eye ball (it's always the left eye ball for some damn reason...) on Sunday. Might be mild irritation (it happens every now and then), so no sweat---I'll just wait it out.

At the end of the day, it was still having pain. And it was red. Naphcon-A was doing magic, but I was tearing up like a mofo. A quick check with the torchlight angled against the surface of my cornea was showing me some rather uncomfortable cloudiness on the edge where it meets sclera.

I've seen that shit before when I had corneal abrasions. It was not a good sign. Time to see the ophthalmologist. Earliest was Monday afternoon when they open, but it was important to make an appointment. Sunday night was not what I was expecting, but mum was worried/adamant, and managed to get through---turns out that staff had the fixed line office number forwarded to her cellphone, and was curious due to the persistent calls. Appointment was made, and I spent the next morning setting out standing instructions to my team as I worked from home, waiting till it was time for my appointment.

Ophthalmologist was finally met, diagnosis of borderline keratitis given, eyedrops containing steroids, as well as several antibiotics to reduce chances of infection were provided, and sick leave for three days was given. Photosensitivity was a bitch, and I was tearing up here and there, and the eye was still red.

I could only rest at home till the first follow up on Wednesday morning.

In between resting, I had to take a break from taking a break, and from that I was just checking in on my work phone just to keep a track on the pulse of things that were happening.

So much happened that I got even more tired from that.

Wednesday follow up came and went. Another two days of sick leave was provided for more rest, and I took them. Meds are doing their magic, but things take time to heal. And I have developed a weird cough in the mean-time due to God knows what---too much random phlegm or something?

Today is Saturday. There's a performance this evening that I'm involved in. I've got to get into shape for it. Playing through with a cough only because I'm probably the best dizi player that is in the orchestra that can handle all the nonsense that is needed for the pizzazz. There was also an out-of-the-blue invitation to an acquaintance's wedding luncheon that I turned down because I had to run errands in the morning of today, and that was before I was kept in ``jail'' due to my busted up eye ball.

Last week and a bit before, Xiaolu came back to town for a visit. It was unexpected, but very welcome. We caught up on old times, lamented about what being forty meant, and shared about our fears and what passes as hopes for the future. I had been in a slump for the past few years, and having her come in at just this time was in many ways a God-send. Maybe there will be better confidence in taking the paths that I have in mind, or maybe I'll just end up ``existing'' the way I have been for the past six to seven years. In either case, I am glad she showed up when she did, even though the circumstance that she was operating from was unsafe.

Anyway, that's about it. I'm not dead yet, and tomorrow's March.

Where the hell did the time go?