Minor Operations: When Everyone Thinks You're Screwed

So during my school vacation (its always during vacation!) it was discovered that after nearly three months of being constantly sick, I had tonsillitis. So bad, that even though this was the first time, I was told to have them removed immediately. We went to see a specialist, and Bob's your uncle the operating date was set for Monday the 23rd of April. Meaning tomorrow.

The funny thing is that I am completely fine. I'm not stressed, or worried, I just want it over with. In fact I'm pretty excited to spend my first night in a hospital. Everyone else however, is not taking it so well. And that's putting it very lightly.

My mom has religiously bought medicine, and now provisions for my recovery week. Provisions like kid's toothpaste, marshmallows and purity (baby slop). She has sworn not to leave my side until she is forced to.

My stepfather, who generally keeps his distance when I'm sick, has taken to giving me inspirational and motivational speeches every five minutes. Which sort of makes me feel more like I'm going off to war instead of getting a simple tonsillectomy.

My step mom has advised strongly against taking my tonsils out, since I may need them in the future. I have no idea what she thinks I'll do with them. My father has decided to keep his distance and only said good luck now and then. I almost prefer that.

My very nosey grandmother phones every chance to tell me that I must:" Instruct your mother to look after you properly." She then phones my mom anyway to harass her.

My teachers look at me like I'm a mental patient, my friends say goodbye as if they'll never see me again and I'm pretty sure my boyfriend is going grey. The only other happy person about it is my cousin's boyfriend who suggested that i ask for my tonsils in a jar, add some glow stick juice and make a nightlight. Are we seriously the only ones that don't think its that major?

A tonsillectomy is a pretty straight forward 20 to 30 minute operation which has been done millions of times. The recovery time is about a week. I don't understand why people are pretending I'm going to die. Do they like the drama? Do they want to comfort themselves? Or do they just want to scare the crap out of me? Either way, I'll report back next week.

P.S We reached more than a thousand page views this week. The first milestone. Thanks to everyone reading :)

Star Wars and Fever: How its ok to be sick on New Year's

I would love to say that I spent New Year’s at some crazy party, dancing and drinking until 2012 came. But I didn’t. Instead I was running a fever, and spent the night taking medicine and watching Star Wars with my family. And in some strange way it was a lot of fun, except for being sick.

Generally I find a lot of people get sick at the end of the year. Just as soon as you have those few days of vacation, you end up getting flu so bad you practically need an iron lung. And of course this spoils your entire holiday spirit.

Sadly, you can blame no-one but yourself.

Nowadays, vacations are more like work to be honest. Six hundred people want to meet you, or go out. If you have kids you have to take them everywhere, as well as entertaining them. You are expected to cook 3-4 meals a day, deserts apart, and clean the house. If people come over you have to make the effort to look good and keep them welcome. So its not as if you relax more than you did while you were working.

Eventually, after months of work, and now suffering the few vacation days, your system draws the line. In some warped way it thinks that by making you sick, you will finally slow down and get some rest. And its true, you finally do.

Whether it be from severe medication, or plain exhaustion, I hope that everyone gets rest in the very last days of vacation.

Have a happy New Year.

Christmas

According to the calendar it is officially time. Time for fruitcake, time for eggnog and time for presents. Yes, its time for Christmas.

Which, somehow, with a ninja like stealth sneaked up on us this year.

Christmas, no matter your shape size or religion, is about family. Now for some of us this unfortunately means batty grandmothers or drunken aunts who will be yelling orders or cracking rude jokes around the tree. It took me a very long time to realise that even though they make you cringe, its these people that make Christmas amazing. Try as I might, I couldn’t imagine this holiday without them.

By this time of the year, everyone is exhausted. You don’t feel like  making an effort, and the idea of cooking a six course feast makes you want to carve someone other than the chicken. But then... You sit at the Christmas tree and see a cousin or another family member open their present . And they are so happy, ecstatic even to receive this one  little thing. Its at that moment that all the money, blood, sweat and effort was worth it.

So go out and make the six course feast, even if it kills you. Buy that extra impulsive present. Invite the batty grandmother or drunken aunt.

Why?

Because its Christmas. So what the hell? Go mad, you have nothing to lose!

So to you all I say Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. (It’ll be over before you know it!)