TMI: The Tale Of A Sad, Sad Boobie

Okay, if you don't want to read about a very sad, sore boobie, skip this one.

So, I have mastitis (at least that's what they tell me!). A 4-inch circle of red, hot, hard, swollen (um, exactly what are we describing here?) painful-like-a-fresh-burn-painful, achy boobie. And it feels like it weighs about 10 pounds. And it hurts like hell to wear a bra or have clothes on it. And I have a bit of a fever, and my back still hurts, and yes I'm whiny but really, mastitis? Couldn't I get something a little more normal, to tell me that I'm run down, like a cold? Or a sore throat?

So I'm home, feeling crummy about taking time off from work, feeling crummy in general.

And the darn thing is, even though I'm taking antibiotics, that stupid red-hot circle is growing. It's making me a bit nervous. I hope this is the worse-before-it-gets-better part. I even marked the edges in pen last night to see if it had expanded. It had. And, it continues to. About a 1/2-inch since last night. I mean, yuck!!

It's just weird. I have acupuncture at 4:45, I'm hoping he will help, also (but God help him if he tries to put a needle in there!). If it's not receded by the morning, I'll call the doctor again, too. I keep thinking that maybe it's all in my head, it's not that bad, but then I'll get a sharp, shooting pain in my chest or down my arm and look down and see that bright red circle, and I'm like, nope! It's here.

It makes me think about people who have progressive illnesses... you just have to wait, and watch, and watch your body deteriorate. What strength it must take to continue on in the face of that. Not that I'm comparing my experience to anything like what other people have to go through, but it's a little frightening to watch the infection progress, and it makes me very empathetic to people to have no choice but to watch.

Anyway. The upside is that I got to read The Devil Wears Prada, which was fluffy and reminded me of The Nanny Diaries; fun, not very well written, but definitely good summer reading.

It's now time for a very hot shower and the loosest, softest shirt I can find.