I’m up. It’s 2:45am on Sunday/Monday and I’m awake. I am having a terrible, painful, awful toothache. So about 2 hours ago now, I took a percoset that I had left over from my back injury. My friend at work gave me two percoset. I took one when my back when out three months ago and one tonight. And it’s keeping me up, I think. Or maybe it’s the tooth pain. I’m not actually sure at this point. But I’m sitting here, awake, and well…

I finally googled “severe toothpain” and one common theme I read was vanilla extract. That and baking soda were really the only two consistently mentioned remedies. I did the vanilla extract. And you know what? I kinda worked. That is huge. Because I don’t have the severe, hot-screw-being-drilled pain I had before. But it still hurts like a real bitch. I realized a couple days ago that I actually haven’t being chewing on that side of my mouth for, seriously – MONTHS.

So there’s that. And the other thing is that I’ve had a second go-round, a repeat, if you will, of my flu. I’ve been down and out, big time, for the last 36 hours. I actually finally started feeling better tonight – just before the tooth happened! – after spending the day resting. Long story short, I haven’t felt 100% for two weeks, since the Monday after my birthday. But after the first experience with it, last week, I felt like I was finally recovering. I’ve still had a noticeable headache, sinus congestion, sore throat, and a consistent cough ever since then. So I know I’ve still been mildly sick, but I’ve been really laying low. I have been going to work but I also haven’t been drinking, smoking, or doing anything at all, really, except working, working out, and going to rehearsals and shows. Otherwise I’m at home. I guess it wasn’t enough though. Because I went for a run on Saturday during the day, a long run around the park. And yes it was pretty cold out at the time. Yes. But I was bundled up and I felt good. I’d already been back to working out since I’d first gotten sick.

Well about ¾ of the way through the run, I didn’t feel right. And when I came home, I got sick. It was awful. And I had to get ready, get dressed, and go to my show right after that. I felt pretty rotten for the rest of the night. We went straight home after the rehearsal and show, and I crashed.

I did nothing today. I originally had three things on the agenda: go to an HST business meeting at 11am, go to the Bodies exhibit at 3pm (the tickets for that thing apparently have to be for a specific time and date and we’d gotten tickets as a gift), and a Girls Movie Night with some girlfriends at 7pm. I bailed on all three! Aack! I felt guilty! I was surprised that I felt guilty, actually, but I really did. I had to keep telling myself that it was actually the right thing to do – rather than that it was me bailing on stuff.

I ended up having a really nice day while trying to recuperate. I laid around, Kevin made me breakfast, we watched two episodes of Top Chef, we bought plane tickets online for a wedding we’re going to /I’m in in Miami in March, we had a small soup lunch. We finished planning Thanksgiving. ☺ Then I took a nap, woke up, needed some fresh air badly, so we bundled up and took a walk. I had a nice chat with my mom on the phone just before I left the house – we checked in on holiday stuff (I won’t see her for Thanksgiving, but I am going home for Christmas. Kevin’s coming! Yay!)

The fresh air was great, I actually got a small coffee (half decaf/half reg) and ate a banana while I was out, and I went to the grocery store for a couple small Thanksgiving things. It felt excellent to be out and about., like I really needed the fresh air and to get the blood flowing.

Kevin had gone to pick up Thai food for us and was home when I got there. So we hung out. He talked to his parents, I baked brownies from TJ’s that I’ve been meaning to make (they turned out to be amazing and surprisingly okay calorie-wise). We ate dinner, watched House, watched the movie Catch Me If You Can, in the dark! With popcorn! It was fun. We even moved the couch to a better viewing place for movie-watching. So the room felt fun and different. It was fun.

So it was a really lovely day. And flu-wise, I’m feeling better right now. Even though it’s actually 2am and I’m actually awake with an actual toothache. The last few days have been a joke, health-wise.

Because not only that, but get this – I have a rash on my ankle. I’ve had it for a while, it’s not going away, and I need to get it checked out. I already have a doctor’s appointment for it for tomorrow, which I made last week when I’d already been feeling better after the FIRST flu bout, so I didn’t mention that as my reason for coming in, I just called because I have this rash. So I’ll tell her about both tomorrow Unreal.

And you know what’s funny? I haven’t been sick in over a year.

So that’s that. Sigh. SIGH.

…my tooth is killing me.

☺ I guess if I’m gonna complain about it all though, I should also write about what’s good too. And lots is.

First of all, I’m sitting here in my lovely little house, blogging and eating a brownie.

I’ve had a lot of fun planning Thanksgiving. And I’m looking forward to Christmas. And I’m just generally feeling good about my life right now. I’m having fun, enjoying being myself, and being an adult. My relationship, which is not perfect by any means, is fulfilling, fun, and good. And that’s what I want in life. I love being alone. I also want to have a life with someone. And I really think I’ve found, in the last 4 months of living with my boyfriend for the first time ever, a nice balance of those two worlds. I love him. And I love how our relationship challenges me to be a better person. And I cherish him. He’s wonderful. He’s my best friend.

Work is okay right now and working out is bringing me a great sense of peace and relaxation lately. I’m able to utilize it in that way right now. It feels good. And it makes me feel powerful, capable, and sane.

I’ve lost a total of 11.6 pounds since I recommitted to losing the 18 I gained. YES! I just saw the lowest number I’ve ever seen, this morning. Sweet.

I can’t wait for Christmas.

I think I might get a raise soon. And I’m gonna get a holiday bonus.

So stuff is good. I guess I’m gonna post this and go lay down. I’m not sure I’ll be able to sleep but I should try. It’s either that or I’ll start munching. Because that brownie was good.

I’m calling the dentist in the morning. I’ll be better by Thanksgiving, dammit.