A Cold in my Eye

I spent the better part of a week nursing a cold. Last Sunday I thought I had it whipped. Tuesday morning it was back to whip me. Sore throat, hacking, congestion, the whole nine yards. I am not a whiner by nature, I can handle a cold. What I can't deal with is that disorienting feeling that comes with having your ears shut up. When just one sense is off I can't seem to function. I would turn around to see people looking at me as though they were waiting for me to say something and just stare blankly at them until they walked away.

Thursday morning I bent down to tie my son's shoe and in one split-second of web-slinging action, he drilled his tiny finger deep into my eyeball. I stumbled backward, sure I was going to pass out and begging the darkness to come take away the pain. Fifteen minutes later, I had forgotten about it.
At a meeting that evening, while trying to steal a discreet look at the lady sitting beside me, I felt searing pain. I couldn't figure out what was wrong. As long as I looked straight ahead it was fine, but the slightest movement nearly sent me into convulsions. I was at church so of course I figured this was God's way of punishing me for sizing up my neighbor.
I finally made the connection once I got home and took a look in the mirror.



So now I'm not only deaf but partially blind. I haven't let it stop me though. I've been sewing some bags for an upcoming arts and crafts show and I still stumble around town, pretending to be normal. Just yesterday I lost my balance and dropped a pumpkin which I had to chase clear accross a parking lot. Today, I fell out of the shower onto the floor, bruising my left hip and scaring the hell out of my son.