Thursday, March 21, 2013

Ah, the little reminders life gives us

My eyes are killing me right now. I’ve got the font set to about a 400-point size and I’m still having trouble seeing it. (It would likely help if I weren’t doing a reverse-blinking thing where I open them ever so briefly, take a quick glance to make sure I haven’t gotten my fingers in the wrong place and started typing ‘yi[[omh’ and like that, then close them again for a while.) (But then they sting. And ache. And feel like I have rocks in them. Argh!)

I have no idea what’s up with this lately. It started last week, this end-of-day eyeball-aching thing. Feels a bit like I’ve been putting drops of acid into them and then having a game of Don’t Blink with the sun or something.

I can’t decide whether I think I’m just that much more tired than usual, or if I’m not taking care of them throughout the day the way I think I am, or maybe I’m allergic to some perfume or other at the office, or…what.

But that’s not the biggest problem. No. The worst thing of all is that…I have no idea what to do with myself, really.

I can’t knit.

I can’t play a video game.

I can’t watch TV.

Let alone read.

And I don’t really like audio books, either. They tend to give me a headache. Plus I get irritated because I don’t like the way the reader does things. That’s not how I would have imagined she would have said that, I will fume.

And I know I will be even more critical right now, because it’s making me just generally pissy, this whole eyeball-aching thing.

So, well, about all I can do is sit here, with my eyes mostly closed, and listen to the sound of my boredom as it claws at the inside of my head until bedtime.

So many things in life that I never really think about much. Every so often some tragic story will come up where somebody lost their sight or hearing or sense of smell or what-have-you, and for a brief moment I shudder and think, Wow, that would really suck…and maybe I say a few words into the Great Stillness about blessings and strength and other stuff you say when there’s really nothing you CAN say, but you feel you must say SOMETHING.

And then I go back to whatever I was doing. Queasiness over, and another potential realization of just how fragile the life to which I’ve grown accustomed really is, averted.

Being forced to actually not do stuff for an appreciable amount of time because of something – being unable to keep my eyes open, not being able to get up my own stairs when my back is really having An Episode, those times when I’ve popped a tendon in my elbow or wrist and had to take a week or so completely off all knitting needles, keyboards, stirring-of-pots or pulling-of-weeds – well, it’s quite an eye-opener.

Oooo. Ouch. OK, that was a rather unfortunate word-choice, right there. {wince} I think maybe I’ll give this up for now, and resume whining at Eldest about how annoying it is and asking her what time it is now seeing as how the clock is just a big old blur to me right now…

(It’s probably just allergies. I have some suspicions around some rather pervasive scents at the office right now. In related news, I suppose writing my Congressman about drafting up a law banning all perfumes in public places is probably a touch much? Yeah, I…kinda figured…)

5 comments:

PBear said...

I can sympathize.... my go-to activities require both the use and cooperation of my eyes and my hands - between my failing vision plus allergies that give you that 'claw them out right now' feeling, and the nerve issues in my wrists and elbows that make holding my arms in a position where you can actually do something, like knit or work on glass/jewelry/enamels an exercise in pain, I completely understand. Elestat eye-drops help some (prescription), as do Refresh Optive (otc).

The Incredible M. said...

I second the eye drops. I picked up some OTC antihistamine eye drops and it is the difference in the summer between being able to function as a human being or just spending the day desperately wanting to have a lie-down.

Anonymous said...

I totally agree with the ban on all perfumes. Why does one need something other than their own scent? Especially when it leaves everyone around them in tears? I'll join you in the letter writing campaign! The wind is blowing up all kinds of allergens here in Humboldt County. No wonder my head feels full of wool and my eyes are smarting! I feel for you.
NancyFP in Ferndale

Steph B said...

Ouch...go easy on the ol' peepers, okay? They're pretty important! Hope they feel all better soon.

Tola said...

i suggest podcasts of NPR programming. seriously, i hope you feel better soon.