Yes, I am alive and I think I’m starting to feel better, maybe

This latest bout with the ear infection has to be the longest illness I’ve had in a very long time. I’ve been more or less out of commission since Saturday night, making today the fifth day, an unusually long period of time for me to be sick. I guess that comes with the territory as one approaches his forth decade.

I’m working from home today in order to avoid getting into the car while I still feel a bit dizzy. I’m not certain if the dizziness is a residual side-effect of my reaction to the antibiotics I was given or if it is related to my ear infection itself.

And regarding the antibiotics. I’m pretty certain that they are what I was having a bad reaction to and I’ve stopped taking them. Now, I know that antibiotics are supposed to be taken for their full course. I worked in a pharmacy when I was in high school and the pharmacist there made that very clear. Besides, I am well versed in biology, chemistry and biochemistry and I understand the reasons for this even if I hadn’t worked there. But I also know that you should STOP taking a medication if you find you are having an adverse reaction to them. The truth is I don’t think they were working anyway. The doctor told me that the infection might be viral and not bacterial in which case the antibiotics would be ineffective and I suspect that is the case. So I just have to let this thing run its course.

The most difficult part has been that this illness has messed with my concentration. I can’t read, and I can’t write mostly because I can’t focus and that incessant ringing in my ear doesn’t help. So I haven’t made any progress on my work-in-progress since December 1st. I’m hoping that will change this evening. I have also gotten very little reading done, with the exception of Action Comics #4, which I read last night and about which I will have more to say later.

So, I am alive and I’m improving but I’m not back to 100% quite yet. One thing is clear. I need to be in better shape. It was only a few years ago, back in the summer of 2007 that I was in what I think was the best shape of my life. How the mighty fall! I’m not much of a New Year’s Resolution kind of person, but getting back into decent shape would be a worthwhile resolution. I’d start today if I wasn’t still feeling a bit lousy.