“Mary wished to say something very sensible, but knew not how.”
Jane Austin - Pride & Prejudice
Sad but true fact about me: I suffer from severe stomach ulcers. Its hard to believe that something so little can cause so much pain, but they can and do. I am not usually one to wallow in self pity. I prefer to be a bit more proactive with my life and health. As such, I have been searching and searching for ways to relieve stress - a difficult task when you work in the second most stressful occupation there is. Of recent weeks I have compiled a list of activities that seem to relax me. They are as follows:
- Taking long, lavender scented baths.
- Reading (well, duh).
- Singing off-key to James Taylor or John Farnham - Sadie the Cleaning Lady never fails.
- Getting to work early to deal with emails before the rigours of the day begin.
- Watching brainless sitcoms after work to drown out my thoughts on the day.
But have all these things worked? Am I ulcer free? My recent trip to the doctor’s held both good and bad news. On the plus side my blood pressure is back to normal. On the downer, my ulcers are just as painful and show no signs of going. So the doctor mentioned a little procedure - gastroscopy (*insert doom music here*)
After careful consideration this doesn’t seem like such a bad thing. Firstly, having a camera rammed down my throat is a small price to pay for finding a solution to my problem. Secondly, I get to be fussed over by my mother, who I have asked to pick me up from the hospital (and who can cook the most amazing banana cake). Thirdly, as a Biology teacher I will have some amazing images to show my students.
“So is there an actual point to this blog entry?”, some may well enquire. Of course there is! Which brings me to my fourth and final point. In my self-indulgent way I am bragging that I will have a few days to spare with which I need do nothing but read. I am beginning to feel better already!
