Well, I survived the business trip, although I don't think I've ever felt so miserable in my entire life.

Monday + Tuesday: My left eye was tearing badly. Which meant it looked like it'd swollen to double its size, and all the skin around it had become so irritated that I imagine acid dripping out of the corner of my eye couldn't have been much worse. Of course, Tuesday happened to be the day I had to spend almost six hours on various trains (and boy, let me tell you: first time I travel 1st class, power outlets and WLAN everywhere, and me not having packed my netbook due to me not being up to using it... majorly painful). I barely made it to the hotel, checked in, took some painkillers, slept. Nightlife in another country? The hotel bar? Not for me.

Wednesday + Thursday: Same, only regarding my right eye for a change. Wednesday was the day of the seminar. Oh joy. I popped painkillers with coffeine like they were candy, could barely talk, didn't actually pay attention to anyone besides the presenters and the representative from Austria with whom I had lunch (I had absolute tunnel vision), understood what they were trying to teach us despite feeling like death (hah!), made it to the train station in time for the return trip (another six hours on various trains with the other 1st class travelers looking at me like I had the plague), used up the other half of the approx. 150 tissues I'd packed, barely made it home without keeling over, and wanted to cry from exhaustion and pain once the front door closed behind me.
Neighbor had in fact fed the cats (thank God for her), had to take yet more painkillers in order to be able to sleep (my head was trying to explode messily).
Thursday was marginally better.

Today? I could dance for joy. Oh, I'm still sick, don't mistake my meaning, but at least my eyes are no longer tearing. Which means I can actually look at things (like my computer, like lights, like anything), and the headache is gone, too.

If this cold is like any other I couldn't fight off in the past, it'll affect my middle ear next, and I'll start coughing wildly soon, but despite that? Joy. It'll be uncomfortable, but at least I no longer will feel like death (without even the 'warmed over' part, actually).

I went to the doctor again today and then called in sick for next week at work, too.

And may I just say that I'm very much suspicious whether or not my doctor has been replaced by a pod person? It used to be that she tried to get me to take various herbal remedies (I still remember my one attempt at drinking elderberry juice... yuck!) and didn't prescribe antibiotics as anything but absolutely the last resort... but these days? Her favorite solution seems to be: "I'm prescribing you antibiotics." - Me: "But this is a virus! I'm not showing any signs of a bacterial infection yet!" - Doctor: "Antibiotics." - Me: *whimper*.

Right now, my face has several red, raw splotches and is peeling badly (like from a sunburn). At least my eyes are normal-sized again, yay. Anyway, one more week of house arrest. Well, kind of. I missed the first meeting of my new gaming group. And the last tarot evening class (the course was hilarious - or rather, everyone's dead serious take on it was).

Things can only get better now, right? Right?!