i have the body of a five year old

a few days ago i mentioned how i must have the mind of a five year old, because i was so captivated and distracted by the falling snow. it is now official that i have the body of a five year old too, because i have an ear infection.

yes, something that i thought only my kids could get, something that i haven't had in years (in decades really). i woke up in the middle of the night last night with such a pain in my ear. it is still sore, and it hurts. the whole side of my face aches, my jaw is throbbing, and i can't hear out of my left ear today.

i've been looking up online what grown ups are supposed to do when faced with a problem like this, and also how can something like this happen to me. i certainly wasn't sticking things in my ear that i shouldn't have, and i don't think i got any water stuck in there, which are the reasons my kids usually get ear infections. no, it's because i probably have a sinus infection, and it has migrated into my ears.

i've been dealing with a very stuffy nose all week, and a bit of coughing because of all the mucus running down the back of my throat (fun mental images ftw). well, the site that i went to, my favorite source for answers to any of my health questions and a truly great resource of information and facts, said that when adults have a runny nose or a lot of mucus with pressure and pain, it's basically a sinus infection. and if it gets bad enough then it can also cause an ear infection. the fun bit of trivia is that even though it is an infection, you don't need to go running off to the doctors for antibiotics, unless it's really severe, like you also have a high fever or you can't handle the pain with over the counter meds or the swell and pressure gets much much worse. it's only kids that really need antibiotics for ear infections, and it actually only lessens the symptoms and not cures the infection for them. now for me, all of this stuffy fun will clear up all on its own in about a week. the site did say not to take decongestants for more than 3 or 4 days because after that it can actually make things worse.

now, at home treatment is where things get tricky. for the sinus pain and stuffiness i'm supposed to use a warm compress or stand over my humidifier. to help with the ear pain i can use a cold compress. so it just means that i have to heat the front of my face and cool down the side. not sure how i'll manage that, but i'm trying to think of something.