A Happy Ending...Recovery in Progress

I needed a break. And so....God gave me not just one but a series of breaks.

It was last month when I had been mentioning to my husband about my unused sick leaves. I was bragging a bit about the fact that I still had eight unused sick leaves with just 3 months to go before the year ends. You see, in our company, unused sick leave credits can no longer be carried over to the next year. So, I was happy at the same time smug about the whole thing. Well, guess what? Just as I was certain that I wouldn't be able to use them, God had other plans.

I don't get sick as often as other people do. I may be small but I feel I have a strong immune system. Despite waiting for my hubby (we go to work & home together) to finish his overtime work which often lasts until around 7:30 pm every night for almost two months now, I still feel strong.

It was a Wednesday morning when I woke up feeling a little pain on my upper left jaw. I thought it was just a simple stiff neck or sore throat but I couldn't turn my head to the left. Then, I felt a small lump on my upper jaw and suspected it to be mumps. That morning, I called in sick. I dedicated my whole afternoon researching about mumps in the internet and found out that mumps cannot be treated. There are only supportive treatments, like rest, drinking plenty of water, refraining from eating too much sweets, or taking paracetamol if you develop a fever already, etc.

The following day, I woke up feeling pain on my upper right jaw, too. Oh no! The mumps were now two! This time, I really couldn't move my head. I had to turn my whole body every time my kids would call me or wanted me to see what they were doing. I moved like a robot. The mumps gave me a break from eating too much sweets, perhaps.

The Monday after, I woke up feeling a stinging, itching sensation on my forehead and saw a rather unusual red bump that appeared from nowhere. I dismissed it as just an insect bite. Nevertheless, I went back to work feeling recharged. The following day, three blisters erupted on the red bump and they were freaking itchy. Friday morning, I decided to have my forehead checked by our company nurse. She cleaned the wound and put a gauze on my forehead.

Thank God it's Friday -- That evening as I left my office desk, a friend texted and said that she had 2 tickets for me for the John Mayer concert that same night at SM MOA's open grounds. I immediately called my hubby and told him that our dinner date wouldn't push through anymore because of the concert. We had never watched a concert before in an open space, with no roof and walls. So, we didn't know what to expect. The heavy downpour, all the more, got us more anxious than we already were. But, the tickets were free (P8K each) so, there was really nothing to complain about, right? My hubby found it funny when he noticed that I was even wearing white pants and white sandals. Wow, what a timing!

A break from our usual Friday night date -
watching John Mayer concert at SM MOA

Just after the rain stopped pouring. Can you see John Mayer on stage???
My injury is far more visible or more evident than John Mayer, tsk, tsk.

We enjoyed the concert despite the rains. And yes, we still pushed through with our dinner date on our way home -- at Tapsi ni Vivian in Marikina. It was a nice experience after all and a nice break from our usual Friday night date routine.

Then, Monday came and I woke up this time with a throbbing forehead like it had a mind of its own. I felt my head exploding. I had to go on sick leave again since my forehead was all swollen. I learned later on that I was hit by a viral nerve infection called Shingles (remember those red bump with blisters on my forehead???). It's also related to my having mumps earlier on.

So, for a couple of days, I had been suffering from "stabs of agonizing pain" coming from my facial and cranial nerves and swollen face that made me look like Neytiri, the blue girl from Avatar. It was a painful and amusing break from my usual look.

See the similarity between me and Neytiri. Who's prettier??

I've been resting here at home for the past five days. Having been stricken by shingles has proven to be a nice break for me from doing office work and has allowed me to see the daily routine of my daughters.

My body is now busy recovering and my face is slowly getting back to its original form. It's been an adventure, really!

As I recuperate, I couldn't think of a better way to take a break from all these breaks which I've recently experienced than to watch a marathon of DVDs while lazing on my hubby's favorite and comfy sofa and savoring something luxurious, my Caramel Biscuit & Cream ice cream by Haagen Dazs. It's perfect for my "me" time when the kids are still in school and my toddler is having her afternoon nap. No disturbance, whatsoever, even from my hubby who is out there working. Ahh, life is, indeed, a bliss... especially with Haagen Dazs Caramel Biscuit & Cream.

Excited for my afternoon "me" time.
I have something in store for myself. Yes, stored in our freezer.
Can you see?

Let's take a closer look, shall we?

I'll prepare my teaspoon.

I couldn't wait to have a spoonful of it.

Here's where I would have to savor the pleasure.

This was "me" time. So, it was just me and nobody else. Even the picture-taking -- I had to take a shot of myself.

Perfect! both my shot and of course, my Haagen Dazs.

Don't you know that I'd die for caramels???? Oh, you don't know that? Well, now you know.

Haagen Dazs Caramel Biscuit & Cream is an elegant blend of caramel ice cream and real crunchy caramel biscuits. It's certainly richer and denser than other ice creams as it contains less air contributing to its signature slow melting creaminess. I just love it! It's very decadent and luxuriously creamy.

Having this ice cream almost automatically puts me into a state of nirvana. It's like my soul is being transported to another dimension, another world that is full of happiness and bliss...sort of a dreamland! It makes me forget that I still look like an alien.

These were the results of my futile attempts to have some perfect shots of me while savoring my Haagen Dazs.

Well, who knows, eating this ice cream might even melt away my Shingles scabs and wounds just like in fairy tales when all is pretty, well and sweet.

When I get back to work next week, all my sick leaves would have been consumed by then. But, that's okay. As I've said, I needed a break...and God gave me these breaks, unexpected breaks. Yet, I'm thankful for them, especially for this happy ending.

Having a Haagen Dazs Caramel Biscuit & Cream is my happy ending.

Full recovery in progress

Do not disturb. Slow melting in progress.