Where did I leave off the last time…

New Years Eve in the hospital was quite nice actually. After being home for the day, I went back to the ward around 8pm. We stayed up until midnight and enjoyed a brilliant view, lots and lots of firework. Much better view than from home. The caretakers joined us, me and a lovely lady from my room, at a point and we ended up drinking champagne with orange juice and we talked until past 2.00 am with them. It was really nice. I am sure I will never forget this night. It was lovely. 🙂 A few nights later I received a New Years Charm from one of them, she said she personally really felt that she wants to give this to me. So nice!!! I know it came from the heart. She wants me to carry it around with me to finally get lucky, and for my skin. I really need all the luck that I can get!

Its also a tradition in our family to watch the Neujahrskonzert by the Vienna Philharmonics. Of course I couldnt break this tradition just because I was in the hospital. Different, but it worked quite well. I didnt think it was as good this year, too many new melodies. I always love the Donauwalzer the most.


On Monday, I felt terribly itchy. The doctor who had night shift came up and talked to me. Telling me that I am over the maximum of Allergy meds that they can give to me, she cant give me any more because it might stop my breathing and make my heart go funky. 😮 Then I said I wanted more sleeping meds. And again she told me that I am on a really high dose already, no more. I am a junky. All I could do was laugh when she told me this, because its ridiculous being told this at my age. Oh well. 👿

On Wednesday, I had the appointment at the psychiatrist. We had a good talk and we are trying something new for my sleeping. I dont think I profited too much from the skin-therapies that I had this round in the hospital. Nothing new, all done before, multiple times. But it helps my brain to know that we are really doing absolutely everything there is. We cant do much more than suppress my Immune system with Rituximab, take baths, put on lotions, do UvB radiation, take tons of allergy pills and antibiotics to kill off staphyloccocus aureus bacteria. There just isnt any more that we could do. Much better than doing nothing. Even if it ends up not helping.

With six beds in one room you can really have bad luck with the people who are in there with you. We were an absolutely brilliant room. We laughed so much! I havent laughed in over a year. But in these 8 days I was able to laugh freely and deeply from the heart. I think people could hear us laugh through the complete ward. It was brilliant. And for this alone it was worth going inpatient. Given that one woman was a burn victim, one with a melanoma and me… you can laugh in the most darkest times. We are proof of it. 😀

I left the ward yesterday, with better skin. I can already feel it coming back, but that is what usually happens. 🙄 Today, Saturday, we spent the morning with my cousin. We went out to have breakfast, then we went on the huge Outlet Center to have tea with Bienenstich and then we looked at the stores for a while, as I never went there before without mail. Lovely. I did skip the beginning of the new dog class though. Next week then.

In 2012 I read the most books in my adult life in a year ever. Thank you Kindle for making it possible. I read 39 books total. Started some, finished some… This year I want to tackle 40. My favourites must have been: The Night Stalker by Chris Carter, The Distant Hours by Kate Morton, The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern, The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce, The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson and Artemis Fowl: The Atlantis Complex by Eoin Colfer. All in all I read these books:

Turtelina’s 2012 book montage

Turtelina’s favorite books »

Despite the horribly bad year, I did go on and I really do want to post some of the things that were good. Hopefully next time. Try laughing, it really is the best medicine. Take care.