I am very nervous. I have just booked my flight for when I will be travelling down to play in Supersis's grad recital in May. Unfortunately, when I checked the new carry-on policy at the airline, I discovered that they have reduced the size of carry-on instruments again and completely eliminated their policy for handling musical instruments (except to say they will not be liable for any damage done to checked instruments over $1500). This is ridiculous. I cannot check my violin. It will be destroyed. It is over 100 years old and is irreplacable. Even with the increased security requirements, I meet all of the regulations that would allow my instrument on the plane with me. That was a big enough fight to win in the past few years. Now it is the airline itself that is creating the problem. What makes it even worse is that if you put the requirements for the two allowable carry-on bags together, my violin falls far under the limit. This is very frustrating and worrying.  - posted by Purple Mangos @ 11:38 p.m. @ 

 
Mom was up last week to look after me while I dealt with the medication. I really don't think I could have managed without her here. However, she is now back home again, just in time for me to take my last pill (took it today!). Not only have I finished my antibiotics (still on the steroids) and finally cleaned my apartment so that it is livable again, but I also got my legal ethics readings done and my focus note for Tuesday done. That leaves ten books to read for labour law, nine more to pick up and read for human rights (before my seminar on Thursday), and 22 scenarios to write for my legal ethics project. My goal is to get all of that done by Thursday, in between classes and appointments. We'll have to see how that goes. Sleep and food still has to come first this week, because I can't afford getting sick again.  - posted by Purple Mangos @ 3:17 a.m. @ 

 
Well, I'm still sick. I am getting better, but at the moment the side effects are almost as bad as the lung infection. I say almost because breathing is still very tricky without the medication and, personally, I have discovered that breathing is somewhat necessary. At any rate, the weekend was rough. I had to space out the medication on Saturday so that most of it was worn off during the actual concert time. Rehearsal did go into overtime, which was good for my wallet but really not good for my energy levels. I have to thank MotivatedTea and my dad for taking such good care of me in the afternoon. I got food that would help settle my stomach and help with an assignment that I really don't think I could have managed otherwise. I won't have everything done that I was hoping for my group meeting on Wednesday, but at least I have the basics done. I'm also prepared for my class tomorrow. I have no idea how I'm going to be ready for my seminar on Thursday. I have the cases I absolutely have to have ready, but I wanted to have some extra research done, besides which, talking is quite difficult when you're not getting enough air. I do have a break from work this week, and I have cancelled my weekend plans (sorry Bubbles and Phalse) so I should be able to catch up some of what I'm missing then. Until then, it would be nice if I could get just one night of solid sleep. I'm also not eating enough at the moment, but I'm really trying to work on that. Mom is coming up on Wednesday to help out. (Also a big thanks to her for all her help on Sunday and with my other project and for remembering to pick up my bow.) Meanwhile, I shall remind myself that I have managed worse before and still never needed an extension, so there is no reason I can't do the same this time.

Oh, and I have to make an addition to my previous post. Thanks very much to YY for driving me to the pharmacy after her midterm, so that I could start taking what I needed to get better (even though she said I looked horrible. lol).

...

Obviously the drugs are still affecting my thought processes and memory. Sorry for the incoherancy of this post. I didn't mention that the concert on Sunday went well, although I felt horrible afterwards. The bus ride back was miserable, especially the part where I had to pass up free scotch because it would have reacted with my medication. ;) On Sunday, mom came up in the morning and saved me from the mountain of dishes that had overtaken my kitchen; I don't do housework when I'm this sick. My aunt and uncle came up for lunch, so that my aunt and mom could go to the concert. It also went well (and again I felt horrible afterwards). We went out for dinner straight after the concert, so that I didn't fall over from exhaustion. It was a good thing we went early, too, because shortly after we got our entrees, the power in the restaurant went out. Talk about dinner by candlelight. My aunt and uncle drove home aftwards, and mom left at 3:40am, after I had gone to bed. There. I think that's everything.  - posted by Purple Mangos @ 12:41 a.m. @ 

 
Yeah, I know it's been a long time since I posted. I've been really sick. Really really sick. Really really really... well, you get the picture. I did go home for reading week, so that I could do optometrist/dentist appointments and research for school and driving practice and violin practice. I also went to a car show, where I learned that looking at cars is fun... for about two hours, after which, they're all cars. My body wanted to kill me the next day. Six hours is definitely four hours over my limit. I went back early so that I could be here while my cousin visited on the weekend. That was fun, except for the more walking and the making her work on her PSE for university applications. (She doesn't like writing stuff.) We watched the Illusionist, which was a great movie, so if you haven't seen it, you should. By Monday I was sick enough that I couldn't ignore it anymore. So, of course, I waited another couple of days. On Tuesday, I did a run through of a Brahms Sonata with a friend, just to see how it would go. I surprised myself by playing really well, despite the being sick and not having looked at the piece (which I never actually learned to performance level in the first place) in six years. Wednesday was worse than Monday and Tuesday, but my driving lesson went well. Rehearsal did not go well, nor did rehearsal after that. Thursday was bad enough that I gave in and went to the clinic. They gave me antibiotics and steroids, so I guess it was good that I went. I didn't take anything until after rehearsal, because playing in medication is always bad. Today was better, except the power went out this afternoon, which was annoying. The medication makes me feel better in one sense. I can breath without hurting and the coughing isn't as bad. On the other hand, the medication is making me very out of it. I'm jittery, I can't concentrate, I'm exhausted, and the side effects of the medication aren't alot of fun. Tomorrow I have a long bus ride, followed by rehearsal (including expected overtime for the strings, lucky me), an afternoon not at home because it's too far away, a really long concert (in a fabulous hall!) and another long bus ride back. Concert on Sunday, too. It's annoying, because I would really enjoy these concerts if I wasn't sick. Anyway, I will do the best I can and no one can expect more than that. Have to go wash dishes now and pack. Wish I had more mars bars, because the pills are really gross without them. Hope you're all feeling better than me this week.  - posted by Purple Mangos @ 11:31 p.m. @