| It Just Won’t Tell Me What They Are Because I’ve had back problems since Boxing Day last year (and here we are on the 4th of January), I have—painfully—been removed from anything even vaguely physical. Gardening? No. Lifting? Absolutely not. Bending? Don’t be ridiculous. So, in an effort not to lose my mind entirely, I did what any sensible, housebound gardener would do: I started writing. What began as “I’ll just draft a few posts” has now escalated into well over 100 blog posts sitting quietly in the scheduler, calmly carrying me through to May. Not every slot is filled, but enough are that I could disappear tomorrow, and the website would keep posting on my behalf as if nothing had happened. Originally, the plan was modest. Four days off over Christmas. 25th to 28th. Back to work on the 29th. Simple. Then, on the 24th, I slipped on wet leaves in a garden—because of course I did—and triggered a nasty sciatica episode. Two days later, my back decided to fully commit to the situation. From that Monday through to Saturday, standing upright became more of a concept than a position. Still, I am determined. I will return to work on the 5th of January if it kills me (or at least compresses me into a more portable version of myself). I’ve invested in compression garments, back braces, hot water bottles, deep heat, tablets, and some extremely optimistic “gentle exercises.” I now resemble a cross between an injured athlete and a well-insulated parcel. But apparently, that still wasn’t enough. Because just as I reached peak boredom (and I mean bored shitless), my body unveiled its next act: a full-scale outbreak of blepharitis. This one felt particularly unfair. It had started quietly on Christmas Day, but this week it went all in—red, sore, inflamed—and I couldn’t work out why. Normally, I get it from soil, compost, or working too closely with foliage. That tracks. I’m a gardener. Dirt is literally my job. But this time? No soil. No compost. No leaves. Just a chair, a desktop, and a heroic amount of typing. And then I discovered the punchline. Apparently, staring at screens for too long can trigger blepharitis… or, at the very least, make it hang around like an unwanted houseguest. Side note (because this is where it becomes insulting): When you stare at a screen for hours, you blink less. When you blink less, your eyes dry out. When your eyes dry out, the tiny oil glands in your eyelids stop working properly. That leads to inflammation, irritation, and—if you’re already prone to it—blepharitis kicking the door in again. So yes, even resting productively is apparently a risky activity. So let me get this straight. If I garden, I get it. If I compost, I get it. If I’m injured and can’t work, I write blog content instead… I get it. There is no winning. My body clearly has rules, but has failed to publish the manual. There is no neutral activity. No safe middle ground. No officially approved form of usefulness. I give up. If this is meant to be a lesson, I’d appreciate the syllabus next time — ideally before I choose the wrong activity again. |
My Body Has Rules ..
Earthly Comforts 
You should use the artificial tear for dry eyes.
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I will have a look into it Sadje, thanks for the heads up
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It should be available without prescription.
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Yes l have just bought some 🙂
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That’s good. Use it often.
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