Friday 211015 | Vrijdag

Thursday was tough … the big itch seemed as if it had come to stay; fight it and get caught in its horns, or accept it, not like the impassive wide-eyed faces of starving toddlers staring into the camera while flies have free reign of their faces, as we were bombarded with during the famines in Africa some decades ago, but with the knowledge that this is unavoidable at the moment, and will surely pass in due course.

Getting on with whatever daily chores I could handle, brought relief: focusing on external activities fools the mind. Believing I perceived some reduction in skin rash helped as well. Getting undressed for bed exposed my wishful thinking … no real change, in fact my skin felt drier and the flakes proliferated. So be it.

Awakening this morning after a better night’s sleep than I’d had in weeks, felt like a reset, although I felt exhausted and looked pale for the rest of the day. The late afternoon brought solace, celebrating small gifts like enjoying the second serving of the oven dish I prepared last night: not having to cook, and eating my main meal well before evening gave me a relaxed belly and a feeling of lightness before going to bed.

[Samenvatting – want de engelssprekenden zitten vanavond eerste rang]: Donderdag was zwaar, jeuk bleef als ‘n gast die niet aanvoelt dat het nu wel genoeg is. Verzet of verzoening – ik koos het laatste. Aandacht op taken richten bracht verlichting. Gebrek aan energie hakte erin. Gelukkig sliep ik vannacht langer en beter dan ooit de afgelopen weken, waardoor vandaag – hoewel ik weinig energie had – alleszins draaglijk was.

Niet hoeven koken was ‘n cadeau’tje – dankzij de heerlijke ovenschotel die overbleef van gisteren. Lekker vroeg warm gegeten, waardoor ik met een rustige buik naar bed gegaan ben.