An exciting day in Milton Keynes. A town of seemingly dozens of out of town retail parks.

The Virgin first class lounge at Manchester Piccadilly was, er, basic.  The train journey good and we eventually worked out the bus route to the ground.

A wander around the stadium, purchase the tickets and into the game.

A magnificent first half saw Oldham storm into a 3-1 lead.  With ten minutes left it was 4-2.  Atmosphere among the impressive visiting support euphoric.  Final score 4-4.  Sickening!  Still, the unbeaten run continues.

Eventually I found myself at home around 10pm and, due to my improved mobility and lack of pain I made the big decision not to take painkillers.  I taped over my Bell’s palsy eye and sleep found me quickly.

When I awoke, in pain, it was 1.45am.  I took an anti inflammatory and lay there.  Some sort of hip pain on both sides?  I felt like I’d been stretched on a medieval rack. Presumably walking greater distances over the preceding couple of days had decided to hurt me.

I added paracetamol to the drugs taken.  Half an hour later, no improvement.  Quite the opposite.  My legs felt barely attached to the rest of me.  Straining.  Agonisingly.

Next drug:  oral morphine.  I downed a teaspoonful for a quick hit.  I spilled about the same on my pyjamas and carpet.  Quick change.  A little improvement but not enough.  Time.  No further improvement.  Fourth drug added – slow release morphine.

I lie on my back.  My front.  My side.  Still struggling.  Almost shouting out into the night as Storm Brian battered the window.  Discomfort on a high scale.  Still a feeling of being physically stretched.  Struggling.

Now, after 5am, I ponder a fifth medicine.  Amytriptoline.  I’ve not combined this with morphine before.  But the right hip pain is referring itself to the right ankle.  If I do this it really will be a zombie Sunday,

I got into bed feeling pretty good.  Three hours sleep before I discovered that feeling had gone.  Four hours of attempting and failing to sleep despite being drugged up.

It hurts at the moment.  Not enough to trouble the hospital, but enough to use just about all the drugs issued last time I did.

I hope this is going to be short lived and exercise related.  Not something more sinister.  It’s fair to say this isn’t very nice at all.

It’s Just Like Another Holiday