CFS - The Festival of December

December was always my favourite month. It's summer, my birthday and Christmas. The start of holidays. The end of the year. The end of school/activities. It was the biggest month in my year.

When I began working in agriculture, it became even bigger because it was now harvest as well. This was hot, hard work but so rewarding because we were gathering what we'd sown, reaping the results of the whole year's work. I'd come home itchy and filthy, totally exhausted but elated too. And no matter how hard the day was, I still managed my sports and Guides and partying.

December was always fun. I felt like I was on a high for the whole month. Everything was wrapping up. Goodwill seemed to be exchanged by all. There was much thanks for all that had happened all year. 

When I got Ross River Fever it affected me in so many different ways, but one of the biggest impacts has been on my Festival of December. For some reason I'm often sick in December, or just getting better, so there are no longer the parties, the social activities, the fun. I also can't tolerate alcohol, so that's a big issue in December because most parties revolve around alcohol and explaining why you're drinking water gets old. 

This year, I've been sick throughout November and December with a virus that's left me without a voice. So there's been no birthday fun, no visiting family for Christmas, no parties, no activities. And man, that's been depressing. My Festival of December has become the Fizzle of December and that's horrid. I've been out once, to Jimmy Barnes, and that was awesome. I caught up with a work colleague one afternoon. I had a Bowen therapy. I've been to the Post Office, the newsagents and the butchers, the doctors and the chemist. And that's the sum total of my December activities. I've been to the beach twice but haven't swum. It's been a rotten few months.

I'm not sure that I'll ever have the Festival of December that I used to enjoy, but I'd love to have a December when I wasn't battling to be well. That's my plan for 2017 - trying to have a better health year and remaining healthy through those 'relapse' months at the end of the year. Let's see how I go.

And today, I seem to have some voice - FINALLY! It's not 100% (and neither am I) but hopefully a corner has been turned and I might pick up for the rest of the year. Fingers crossed! 

Happy 2017!!!