Hysterical Hypochondriacalisms

Not a great start to the day. The NHS Direct self-diagnostic website results prove my worst fears - that the bout of fever I had two days ago can be nothing less than - wait for it - life-threatening blood poisoning! Bodil looks on incredulous as I explain my latest medical findings. Wisely she decides to leave me to my own hysteria to do some gardening. Undeterred I make the dash across town to the emergency ward, where I am seen by a nurse and treated with what can only be described as disdain. It is not, would you believe, blood poisoning. I am in fact nothing short of 100% fit. My fever was merely a normal reaction to coming off the penicillin I've been taking for my infected wisdom tooth. I return home feeling both ridiculous and relieved at the same time. Bodil gives me a "there there" pat on the head, and puts me to work planting grass in the garden. In the afternoon Alice has a friend over to play. Normality is finally restored in the evening, when we play the Mr Men version of Snakes and Ladders, and I lose.