….perhaps your lips have swollen so that you look like you’ve been to a quack for ‘the pout’!

Last Friday night I found a small red and very itchy patch of skin on my left foot just where the fourth toe meets the main part of the foot on the top. Saturday morning it was still really itchy, Sunday morning it had grown and was ever so itchy! By Monday I was getting a bit concerned because the itchy rash covered the top of my foot and my fourth toe was bright red. During the day I realised that the rash was going up my leg so I thought it might be time for some medical advice.

Monday was a Bank Holiday in the UK so the doctor’s surgery was closed. Julian was out, I was feeling very tired – but not ‘ill’. When Julian came home — and before he went out to a singing group — I discussed going to A&E with him. I could probably drive but didn’t want to in case I was kept in the hospital (which happened last time I went to A&E). What would happen to my car? It’s expensive to park for more than a very short time at the QEQM.

We decided I could take a taxi if necessary but then I found an advert for NHS111, a number one phones to talk to a doctor about symptoms and what one should do. So, I dialled 111. I talked to a young man (obviously not a doctor but a layman with a script). He was very helpful and after we went through the various questions he said he would have an off-duty doctor ring to talk to me within the next 6 hours. That was about the length of time I would have to wait in A&E and I was quite happy to wait at home instead of among a load of people who were very possibly the worse for alcohol and others who would be coughing and spluttering and spreading their germs around.

In less than an hour a woman rang to see if my symptoms were worse then another half hour or so went by and another woman rang to give me an appointment at the 111 clinic at the hospital. She told me to go to the door with UE (or IE or EI or something similar) above it, ring the buzzer and give my name. [ringing a buzzer doesn’t seem to be possible but I can’t think how else to say it!] Julian was back in time to take me so I didn’t have to worry about my car. One thing I did do, though, was I took a bag with me that I had packed after my last emergency admission to hospital when I took nothing with me and Julian, the next day, had brought all the wrong stuff.

Anyway, the door was automatically opened, I went in and was greeted by a young man who introduced himself as Ralph, a clinician. We went into the consulting room, he looked at my foot, asked me various questions and prescribed some Fluoxycillin after ascertaining that I have never been allergic to penicillin-based drugs. Then, I went home. (The whole thing door to door took about 40 minutes as opposed to the many hours of waiting in A&E) Happily, I didn’t need my prepared bag so it is back upstairs for just-in-case.

I took the first Fluoxicillin on Monday night, the second in the middle of the night and the third when I got up (every six hours). I followed the instructions through Tuesday, slept well and woke on Wednesday……to find my lips were bright red and very swollen. I rang the doctor’s surgery and made an appointment. The doctor hadn’t yet received the report of my night-time visit to 111 so I went through all the details again. The doctor agreed that I seem to be allergic to the antibiotic so gave me a new prescription for Erythromycin.

I filled the prescription at a local chemist then went home, took my first dose and went to sleep during the afternoon. Julian helped with the cooking and I had very little to do which presumably is helpful to the healing of my foot/leg.

I woke this morning with my lips still so swollen that they would scare a child! Am I allergic to the second antibiotic or does it take a bit more time for the symptoms to disappear? Am I like this for life?😱 I just don’t know but will find out in time. Meanwhile, my foot does seem to be recovering, thank goodness, and the terrible itchiness has subsided.😅