Christmas

This was to be my first Christmas back home in Northern Ireland as a resident of the country since 1999. I had mixed feelings about Christmas but never thought for one moment my Christmas would be like this, ill.

Christmas Eve I got out of hospital and spent the evening at home, half watching TV - could only see out of my right eye and only when left eye was not open  - when both eyes were open it was a total blur. So to help me Mum put a bandage over the left eye of my glasses and I wore them.

I looked like a pirate, was just missing the parrot side kick! I did not have a real parrot or a toy parrot but I substituted with a toucan. Can you spot him on my shoulder  - the little rose between two thorns!!

Christmas Day - I got up opened my presents, went back to bed again and then got up for real at midday ready for family coming and lunch. Most of that day was spent eating, sleeping and talking to family - sounds like a normal Christmas!

Boxing Day - another day spent eating and sleeping - but there was something odd about me, more odd than normal! My left eye had gone weirder - instead of looking straight out or the pupil being in the middle of the eye, it has moved to the left hand side so was squinted looking.

In the evening we went to my Aunt Joan's house for family get together and my second cousin Callum was there and when he looked at me told me I looked freaky and weird - but he also ran away a bit scared... made me giggle!

The rest of Christmas week up until New Year's Eve was spent eating, sleeping and having visitors. On New Year's Eve I went to my friends house for a little get together which was lovely, we ate, talked, listened to music and played monopoly.  Then we saw in the New Year together - and now we are in 2014.