Take it Easy, Mouse...?

You might be surprised to hear this, but even I, Miss Mouse,am not invincible.  I have been ill.  Yes. Ill.

It started with a tummy bug.  I went to a party with a few of my friends, and one of them, naughty Piggy, came to the party with a bad tummy bug and didn't tell anyone. All of us caught it.  Everyone got better.  I didn't.

I went to the doctor who gave me some pills, designed and prescribed, to cure all my ills - oops - sorry - must concentrate on telling the story - anyway - they didn't.

During this time I limped along. I went to Denmark, Copenhagen to be exact, to visit some more farmers to discuss a large Cheese order.  I had long wanted to visit Copenhagen but thanks to a horrid hotel and my poor tummy and the horrible way the prescribed tablets made me feel, it wasn't an enjoyable trip.  The Farmers were very good and excellent at planning, and they laid on lots of Danish Pastries, which, on a better day, I would have devoured, but on this occasion I could only stumble delicately from Boardroom to Bedroom, via the loo, trying to get through each hour without turning green and being sick.  Or worse.

I went to the Big Hospital to see the Chief Doctor and she sent me to hospital.  Immediately.  Do Not Pass Go.  Do Not Collect Cheese Orders.  Oh the loss of control! But I was too weak to fight.  I sent the required e-mails to let my team know, switched off my phone, and succumbed to the world of intravaeneous steroids, fluids and antibiotics for 5 days.  Not to mention hospital food.

Eventually I was allowed home. I called my boss. 'Hello, it's Mouse. I will be off for the rest of the week, and I will be back on Monday', I squeaked, pathetically. The drugs were, in turn, squeezing and expanding my head, dragging me into sleep and, very delicately and slowly, repairing the damage to my little furry body. 'Ok Mouse. By the way, ignore the message I sent to you on Wednesday. I have the answer now.'

Message? So while I am in my hospital bed my boss is leaving me work calls. Inevitable I suppose.  Anyway... I went back to work.

And then a complication. I won't go into the delicate details but I ended up back in the Big Hospital, with a big fat General Anaesthetic in my paw while a horrid surgeon with a scalpel made a few tweaks to my physique. Three more days in hospital and a very delicate time afterwards having my war wounds dressed. This is ongoing and I am not allowed to travel. Try explaining THIS to the Farmers though. There is one particular Farmer who ALWAYS places late Cheese Orders who is neither amused nor understanding about this situation. 'I want you to come and explain to my team what you do, Mouse and how you can speed up the Cheese Orders' she demands.  I sigh. And once again, remind her to get her Cheese orders in clearly and early. And of the presentation on how Cheese Orders work, that I and the Cheese Delivery Board showed to her. And of the fact that we have a weekly planning Telco. And that we are all there to work together to ensure timely Cheese delivery.

And then I remind myself that some things cannot be changed. And that worrying about it will not be helpful to a half poorly Mouse. And that rest and sleep are good.  And that travel will happen soon enough.  In a few weeks I will be able to go back to lovely Sweden and Denmark and enjoy the experience. And choose a better hotel. 

So look after yourselves, people. Doing your best is the best thing you can do. But we can't fix the world and sometimes, trying to do that, means it is us who have to be fixed.

Delicately Yours,
Mouse xx