What a day! I was tired to start with, having been awake half the night itching and scratching, trying to soothe my sores with a cold compress; early nodding off, then manically raking my skin again, repeating the whole process.

When I finally did get up this morning I had a lovely ‘cankle’, as my ankle was so swollen it was difficult to distinguish it from leg! It was also scabby, red and hot to the touch, (oh and not to mention painful as hell).

I hobbled  down the road to meet up with one of the kind nurses on shift with me today who gave me a lift in to work. Once I got there I moaned to anyone who would listen how sore my ankle was, and I pulled up my trouser leg to show them (much to their delight I am sure)!

I put a dressing on it. but we were pretty busy at work being extremely short-staffed, so I tried to put it out of my mind, although of course it still hurt. I did show it to one of our ward doctors and she advised me to see my GP or go to A & E in the hospital. I phoned my GP and managed to get an appointment after work. Mr Grump borrowed the neighbour’s car to take me down there as I didn’t fancy hobbling all the way there and back after being on it all day as it was.

The doctor looked at my ankle and other sores and told me it was impetigo! Well I wasn’t expecting that, especially as it is highly contagious! Great! Yet more antibiotics, my third lot this year so far! Some of my colleagues at work were thrilled as well when I phoned up to let them know; especially as I had been waving my poor contaminated ankle around all day. I don’t think I am going to be very popular!