One week ago yesterday, I was out on my balcony watering plants. One is a Norfolk Island pine that stands about 6 feet in its pot. To water it I stabilize myself by placing my left hand on a potting table and leaning over it to put water into the pot with my right hand. Inevitably, my head brushes up against, or into, the fronds of the pine.
At around midday on that Sunday, I noted a bump on my forehead just above my left eyebrow that seemed to be an oncoming zit. Great, I thought!
By evening, it was more pronounced as something I couldn't figure out. On Monday morning, I had a huge bump on my forehead that looked like I'd been concussed (or like someone had hit me). By Wednesday, I decided I needed to have it looked at as it was not going away. It didn't hurt, but was uncomfortable because there is precious little room on one's forehead for any swelling.
Doctor thought it might be related to shingles or it might be an insect bite. When he pressed me for details about when I first noticed it, I recalled the incident with the Norfolk Island pine. I may have encountered a spider or other bug that bit me...or my forehead might have been pierced by one of the needles.
At any rate, antibiotics and an ointment were prescribed and I was encouraged to return if anything new happened. By Thursday, the swelling seemed reduced and the ointment appeared to be drying up whatever was inside the bump (i.e., slight scabbing formed over a few areas on the bump).
Friday morning, I woke up with a hideously swollen left eye. I returned to the doctor. There was not any alarm, but more meds were prescribed. A round of Acyclovir was prescribed in the event it had any relationship to shingles (but we are fairly certain it does not because there is no pain associated with it). I also received a prescription for Benadryl, which the doctor believed would reduce the swelling.
In fact, by Friday evening the swelling was much reduced. When I woke up Saturday morning, however, the eye was grotesquely swollen again....yes, hideously AND grotesquely. I took my meds as prescribed and applied an ice pack to the swollen eye. As the day progressed, the swelling drastically reduced, and I was back to normal by bed time.
I decided, however, that because I sleep on my left side, I needed to avoid putting any pillow pressure on the left eye. I slept in my chair for about four hours and then finished my sleep on my bed on my right side. Eye remained improved.
Last night, I slept as normal on my left side. All is well and the place on my forehead is healing nicely. The swelling is gone, but there is one giant scab now.
Ah, the vagaries of being older and more susceptible to mysterious ailments.
