Forced to slow down: the nose knows

You know how “they” (who even are they?) say “your body keeps the score”? Well, I think it’s true. And my body doesn’t muck around. I’ve been forced to slow down.

I woke up on Wednesday morning with my nose throbbing like I’d been in a bar fight I don’t remember entering. For a good few seconds, I was lying there trying to figure out if I’d sleepwalked into a wall or if my husband had thrown an enthusiastic elbow during a particularly vivid dream. Nope. Just me. My face. And a sinus infection sent straight from hell.

Usually, when my sinuses act up, it’s the classic pressure in the forehead, behind the eyes, that dull ache across my cheeks. This one, though? Personal. Targeted. It feels like someone’s taken a swing directly at my nose. It’s swollen, tender, and even breathing feels like a team sport.

Fun fact: I never had sinus issues before my son – as a toddler – decided to use my face as a landing spot during a play session on the bed. I’m still convinced he broke it. It hurt like a Martha Farquhar, and now I can’t unsee the slight angle to the right. My nose has a personality all of its own – defiant, a little bent out of shape, but still standing. Honestly, same.

And here’s the thing – I can’t help but wonder if this is my body’s dramatic way of saying, “hey, remember me?” Because I’ve been busy. Work’s been relentless lately – a deadline for a months-long project, some late nights, and some travel thrown in for good measure. It’s like my body finally decided it needed to make itself impossible to ignore. Mission accomplished.

So yes, I’m dosing up and lying low for a bit. I’ve been pushing hard lately and my body has tallied the scores and decided it’s payback time. True to form, it’s chosen the most inconvenient time possible. But maybe that’s the point. Maybe this is one of those not-so-gentle reminders that if we don’t slow down voluntarily, our bodies will eventually do it for us – swollen cartilage and all.

Love,
Em xx