Never ever allow yourself to believe that things can't get worse.
So, where were we - leg plastered, finger splinted, ears cleaned, moderately annoyed at having to unexpectedly teach primary school. Yes that's about it.
My weekend was, of course, not especially pleasant but nor was it entirely intolerable. I was in my apartment with my computer and TV, people visited me. I visited the hospital.
On Monday I had to go to school for four lessons. It proved possible with the aid of taxis and a lunchtime spent in the coffee shop instead of going home.
What hadn't proven possible was putting a sock onto my right foot so I went without one.
During the day my foot became more and more painful which I attributed merely to the cold.
On Tuesday I enlisted help to put on my sock and taught again.
Same on Wednesday but the pain was becoming worse.
On Wednesday evening, when my friends were all having a jolly Christmas dinner at one of the teacher's apartment I sat and ate an OK dinner of mince, veg and potatoes and watched TV - but my foot was getting worse.
I was cheered when my girlfriend arrived unexpectedly and even more cheered - though perhaps I shouldn't admit it - by the prescription of ibuprofen in her bag.
I took some but it didn't help.
We peeled off my sock and looked at my foot. It was a) swollen, b) red and c) shiny.
I realised almost immediately that my gout was back, perhaps exacerbated by the poor circulation in a plastered leg and the cold on my sockless Monday.
Over the next hour the pain increased to the point where I knew I needed to go to the hospital for better pain medication.
And so I spent last night in hospital again.
Now I am back in my apartment - under orders to walk no more than the few steps from bed to armchair and wondering how things will get worse.
Because I know that they can.
*Tongfeng is Chinese for gout but it sounds so much better in the title.
