Hey guys, I sure hope Santa was nicer to you all than he was to me... I woke up yesterday morning all swelled up and painful on the left side again. I'm hoping some of you will help talk me through this because I just don't know anyone else who would understand how frightening this is...

I just don't know what to do anymore. Of course, my first impulse was to run straight to the doctor, but then I calmed down enough to remember how that has never really helped at all. Between their mashing scrotal exams and killer antibiotics, I always wind up ten times worse off and can't even walk for months on end.

So far, I just keep applying heat, wearing my supporter, and I've started taking every natural "antibiotic" I have on hand -- echinacea, goldenseal, grapefruit seed extract, and colloidal silver. (I know there's been some controversy here on the board about that last one, but I have personally taken it several times for various illnesses over the years with no ill effects, something I certainly can't say about chemical antibiotics...)

I'm just so nervous and frazzled though, I'm wondering if I've forgotten anything I should be doing. I just can't help but panic when it flares up so bad like this again, and I am really freaking out here. Somebody please help me...!