Dear Diary,
It has been a while since I last wrote an entry which I apologise for. Unfortunately I was took into hospital unexpectedly with severe abdominal pain and was kept in from the Sunday to the Thursday. On the Friday before I was admitted, I felt very uncomfortable with pain and exhausted from lack of sleep. I thought it was just pulled muscles as the pain moved around my abdomin area. I remember being in town with my parents and getting rather upset at the pain and feeling quite warm.
Anyway the next day, I didn't feel as bad as I did the day before so thought whatever it was was maybe mending. It wasn't til the night time once I got into bed and I started feeling unwell again. All of sudden, I remember screaming out in pain and whichever way I laid or sat, it was unbearable discomfort. I shouted out to my parents who came to see what was wrong, they gave me some pain relief which didn't seem to touch it. I spent the rest of that night crying in agony. I just wanted it to stop, I had enough, enough of everything. My poor parents didn't know what to do or say for the best.
Still feeling really bad in pain and exhausted from the night, there was no signs of me feeling better. Again I had some more pain relief and laid on the sofa, my parents phoned the local out of hours doctor call. We found out that I should have gone to the hospital the night just gone as they were worried. I had to wait til they told me the time to go to see the on call doctor at the hospital which seemed forever, luckily there was a cancellation. The lady doctor examined me and was concerned so she sent me through to casualty. There, I had an X-ray and a thorough examination. Before I knew it, a young doctor was putting a cannula which turned out to be a major problem and the nurse was admitting me telling me I was being kept in. Panic had started to settle in. What was wrong with me? Was it kidney stones, constipation (I knew this wasn't what it was, I could tell) or something more serious?
Finally, they take me up to the ward. My temperature was high, my abdomin/side was swollen and had just started with diarrhoea. The doctors was as confused as I was. I got weighed and found out how much I have lost, was shocked but at the same time, wasnt surprised. Later that night, they put me on a drip and after about 8 hours of no drinks, still wasn't passing urine, they decided I was quite dehydrated. With worry, they then had a catheter inserted which was horrible and uncomfortable. I was also given antibiotics on the drip too. I had no sleep this night.
When it was the next morning, it was hard seeing the other patients (luckily with my anxiety problems, I was in a bay of six beds) having breakfast and drinks. I was still nil by mouth. I had some bloods taken. The diarrhoea was still really bad, very bad. Never had this bad before. The antibiotics had started to kick in slowly. I still wasn't passing enough urine and my temp was still a little high. Later this day, they let me have some cordial, ahh was lovely! During the night, I suddenly vomited but just a bit. Another doctor came to see me and checked me over, he wasn't too worried although he was unsure of why I was sick especially when I didn't feel sickly afterwards. I still didn't get any sleep. It is very hard for me to sleep comfortably anyway, so with having a cannula, suffering from bad diarrhoea (where they had to keep changing me every ten mins), having a catheter and getting my obs checked every so often, it was impossible.
On the Wednesday, again I had my bloods taken, the nurse this time I had a bit of trouble with. I saw her eyeing up my bad hand so I politely said that they struggle to get blood out of it but still she went ahead. She tried twice on my bad arm, put the band thing on too tight which caused my hand to swell up. I told a nurse about it but they couldn't do much so I tried to raise it up. My main surgeon who visited me every morning had finally let me try and have some food starting with soup first. They wanted to see if I could keep it down. I did :-) they also took out the catheter and reduced the fluids too. The diarrhoea had stopped too eventually. When a nurse was attaching a new bout of antibiotics, it really hurt badly when he flushed the liquid into my arm. Later on, it started to leak and a nurse took the cannula out. My arm was swelled up and couldn't stop bleeding. The doctor that got called to check me over, she inserted a new one and was very surprised to see they had put in the biggest one in me so she made sure she put the smallest one in. That night, after I waited and waited for a nurse to change my bed from the leak at 5pm, one eventually changed it at 1am after my sister had asked them (at 8pm) and I asked every time they came to me. I also had a very long phone call to my parents in tears as my right arm was causing me too much pain. I had so many blood tests done and with the big cannula, my arm or me couldn't take anymore needles! A nurse saw me crying and said she'll come back to see me once I finished talking on the phone. I waited an hour (2am by now) for her to come back, but she didn't. I was too exhausted and just tried to rest.
The next morning which was the Thursday, that same nurse appeared and said sorry but she got called to another patient etc. I told her what the matter was but don't think she did anything.i later talked to another nurse who had been on shift earlier in the week and she actually tried to sort it out for me. She was really nice as most of the nurses were. Ward 4 is a good ward, they looked after me despite being rushed off their feet with being short staffed. Again, another blood test done. The nurse this time was understanding and listened. The surgeon again made his visit and despite feeling confused at what has been wrong with me, seemed happy with everything. He said I could go home. I fought back the tears, partly because I was happy to go home and partly because I was extremely exhausted. I hadn't slept for 5 nights.
Now a month later, I am lot better, yes I'm still taking it easy, doing one thing at a time and taking each day as it comes. I'm still trying to fight my tiredness and feeling weakness but I know this is to be expected, those days I spent in hospital really took it out of me. From being let out of hospital, I had a few weeks to gain some strength and focus on my girly trip to Manchester with my sister. She took me to see Girls Aloud and shopping. Being with her meant that I had a brilliant time and have a bit of much needed fun time. I'd be truly lost without her. She's a great role model. I a
m on a journey of trying to put weight on and looking after my health. This is a new start for me focusing on my health and hopefully start back organising my fundraising (when
I'm ready). I'm awaiting for my new bath lift (still) and walking frame. In the meantime, I am thankful to my parents for always being there and looking after me. I love my nearest and dearest.
Anyway, I'm going to go as my shoulder is needing some rest. Thank you for following me a d my diaries. Keep smiling <3
