Once again I found myself in hospital over the weekend and through till Monday (not due to a fall this time thank goodness...)

I had awful tummy pain, felt very sick and was very unsteady on my feet. I didnt know what to do, so I rang Jo and she said to ring the healthline and see what they said, they said to go and get checked out. I then rang my Mum to see what she thought I should do (seen as it was Saturday evening). She said to follow the advice I had been given and to go to the ED, so my Uncle kindly took me.

I got a bed instantly which was nice because lying on my side curled up was the least uncomfortable position and I lay there for about 3 hours before being taken to be assessed by a dr. They were pretty busy dealing with drunks creating a scene and I lost count of the number of drunk students who had put their hands through windows! They said thank you to me for waiting so patiently lol.

It was possible I had appendicitis seen as I had most of the positive signs but it could have been several other things too. I got assessed by the surgical registrar and it was decided to admit me and just keep watch over how things progressed before anything drastic happened, (I was not keen on the ides of surgery one bit!). The ED dr did my IV and she was amazing, first time and in a place that wasnt too uncomfortable too!

Sunday I had an ultrasound which showed free fluid in my abdomen and I was told that fitted with my presentation so just to keep with the pain relief and antinausea and see how things went and I was then allowed to try and eat.

I couldn't eat much more than a spoonful of the soup I got but I had been kept hydrated with fluid and was drinking as much as possible. I had a ghastly night not being able to sleep due to hot sweats and my hands and feel swelling up so I couldnt make a fist. Due to the weekend, the hospital pharmacy wasnt open so they didnt have all my medications and due to not having brought them in with me, my med schedule was all messed up. I dont think that helped my pain levels or the side effects I was having.

Monday I was dealing with the pain better by then (you kinda get used to things you know) so I tollerated the surgeon touching my tummy better although it was still pretty painful and straight after I puked up the limited contents of my stomach. And they decided that seen as things hadn't progressed any further, no surgery was required just now (phew) and I could go home (double phew!).

When the house surgeon came to talk to me about discharge rx and I said I needed pretty good antinausea meds cos they had been giving me a double combo to try and control things he almost changed his mind and made me stay. Thank goodness I was able to talk him into letting me go home. I knew I had no chance of getting better in hospital, I couldnt even stay still due to the pain, no sleep, heat and med mess up. I'm just to go back in should the pain get really bad again I (fingers crossed it doesnt cos I didnt deal well with the added pain and nausea).

I've been given the week off classes to recover as they said I would need the week. Initially I thought I would bounce back but I'm finding out just how washed out I am and think I will need that week. Bad news is I had a terms test tonight worth 35% that I am missing and I dont want to think what a mess that is going to turn into but just now I dont care.

I do have to say though that despite the amount of pain meds I am currently on, they still gave me morphine for the pain and didn't treat me badly like I dreaded. I have heard horror stories of people with RSD going to hospital and being treated like drug seakers etc.
The surgical registrar on Monday did sound pretty surprised at how much pain I must be in when he saw what drugs I'm on but I think it was because he hadn't come across it before and he was still nice about it. The consultant wanted to know a bit about what was affected by RSD but he was also nice (we think he looked after a friend who also has RSD when she had trouble recently). So overall I had pretty reasonable treatment appart from the pharmacy thing.

The thing that was most difficult to deal with (appart from the heat the hospital always seems to be) was the number of visitors the girl next to me had! she would have 3 girls all come in at once and they made so much noise, I felt pretty lousy so that gave me such a headache cos I couldnt get away from it. And they kept coming, as soon as one lot left another lot arrived-I started to wonder just how sick that girl really was (was that bad of me?). Anyways I am home now, eating in small amounts to try and get my system used to food again and resting a lot. I am so wiped out and drained. Just walking to the bathroom and I am shaking which is pretty embarrassing! But I'm starting to feel better, which is good, just taking it slowly.

Thing is though, I never thought to ask how I got free fluid in my abdomen and what it would be...obviously it wasn't supposed to be there so I wonder how it got there and whether its something I should be conscious of and if it happens again does that mean anything?

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hey,
I tried to call today but your line was engaged a lot of the day and I'm out of credit on my cell.

I have the builders in tomorrow and it is suposed to be crap weather and Murphy will have to be in the lounge for the time they are here because they'll leave the doors open.....

I'm glad you took the day to stay at home, it was too cold to leave.
Every time I took Murph out it hailed or snowed...
But I had a houseful of folks for the day and it was a good day to let the Country Wifee in me come out and stay home and cook.

I suggest that you stay home tomorrow and take time to get well!!!

Talk to you tomorrow sometime, when its quiet....
So after the builders have left.

Later Lady
Love you.

SailLttleboat07 said...

Hey-
Take it easy and I hope you feel better soon... Sending you good vibes from Maine-
-R

Tough Cookie said...

For christ's sake, I just don't believe this has happened to you! I am so so sorry and just wish I could take it all away for you. I am sending up some prayers for health and happiness, and I hope you get their results soon.

My placement is just so high stress. We pretty much deal with crisis after crisis so there is constant running around this hospital like building. I even have to walk far to get to the bathroom! It's just not the place for me to be able to get the experiene I need with the help I need. That is what that place is about, otherwise, I would be sitting and filing all day and that isn't what I am paying tons of money to go to graduate school for.

I am just so so sick. More than anyone could ever understand because of how I look and how well-adjusted I am at this point. I should have been in a wheelchair looooooooong ago. I shouldn't even be in school at all right now. That would have been the smart thing to do.

Oh well. Life goes on.

I love you, sweetheart.

Lisa Moon said...

Hi, Felicia,
I know we've chatted, but I wanted to leave a comment of love and support nonethelesss!

I'm SO sorry this has happened; it's just not fair that we CRaPSers have to go through so much! And then anything else on top of that is just... well WRONG.

I hope you're being 'good' and resting and listening to your body's needs.

Like Maria, I think we all three share the same trait of pushing ourselves to do, do, do... and then boy, do we pay. But really, what else is there? I've been learning the idea of pacing at rehab and while I agree, it feels like to much of the theories they're covering just don't apply to CRPS.

We've got to make our own way and add to the wonderful book by the people from RSDSA!

Sorry, ranting there; I tend to that. {blushes}