A most Harrowing Time

Hello. Have you missed me? I have been thinking about how I would write this post for a few days. I don't want to give every minute detail, for fear of boring you with the details but I do want to give an account of what has been occurring with me and to my family for the past few weeks.

In the early hours of the Jan 5th, I awoke with the chills and a fever and having trouble breathing. This was odd to me as I had not been ill up to then. It was quite sudden. I sat out of bed and the bloke was concerned so he joined me watching as my breaths became more shallow. By 8am we decided to call for the Ambulance. Within ten minutes two ambulances appeared out the front. I was slightly embarrassed as I was only covered by a sheet, having been so hot. Never the less they put me on some oxygen and decided I needed to attend the emergency department of the local hospital. I was led out to the ambulance which had parked on the front lawn, close to the front door. I had trouble walking due to my breathing but eventually we got out there and then the struggle began to get me into the ambulance. Due to my size I couldn't get onto the stretcher so they had me squeeze into the seat in back that was way to small for my big bum and it was so uncomfortable.
 On arrival at the hospital we were told that they could not take me in as they did not have a bariatric bed for me. I cried as by then I was getting distressed. In all I waited two hours. Yes two bloody hours in the back of the ambo while they looked for a bed. Eventually they found one and I was placed onto it and wheeled inside to a room. More good news-NOT!
The attending doctor informed me they could not assess me so were sending me to Perth. I was stunned as I still didn't think I was so ill.

Anyway I travelled by road, in a bariatric ambulance to a major metropolitan hospital some 7 hours drive away. I only remember things up to two or three hours into the trip. The rest is a blank.

I awoke groggily to hear my sister telling me to do what the doctors said as they were trying to help me. Apparently I broke three masks and swore at the staff. Sorry people-I know not what I did.

The next time I wake it was to see the worried face of the bloke and my daughters who were all crying. I was thinking what are they all doing here crying? It  was then that the bloke told me that they had nearly lost me.
Gulp! I couldn't take it all in. In the ED they had to try very hard to save me, not once but three times. Yes folks I was knocking on heavens door. My body was shutting down and I was nearly no more. Sigh. How utterly shit is that?
I am just 47 years old. I have a beautiful, caring husband, five of the loveliest daughters and many friends and family. Anyway thanks to the excellent treatment of the amazing doctors of Sir Charles Gardiner Hospital I pulled through. One of my doctors who came to see me on the Sunday said he was surprised to see me still here, after seeing me in ED. The odd thing was I was a little numb. I just could not accept what had happened. Which was obviously a protective mechanism. In fact even now I feel a little lost.
I saw so many different doctors and other allied staff it was confusing.

Basically what happened was that unbeknown to me I had a chest infection. I also had infection in my lymphodeama leg, which made my body toxic, and it caused my body to go into a tailspin. I went into respiratory failure. The treatment to get me going involved pumping me with fluid. And it caused me to gain 18 litres, which is the same as 18 kg of excess fluid. As if I wasn't heavy enough. When the physiotherapists got me up I could barely stand due to the heaviness. However they then pumped me full of diuretics and I dumped most of the fluid, although I still have some in my left leg and waist and tummy. :(
The decision was made that to save my life in the future the time had come to get into serious weight reducing mode. Sigh. Yep again. I know I need to do this to survive. I have been put on a 6000 kj diet and it is tough to say the least. I can't stop thinking about food. But I will save the talk about that for another blog post.

I am on a BPAP machine when I sleep. This ensures I get enough oxygen when I sleep and helps rid my lungs of carbon dioxide. To use this I had to get over my claustrophobia real quick. But it is not the best nicest thing to do, not to mention the way I look. :)

So there you go. I am sure I have waffled on way to long, but I had a lot to say.
I only have a few pics today and they are not the best but it adds a little colour.

                                            Beautiful flowers my SIL gave me but was not allowed to have in the respiratory HDU.

Take care, talk soon.

Oh and I must thank all the people who have wished me well. Not everyone knows as the kids posted mostly on facebook or sent texts. :)

Friday's Notes

Well its Friday again. How fast are these weeks going? I think its a case of I move slower than time passes. I am no where near ready for the forthcoming festivities, but then when have I ever been ready? I really don't have to cook anything but I am the supervisor in this place. I see to the overall buying, cooking, cleaning and arranging for the big family lunch. It's at our place this year. Our second eldest had wanted to do the whole thing at her place but in reality it is just too hard for me to access her house and then get a comfortable seat.
I know it is disappointing to others when their plans have to be altered to suit me, but there is little else I can do except stay at home.

He menu for the lunch is as follows: Baked, glazed ham, turkey, roast potatoes, pumpkin, carrots, gravy.
Dessert is trifle, fresh fruit and if our eldest can she is making one of her very popular cheesecakes.
All in all there will be plenty of food, laughter and a lot of noise.
We will have all five girls here this year, the first time in four years. I must try and remember to take photos.

On Tuesday I went into hospital to have my second iron infusion. I had to wait quite a while while they found the doctor to insert the cannula. He told me that my veins were hard to detect due to my size and also because I was quite dehydrated. I never realised I was. Anyway after two sticks he managed to get it in right and I was set up with the iron. Lucky for me it didn't take as long as the first time. It does get boring sitting there. Lucky the bloke is adept at packing some nibbles for me and a lovely sanga for lunch. But by 2.30pm I was finished. I thought I would show off my battle wounds. This is the first stick that didn't work. Pretty colour bruise eh? Does not hurt at all though.

The bloke does not like being exposed to the world so this is the only picture I am allowed to put up of him here. But I do it so that you know he is real and not a figment of my imagination. I know he almost seems to good to be true. For all the things he does for his family and especially me I thank him. As my mother would say he is a 'Diamond in the rough'. Yes mum he is. :)

Talk to ya soon,

Wednesday-Part 3

Hello

Well today we get to the whole reason we went to Perth last week. I was referred to the sleep studies clinic to see how bad my sleep apnoea was. There was no question if I had it; my symptoms  quite clearly showed that with extreme weariness, lack of concentration, memory loss and irritability.
 I first met with the sleep specialist, a man of few words. I was booked to sleep at the clinic on the Wednesday evening and had to report in by 7pm as the technicians have to put all the recording devices on you. From the top of my head to the legs I was plugged in and very uncomfortable. I was also laying on my back on a three inch foam mattress; it was a recipe for disaster. I only ever sleep on my side as I have back pain and also it is easier for me to breath. I was unable to turn over in this slim bed and so was in quite a lot of pain. The bloke thank god stayed with me all night. Actually the staff asked him to so that he could attend to my needs as they don't have nursing staff in the clinic. He was assigned the next room to mine.
 If anyone has had this test they will understand how difficult it is to sleep. There is also a camera above your head to record any movements.
I moaned and groaned all night, was not able to sleep despite the blokes best attempts at massaging my legs and feet which usually does the trick at home. I eventually sent him off for some shut eye.
I had to ring the buzzer three times as the pain was intense and worsening and I was getting anxious and feeling ill. At 3am I decided to get the technicians to call hubby back in. It was decided that as I was unable to sleep they could let me leave. I was happy with that. Apparently even though I thought I never slept a wink they assured me I had slept enough for them to take data.
I was informed at the follow up appointment on the Friday that my case was quite serious and that I stopped breathing 196 times an hour! They issued me a cpap machine which I am to trial for 4 weeks after which I then return to the hospital so they can decide on the course of treatment which will likely be me having to purchase a machine of my own and use for the rest of my life. The following images courtesy of Resmed show the woman with the full face mask on. This is the one I was most anxious about as I am claustrophobic and this one as you can see encompasses both nose and mouth. I was anxious and hyperventilating when the technician tried to put it over my face. I took it from her and placed it on myself which made me feel more in control so a lot less anxious. The other mask worn by the woman at the bottom is the nasal pillow.  This was less cumbersome but still a presence felt over the face. I had thought this would be the one to use for me but after trialling both I am not so sure. So now I am alternating the nights and working out which one is for me. This is very serious for me and the health consequences if I don't use the treatment are rather dire. I am giving it 100% effort and if it fails it wont be be for lack of my trying. the other pic is the cpap machine. It is very not to large and very quiet. FYI the original cpap machine was a vacuum cleaner in reverse mode. They sure have come a long way since then.

 
Well if your still reading good on you. Not to sure if this has been interesting reading or not but it is my experience and all that I find.
If your still keen I will be back for a final part and some exciting news, for me anyway. :)
 
Thanks