Friday, May 3, 2019

I'll live! And I'm not so special, after all.

Image result for blood transfusion pictures free
Google photo
It got kinda dicey for a little while there, but somehow I seem to be pulling through. If you've been around at all lately, you may have noticed that I have not blogged for a couple of weeks. 

You would also know that Richard's dad passed away. As we were caring for his parents, we had several weeks of difficulties, during which time I was sick. Then there was the week of the funeral and caring for Rich's mom. I was sick then, too. Sicker, actually.


You see, I had a GI hemorrhage. It didn't seem serious, so delaying treatment was easy to do since there were so many other, more serious, events happening. Then I started fainting. Not fun, by the way. It's kind of weird to know you're going down. And you can't stop it. 


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Google photo
The fainting happened for a couple days at which point Richard put me in the car and drove to the hospital. Honestly, I had no idea I'd lost that much blood. The first day I got a unit. The second day I got a unit. The fourth day I got two units. One more day and a final unit. Five? Really? I thought it might be a bit much, but what do I know?


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Google photo 
In the meantime, doctors were running every test known to the gastrointestinal tract. I got to drink liquids I hope to never drink again. Ever. Ever. Ever.


My PillCam
Doctors were pretty determined to find the leak. They went up with a colonoscopy. They went down with an endoscopy. They went sideways, thanks to nuclear medicine. They tried X-rays. CT scans. CT contrasts. Sigmoidoscopy. 

In all, ten days and nine tests. I even swallowed a little camera. It's not as bad as the liquid stuff. Honestly, they should have started with the camera.


I was a bit of an enigma for a little over a week. But one very determined doctor finally figured out where the leak was. (I had been telling him for a week and a half. It really was time to believe me. And for the record, I was right.)
It's now been a week since the fix and we've returned home. I'm not so special, after all, except to my sweet, darling husband, who has been the best, most wonderful, caregiver. I mean, I get tired of me.


I've been entertaining myself with Craftsy videos and the birds in our backyard. I think the birds are tired of me, too. I've been trying to sneak up but, well, when a muscle spasm hits, I cry. 

Today I managed to delay taking a pain pill for several hours. I regretted it a little once the pain really kicked in, but it means that I am mending and healing and in no time I'll be back to my old, fairly-ordinary, self. Which, it turns out, is the best self I can be.

4 comments:

Annie said...

So sorry to read of your ordeal, it sounds dreadful.I hope all is on the road to a good recovery! Take care.

Karen S said...

Good grief. When i disappear off the radar it is usually because I am travelling.
Obviously not so for you.
I am sorry to hear you have not been well, but very pleased to know you were in the right place and that the problem and solution were both found.
Take time with your recovery and take care of yourself. Lovely to have great family around you.
Best wishes for a strong recovery.
Cheers, Karen

Jenny said...

Sounds horrible, I looked it up on Google and had to stop reading! So pleased that you have been diagnosed and treatment can start. Do take care and pace yourself as you are in recovery mode. Best wishes for a speedy recovery.

Kaja said...

Oh my, Mary! I was sorry to read about Richard's dad and your illness. It's easy at difficult times to prioritise everything except yourself and it sounds like that's what you did. I'm glad you are properly diagnosed and treated now and hope that your recover is a speedy one.