Hi my lovelies and fellow RAer’s
I’ve missed all of you
Now if you remember I wrote the tome about stenosis of the spine well this is part 3 so so sorry.
Had not a bad day last Thursday, had been shopping with my lovely daughter who is also a friend to me now she's 30. I forget that she's part of me as we laugh about boyfriends and potential M in laws.
So off I toddle to bed hubs helping me up the stairs to our attic conversion; at about 02:00 I woke up and my back was giving me gip and I wanted a pee; I started to try and get out of bed but the pain gripped me and all though I was trying to be quiet I woke hubs he got up and came round my side and helped me out of bed the pain shot down my legs, front of thighs and back round my calf’s into my ankles!! I was sobbing with pain and hobbled into our bathroom only 4 yards away, but may have been 4 miles, sat down and nothing but every time I pushed just more pain. I got back to bed and drifted off, in the morning pain not so bad I got up and came downstairs hubs went off to work, I pottered about and about 10ish my tummy started to hurt and I went to the loo all I got was pain down the legs again. I have a wonderful GP we are even on 1st name terms, it must be because she sees’ me more than her own friends!! But, she has always said if you need help etc email me; so I did. I told her that I felt a bit numb and fuzzy around the area that as ladies we like to have heightened feelings. The numbness carried down the back of my thighs and my lower legs felt very fizzy. The phone rang, Tricia I want you to go to hospital I’ll send an ambulance, no said I; as I need to get to Oxford - John Radcliff. Hubs came home and off we went.
On arrival at A & E it was quiet and I was whisked straight in answered a couple of questions then a lovely young lady (nurse) came in and I was catheterised. If you have ever had the need for one you will understand. What a relief I had 2 litres hanging in there. I was poked, prodded and pulled by 3 dr. John and Tim then Lucy who was neuro specialist, John was major trauma and Tim medical. I was admitted on to the emergency assessment ward; they gave me morphine to settle the pain and then took me off diclofenic and my Fentynl patches. I was lucky, as I’d taken my Humira injection on Thursday morning as normal compromised my immune system but keeps the RA at bay.
On Friday morning after a very restless night as one elderly lady was shouting I love you Sylvia, and where are you Sylvia all night with an occasional screech of pain. My next door bed mate was as bad again an elderly lady and when she was being examined had told a young dr. that her husband was at home and she had fallen and the ambulance had bought her in and left him upstairs in bed unable to move himself. She bought tears to my eyes as she relayed her life of drudgery at his beck and call; and how he hit her if she wasn’t quick enough, she wasn’t allowed to eat until he’d finished and very often she went without. The Dr. Told her not to worry and they would send social services and a Dr to the house to make sure he was ok. An hour or two went past with “where are you Sylvia” shouting in the corner and the one next to me crying and wailing as her husband would kill her cos she hadn’t got his breakfast, by the way she had been bought in as her carer had found her unconscious on the kitchen floor. Next thing the police turned up and asked if she would answer some questions she said why and yes OK. The curtains were drawn round her bed so we couldn’t see but could still hear everything lol I do love that I’m sure Drs believe you go deaf outside the curtained area.
Soooooooooo they asked her name her husbands name and if she had children, this was answered, although she must have been in her late 80s’ she has a daughter age 7. They said that they didn't find her husband in bed. The Dr who had been hovering outside poked his head through the curtains and said he’d better come in at this point, well by now there was a hush coming over the ward the nurses had stopped rushing about and even Sylvia’s mother had stopped wailing. The Dr asked the old lady who turned out to be Nancy, where she was; quite stroppy she answered John Radcliffe; next question what year was it, don’t be silly it’s 1963,how old are you Nancy 38 why; how old is your daughter 9. Do you know what month it is yes it’s December and nearly Christmas; I love Christmas she said. Aggie is having a bicycle. Who’s the prime minister, don’t know, mind you I had to think what your husbands name, Alan, Nancy, the policeman says where’s your husband, I left him at home he can’t walk, I look after him; she starts to cry again, the Drs and police emerged from the curtains and had a hushed conversation with lots of shaking of heads I nearly fell out of bed trying to hear lol. they troop back to the bed Nancy can you tell me the year “2011” where’s your husband I don’t know he’s dead, he died in 1985 age 61 from a heartache. Yes, I mean heartache peeps. So then looking back this lady collapsed and blamed the hard work and cruelty she was and had been receiving. A sandwich short of a picnic my Gran would say. But she probably had that cruelty and has now got alzeimers or demetia. The police went off looking disapointed as no murder was involved. Then Nancy’s daughter turns up says she’s taking her mother home the ER Drs say OK she has no injuries just take it easy. As they were leaving Nancy pushing her wheeled trolley and her daughter almost running ahead. The daughter was heard saying come on I haven’t got time for this, so bloody well hurry up!! No wonder the poor old dear was confused. I do hope the cruelty had not been inherited.
I’ll bring you more life from the ward later.
Love to all of you
Tricia - P