Are we having fun yet?
Well the last seven days have been an adventure. Although not of the fun and interesting sort. More of the excruciatingly painful sort.
Duncan had Figure Marching on Saturday night. That amounts to the highlight of his year in Boy's Brigade. Any time he's wondering if he wants to keep going, how soon the Figure Marching comps are is a factor. So, we were there. metalhips was there taking photos because he's doing up the BB website and shenya came along to watch (and so that we could work on stuff later in the evening). As it turned out, extra people there was a 'good thing'.
Just as the first of the six teams was lining up to start I got this odd crampy sensation in my stomach. I considered it odd, possibly even annoying, but certainly nothing to worry about. It would go away pretty quickly, it was the sort of thing that usually does. Watched the boys start. If memory serves it was the Team that won last year. Not that this is actually relevant. Pain wrapped itself right around my back and started spreading upwards. I decided that I had felt better when I was standing up and figured I could go and stand at the back of the hall.
Not a good plan. Movement made me feel worse, so I kept going and headed outside. Attempted to find some sort of position that made things hurt less. Couldn't find one, plus it was cold outside. Went back inside. Ran into Stephen just inside the door who didn't think I looked so good and figured we should go outside and talk. He suggested I sit down on the steps of the Hall, I wasn't sure that I'd be able to stand up again. However, my body took over at that point, deciding that my brain was going to be in favour of remaining standing, and I started to sit down. However, by the time I was sitting it seemed so much easier to just keep going. Thus it was that I was curled up on the steps of the hall doing the highly unimpressive 'whimpering in pain' thing.
The Team which was marching second was outside at this point doing final prep or instructions or something. No idea what. However, their leader had some sort of medical knowledge. Again, no idea what. I wasn't really in a position to ask. He saw me and came over to see if there was anything he could do. He asked the usual questions about what was wrong and got me to describe what happened and how I felt. I answered as coherently as I could, given that by the end I was managing about two words per breath. He wasn't happy, given that it was an abdo pain, and decided to call the ambulance. I didn't waste the breath trying to argue.
So I got to lie there for a while attempting to find some position which didn't have every part of my torso screaming at me. Quite a few people were hovering around. I was vaguely aware of some of them, and also aware that Stephen and Jenny were making sure Duncan stayed inside and didn't find out. Mostly because there was no way I could have faked being well sufficiently to deal with him.
Took about half an hour for the ambulance to arrive, by which time (I discovered later) Duncan's mob were at the back of the Hall lining up and people were making sure that the door stayed closed so that none of the boys saw it. I got loaded in, poked and prodded and asked various questions. Half of which seemed to be variations on the "are you pregnant" theme. Turns out this was because my symptoms were a good match for an ectopic pregnancy. However, it couldn't be that without (as Jenny put it) devine intervention. So, off to hospital. Jenny came with me and Stephen stayed with Duncan. Sometimes it's really useful having stray people around with keys to my house. :)
Ended up staying in A&E until nearly midnight. During which time I was asked the same questions a couple more times, gave a urine sample, took painkillers and something else to stop muscles from spasming, and had blood removed. Jenny and I passed the time doing more character development. Even if it was AU. Spoke to Stephen a couple of times sorting things out for Duncan. Spoke to Duncan (who was panicking rather dramatically) once. Eventually they sent me home telling me to go back in if things didn't improve and go see my GP on Monday if everything wasn't all fine by then.
Sunday I spent pretty much in bed. Got fussed over by Jenny and Stephen. aumtattoo (and Al)
very kindly took Duncan out for a couple of hours. I spent a lot of the day asleep. I also took a lot of painkillers.
Monday, went to work but lived on painkillers. Tried to get an appointment with the Doctor, but he was booked solid. Made one for Tuesday.
Tuesday was in more pain and lived on painkillers again. Went and saw the Doctor. He re-did the urine tests which the hospital had done (preganancy and infection) both still fine. He also took a couple of vaginal swabs. Advised me to stick with the painkillers until we knew what it was we were dealing with. Switched to panadeine at the end of the day as you're only allowed six ibuprofen a day and I'd already had them.
Wednesday things got fun again (in that 'not really' sense). Started the day with two panadeine. Took two ibuprofen about three hours later (codeine and work don't mix so well). Two hours later I conceeded that they were doing nothing and that things were getting worse. Went home. Took another two panadeine. Discovered a bottle of 30mg codeine pills left over from when I had my appendix out at the end of '97. I had no idea whether they'd be any good, but reminded myself of their existance. Went and lay down for a while. Jenny came over and we talked for a bit and then she went off (wonderful woman that she is) and collected Duncan. Took a codeine pill later followed shortly after by a second. Well, it said on the bottle to take one or two, I figured I'd start with one and take a second if it didn't do anything. The most obvious reaction was that my brain melted. The way it does on large qtys of codeine. Still, the pain went away. Possibly because I no longer had a brain.
About 7:30 (so ~2hrs after the codeine) the pain kicked back in with a venegeance. It hadn't been that bad since Saturday night outside the hall. Although it wasn't quite as bad as it had been then. Did what I always do in times of strife - rang my parents. They're both ambulance officers, it can't hurt now can it. I did get told off for mixing my painkillers and for how often I was taking them. Took some of the cold and flu neurofen anyway. It helped a little.
Didn't go in to work on Thursday. Jenny came around bright and early and got Duncan away to school and then came back so we could talk some more. Stephen came round just after 11 and drove me around to the Doctor. He reckons you can tell when I'm really ill because I'll accept any offer of help given. Only one of the swabs from Tuesday was back (clear) but we had some new info to go on this time.
On Saturday night both the ambulance and hospital staff had queried what I had eaten that night. They had also wondered whether I was merely having a reaction to greasy food, although I believe they were thinking gall bladder issues at the time. Now, reactions to greasy food isn't something that I'm used to at all, so I wasn't inclined to think that this was the base problem. However, Wednesday night's dinner had been a deliciously fatty and greasy pork roast. Inlcuding lots of crackling and potatoes roasted in the pork fat. All hideously bad for you I know, but delicious even so. Hmmmm, could this be more than a coincidence? Then too, there is my basic stress-puppy nature. And the fact that I spent significant quantities of the previous fortnight stressed out to the eyeballs. Could I possibly have given myself an ulcer which was then objecting to the grease? I had queried this on the phone with my mother Wednesday night and she admitted that she and Dad had come up with it as a possibility on Sunday after I had told them what had happened.
So, I mentioned this to my Doctor and he agreed that it could, in fact, be the problem. And he duly poked and prodded me some more. He ended up writing me out a script for some losec and some gaviscon and told me not to take any anti-inflammatories. Of which ibuprofen is one. Hmmm, could explain why the pain wasn't going away now couldn't it. He also told me to avoid the greasy foods, but pointed out that Wednesday night's pork could be written down as useful diagnostic testing. After all, without it we wouldn't have had that to go on.
Of course, there's no guarantee that this is the problem. However, if it is, the stuff I'm taking should help. Right?
I took today off work again. By the time I'd been up for an hour getting Duncan sorted and off to school I needed to lie down again. I've been taking panadeine for the pain and it's been keeping it mostly under control.
All I need is a relaxing weekend and I may feel right to go back to work on Monday. Just as long as I don't immediately start stressing about the amount of work which has built up in my absence when I get back....
Duncan had Figure Marching on Saturday night. That amounts to the highlight of his year in Boy's Brigade. Any time he's wondering if he wants to keep going, how soon the Figure Marching comps are is a factor. So, we were there. metalhips was there taking photos because he's doing up the BB website and shenya came along to watch (and so that we could work on stuff later in the evening). As it turned out, extra people there was a 'good thing'.
Just as the first of the six teams was lining up to start I got this odd crampy sensation in my stomach. I considered it odd, possibly even annoying, but certainly nothing to worry about. It would go away pretty quickly, it was the sort of thing that usually does. Watched the boys start. If memory serves it was the Team that won last year. Not that this is actually relevant. Pain wrapped itself right around my back and started spreading upwards. I decided that I had felt better when I was standing up and figured I could go and stand at the back of the hall.
Not a good plan. Movement made me feel worse, so I kept going and headed outside. Attempted to find some sort of position that made things hurt less. Couldn't find one, plus it was cold outside. Went back inside. Ran into Stephen just inside the door who didn't think I looked so good and figured we should go outside and talk. He suggested I sit down on the steps of the Hall, I wasn't sure that I'd be able to stand up again. However, my body took over at that point, deciding that my brain was going to be in favour of remaining standing, and I started to sit down. However, by the time I was sitting it seemed so much easier to just keep going. Thus it was that I was curled up on the steps of the hall doing the highly unimpressive 'whimpering in pain' thing.
The Team which was marching second was outside at this point doing final prep or instructions or something. No idea what. However, their leader had some sort of medical knowledge. Again, no idea what. I wasn't really in a position to ask. He saw me and came over to see if there was anything he could do. He asked the usual questions about what was wrong and got me to describe what happened and how I felt. I answered as coherently as I could, given that by the end I was managing about two words per breath. He wasn't happy, given that it was an abdo pain, and decided to call the ambulance. I didn't waste the breath trying to argue.
So I got to lie there for a while attempting to find some position which didn't have every part of my torso screaming at me. Quite a few people were hovering around. I was vaguely aware of some of them, and also aware that Stephen and Jenny were making sure Duncan stayed inside and didn't find out. Mostly because there was no way I could have faked being well sufficiently to deal with him.
Took about half an hour for the ambulance to arrive, by which time (I discovered later) Duncan's mob were at the back of the Hall lining up and people were making sure that the door stayed closed so that none of the boys saw it. I got loaded in, poked and prodded and asked various questions. Half of which seemed to be variations on the "are you pregnant" theme. Turns out this was because my symptoms were a good match for an ectopic pregnancy. However, it couldn't be that without (as Jenny put it) devine intervention. So, off to hospital. Jenny came with me and Stephen stayed with Duncan. Sometimes it's really useful having stray people around with keys to my house. :)
Ended up staying in A&E until nearly midnight. During which time I was asked the same questions a couple more times, gave a urine sample, took painkillers and something else to stop muscles from spasming, and had blood removed. Jenny and I passed the time doing more character development. Even if it was AU. Spoke to Stephen a couple of times sorting things out for Duncan. Spoke to Duncan (who was panicking rather dramatically) once. Eventually they sent me home telling me to go back in if things didn't improve and go see my GP on Monday if everything wasn't all fine by then.
Sunday I spent pretty much in bed. Got fussed over by Jenny and Stephen. aumtattoo (and Al)
very kindly took Duncan out for a couple of hours. I spent a lot of the day asleep. I also took a lot of painkillers.
Monday, went to work but lived on painkillers. Tried to get an appointment with the Doctor, but he was booked solid. Made one for Tuesday.
Tuesday was in more pain and lived on painkillers again. Went and saw the Doctor. He re-did the urine tests which the hospital had done (preganancy and infection) both still fine. He also took a couple of vaginal swabs. Advised me to stick with the painkillers until we knew what it was we were dealing with. Switched to panadeine at the end of the day as you're only allowed six ibuprofen a day and I'd already had them.
Wednesday things got fun again (in that 'not really' sense). Started the day with two panadeine. Took two ibuprofen about three hours later (codeine and work don't mix so well). Two hours later I conceeded that they were doing nothing and that things were getting worse. Went home. Took another two panadeine. Discovered a bottle of 30mg codeine pills left over from when I had my appendix out at the end of '97. I had no idea whether they'd be any good, but reminded myself of their existance. Went and lay down for a while. Jenny came over and we talked for a bit and then she went off (wonderful woman that she is) and collected Duncan. Took a codeine pill later followed shortly after by a second. Well, it said on the bottle to take one or two, I figured I'd start with one and take a second if it didn't do anything. The most obvious reaction was that my brain melted. The way it does on large qtys of codeine. Still, the pain went away. Possibly because I no longer had a brain.
About 7:30 (so ~2hrs after the codeine) the pain kicked back in with a venegeance. It hadn't been that bad since Saturday night outside the hall. Although it wasn't quite as bad as it had been then. Did what I always do in times of strife - rang my parents. They're both ambulance officers, it can't hurt now can it. I did get told off for mixing my painkillers and for how often I was taking them. Took some of the cold and flu neurofen anyway. It helped a little.
Didn't go in to work on Thursday. Jenny came around bright and early and got Duncan away to school and then came back so we could talk some more. Stephen came round just after 11 and drove me around to the Doctor. He reckons you can tell when I'm really ill because I'll accept any offer of help given. Only one of the swabs from Tuesday was back (clear) but we had some new info to go on this time.
On Saturday night both the ambulance and hospital staff had queried what I had eaten that night. They had also wondered whether I was merely having a reaction to greasy food, although I believe they were thinking gall bladder issues at the time. Now, reactions to greasy food isn't something that I'm used to at all, so I wasn't inclined to think that this was the base problem. However, Wednesday night's dinner had been a deliciously fatty and greasy pork roast. Inlcuding lots of crackling and potatoes roasted in the pork fat. All hideously bad for you I know, but delicious even so. Hmmmm, could this be more than a coincidence? Then too, there is my basic stress-puppy nature. And the fact that I spent significant quantities of the previous fortnight stressed out to the eyeballs. Could I possibly have given myself an ulcer which was then objecting to the grease? I had queried this on the phone with my mother Wednesday night and she admitted that she and Dad had come up with it as a possibility on Sunday after I had told them what had happened.
So, I mentioned this to my Doctor and he agreed that it could, in fact, be the problem. And he duly poked and prodded me some more. He ended up writing me out a script for some losec and some gaviscon and told me not to take any anti-inflammatories. Of which ibuprofen is one. Hmmm, could explain why the pain wasn't going away now couldn't it. He also told me to avoid the greasy foods, but pointed out that Wednesday night's pork could be written down as useful diagnostic testing. After all, without it we wouldn't have had that to go on.
Of course, there's no guarantee that this is the problem. However, if it is, the stuff I'm taking should help. Right?
I took today off work again. By the time I'd been up for an hour getting Duncan sorted and off to school I needed to lie down again. I've been taking panadeine for the pain and it's been keeping it mostly under control.
All I need is a relaxing weekend and I may feel right to go back to work on Monday. Just as long as I don't immediately start stressing about the amount of work which has built up in my absence when I get back....