a reply to:
Night Star
Hi, Night. We're better than we were a couple of days ago.
Long story short: Thurs a.m. I was woken at 6 am by really bad abdominal pain. All across and into the chest as well. But I'd had similar a couple of
months earlier and when my doc checked me that time, he found that I hadn't had a heart attack (as that was our first concern). His opinion, it was
probably just bad indigestion, perhaps exacerbated by a reflux condition I've had for years. (It's physical. I have a weak lower esophageal valve.
[LES]) So on Thurs, I just waited it out and after a couple of hours the pain began to ease.
However on Saturday the same thing happened. Woken by the pain really early. I decided to just tough it out again then see my doc on Monday to let him
know and maybe more investigation was needed. But this time, after two hours the pain was even worse. Also, I had nausea and what goes with it, and
sweating on and off as well. I hung on a bit longer but there was no sign of it letting up. So I decided this was not looking good and I needed some
medical attention soonest.
With help from wife's son and grandson to get us transported, an hour or so later I was in hospital, lying on a bed and with a drip running. The drugs
in the drip helped to dull the pain. Meanwhile, a doctor did a detailed exam. She determined it was something more than just indigestion, so she sent
me off for Xrays and an Ultrasound. Like, right away.
An hour later they knew what it was and it turns out I'll need surgery. But as it's not acute/severe (meaning it's not life threatening right now),
they've arranged for me to come back in September and arrange the exact date for the op then. Well, two ops, most likely, as there are two different
things they have to fix. The reason they prefer to wait till September is simply because the weather is cooler and as I'll mostly be recovering at
home after the op/s, that's medically safer than when it's stinking hot. We don't have air-con at home; almost no-one here does.
The doc asked me to come back in on Monday a.m. so she could check I'd remained stable during the weekend. If all was good, we'd keep the September
arrangement. If not, then they'd reassess and see if I needed surgery right away.
So okay, got a ride home in a clinic car (ambulance) and spent the rest of the day just relaxing. Wasn't allow to eat anything that day. Doc's orders.
Then Saturday evening, Dada and I were watching TV when she decided to go to bed. This was just on dusk. A few moments later I heard this scary
crash-thump sound followed by silence. I rushed into the bedroom and Dada was on the floor, just slowly sitting up.
As I asked her what happened and as she explained that she tripped on something, I saw this awful gash in her left upper arm. She'd caught it on
something and basically ripped it open. I'll avoid the details, but it looked really bad. She didn't seem too concerned by it and said it would be
okay, but clearly, it was not okay. Also clearly, she was going into shock. She could barely stand, let alone walk.
So I called for an ambulance. They arrived in a few minutes and had her in hospital pdq. She needed half a dozen stitches and the doc inserted a drain
in the wound as well. By the time she'd been fixed up she was feeling pretty good and now walking okay, so (with the medical pros' agreement) we
actually walked home. It's only ten minutes on foot from the hospital, and it was downhill and also nice night, so off we went.
We both had checkups yesterday. My doc confirmed I was stable for now and we could stick with the plan for the op later, with the proviso that if I
get a return of the problem to get back to the hospital and they'll give me a drip, etc. Dada's doc is happy with her wound. No infection, thank
goodness, and it looks like it'll heal okay.
Today and tomorrow are national holidays, so her next checkup and dressing change is Thursday. Meanwhile, she can't even recall what happened and just
wants to go to the cottage. But I'd rather we're close to our hospital here just in case, so I'll wait til her checkup is done and then we'll see.
Today? I'm just taking it quietly and so is she. I'm trying to get her to lie around and do as little as possible so she doesn't cause swelling in her
arm. But otherwise, just a normal day.
edit on 5/7/16 by JustMike because: typos.