Well it's been a funny old week. Since my last missive I've spent a couple of days in hospital. Let me fill you in - We'd moored up back in Stone so as to pick up the car ready for next weeks planned Doctors, Dentists and funeral visits to West and North Yorkshire.
Having checked all the places I could think I might have stored the black trousers/white shirt and shoes LAST worn for my mothers funeral (and not being able to find them), I presumed I must have chucked them out. Bugger. SO, rather than spend a load of money for 2 hours, Dob and I decided to have a hunt through the charity shops around Stone for aforementioned items - well, minus shoes... I draw the line at 2nd hand shoes.
It didn't take long to find a crisp white shirt and 2 pairs of black trousers - neither fitted perfectly but as there was a week to go I thought I'd try and lose a few pounds to make the better of the pairs fit but if I didn't manage it I'd have the larger (polyester yuk) pair as a back up.
Purchases made, it was about 11.30 and as we were both feeling peckish, we decided to pop into spoons to get an all day breakfast. As we walked in the door and sat down I began to have a hot flush and feel dizzy - ordering a pint of coke and food, I went outside for a bit of fresh air. By then I was feeling rather dizzy and my vision was blurring.
Dob (thinking I was taking a long while) came out to check if I as ok only to find me slouched on the steps in a bit of a bad way. At this point I WAS still able to talk and with help walk so I requested he help me back to the boat via Ginger Boats (Canal cruising co) to be around people if things got any worse.
They did.
It was like an out of body experience... I could hear what folks were saying but couldn't properly respond. Very confused, shaky and tearful - for no apparent reason. It really was scary. Dom phoned a mate of his (a paramedic) who came straight over and took a look at me - asking questions about what I Was feeling etc. He pointed out that he was unable to take me in the ambulance as no 999 call had been made but it would be a good idea to get me into A & E ASAP... Kim bundled me into the car and took us to Stafford A & E. By the time we'd arrived there, I couldn't stand un aided and my ability to speak totally gone - also I couldn't swallow.
Confusion now made things worse, as Dob being Bulgarian wasn't aware we were in A & E and having checked me in using my driving license (and being told to sit and wait, was doing just that).. as my symptoms worsened. He panicked a bit and phoned a mate who said to dial 999 - which he began to do WHILST in the waiting area. It wasn't until a couple of the people waiting there insisted I was given help straight away, that I was taken through (still being held up and unable to speak) to be triaged. By now I was hyperventilating. crying uncontrollably and shaking. Partially aware of what was going on but unable to communicate. Like an out of body experience so to speak.
Anyway - within minutes I was ono a trolly being and being fast tracked. They assumed I was having a stroke as the right side of my mouth was a bit droopy and I couldn't respond to questions. Dob did his best to answer some - problems with translation then happened because when asked about alcohol consumption, he meant to say we drink every other day and probably share up to a bottle of gin sometimes this however came out that we drink a bottle of gin each, each day. This side-tracked things a bit and I was still unable to speak to correct this... it took about half an hour for my speech to return and explain I was NOT in alcohol withdrawal but by this time, the doctor was convinced. That said, they wheeled me into majors, did an ECG, sent me for an x-ray and then CT scan on my head.
At the same time, my blood pressure peaked at 235/170 which scared me even further. By then they were trying to get a canula in but my veins weren't having any of it... when the doctor eventually did (3rd time lucky') they hooked me up to a drip, giving me blood thinners and then diazepam to try and calm me down.
It became apparent (it now being about 8pm) they were going to admit me onto the acute medical unit. Feeling much calmer ( I rather liked the diazepam tbh) I insisted Dob get a cab back to the boat and I'd be in touch before switching my phone off later (to save battery) and then back on again in the morning at 7am) with an update.
I was wheeled onto a ward with 4 other old blokes all hooked up to beepy machines, drips and nebulizers and then given a 'something' via the drip quickly followed by fluids for 8 hours over night... during which they checked my BP every 15 mins...when first on the ward it HAD dropped a bit
but it took all night to come down to a more acceptable 160/117- despite even MORE diazepam - at one point when I'd SOMEHOW managed to drift off, they woke me up to give me something to help me sleep lol. A Doctor/consultant came to see me at 3am and said the CT hadn't shown anything up so they'd booked me an MRI on my brain for morning. At this point he said their working theory was a TIA but that they don't always show up anyway on the MRI so that might prove inconclusive although they had finally abandoned some ones initial withdrawal theory.
It was a very long night!
7am - lights on... everyone woken up and morning washing/bed changing began. I suggested I'd be ok given I'd only been in the thing for 6 hours and was pleased to be allowed a shower - complete with emergency wash supplies.
I've got to say, the staff on there were very good - we literally had eyes on us ALL night ... I was in bed 1 by the door and a nurse sat at a table with paperwork literally feet away in the doorway all night ... well when she wasn't attending to one of the other fellas. I DID pick up on the fact that 2 of the side rooms had patients in with norovirus - watching the staff all double glove and mask/apron up every time they had to attend gave it away - well that and my spidy sense hearing lol.
By about 10am I was feeling properly normal but needing to wee SO much - a combination of all the fluids AND the water I'd been sipping all night ... I was up and down like a yoyo until they took me for the MRI about 11.30.
I've had MRI's before on my back... I didn't like them... I didn't like the one on my head even more... it seemed to take an age and this raised the blood pressure again. More pills later and a few more checks when back on the ward and it was back to acceptably high rather than dangerously.
About 5, another doctor came to see me and say there didn't appear to be any lasting damage and despite being inconclusive, they have put me on dual antiplatelet therapy - which I think is just aspirin and something I cant pronounce... clopidogrel and discharged to the care of my GP.
Having escaped by knotting sheets together and jumping out of the window been given my discharge papers and meds, I booked an uber an went back to the boat.
I Slept the sleep of the dead that first night... the next day had 2, 3 hour naps DURING the day AND another 13 hours solid over night. All that remains now is a bit of a headache and an overwhelming emotional response to anything... ie, I saw the first cygnets of the season and burst into tears yesterday... in short, anger, sadness, happiness, frustration and even humour has me crying for no reason at the moment. I DO hope it subsides. OTHER than that, I feel like normal. I'm at the docs tomorrow to see how we're going to get a better grip of the blood pressure AND obviously have to cut down my gin supping... hmmf.
Still, it's better than being a vegetable. Busy week ahead too as the Funeral and Dentist are both on Thursday - It's a 178 miles to the dentist so I think I'll have a hotel night about half way on Wednesday and break up the return by doing the same after the funeral on Thursday... then it's a few more days R & R before we begin boating again to get to where we need to be to pick up the next guests. Luckily Dob is getting more proficient in boating now so even that won't be too taxing and I hope by the time I'm in 'Captain Ellis' mode, I'll be totally back to normal and NOT crying randomly. We'll see.
Until next time...
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