Friday, July 28, 2006

YAY It's me!!!

I am pretty tired but I just wanted to write a proper update and more importantly say a HUGE thank you to everyone who has sent messages of support to me and my family, we have all been overwhelmed by the hundreds that have been pouring in. It is all a tad surreal, I can’t quite believe that this time last week I was in ICU, well, fighting for my life really. But you can't kick a small blonde-and-pink thing down for long, and I am doing miles better than anyone (myself included) could have predicted.

I woke up Wednesday morning feeling a tad sore and quite tired but put this down to the Salsa lesson which I may or may not have attended the night previous (which incidentally was tremendous fun and I highly recommend it). Had a lovely day lounging around in the garden with my sister and mum, but at about 10pm that evening the chest pain was growing worse and I just knew something wasn’t quite right. I rang the brompton who said considering my past experiences with pneumothoraxes (not to mention the fact I cant seem to do anything in a sensible or restrained manner) I needed to get to my local A&E to get Xrayed. On beginning to get dressed the pain accumulated rapidly so I phoned an ambulance, leaving a man to choose my outfit and pack my bag, which sadly resulted in me a) turning up in a little miss naughty PJ top and white floaty skirt, and b) the bag containing a couple of skimpy tops, one which my sister had worn clubbing a month or two previous. Hmm!

The X-ray confirmed that it was a pneumothorax, but a minor one, approximately 15% collapse. I was taken up to the ward about 2am and was reviewed the next morning. Due to glorious red tape, my pending transfer to the Brompton was in jeaopardy as I was…too well. They wouldnt take me by Ambulance unless I was “critical” (this should have been my warning, as it was said within earshot of my lungs) so I was very cross and planning on escaping via car to the Brompton until a nurse there strongly advised me not to, which I graciously consented to and sat there with a pouty face like a spoilt 5 year old at not getting my own way. At this point dinner was served, not quite sure what it was attempting to be, but it clearly failed, so I sent my mum off in search of edible food as my cousin was with me. My lung chose this 5 minutes my mum had left the room to finally stick two fingers up at the “non critical” status and collapse in a beautifully spectacular fashion, with both a full pneumothorax (all the air leaked out forcing the lung right down) and also a haemothorax (huge scary bleeding from mouth and chest cavity) ensuring that absolutely no one could say this didn’t qualify for blue light treatment. My poor mum got back to find me fading fast as my sats dropped to 60% and the docs cutting off my clothes (which I still haven’t forgiven them for as I loved that white skirt). I don’t really remember much except realizing that I was able to breathe again and just feeling the most incredible gratitude and relief that I was still here.

I was transferred to the brompton that evening, and settled down in the room opposite the nurses’ station, my mum staying with me again as I was still very unstable. Thinking that 2 collapses in 24 hours was quite enough drama I was very unaware that the doctor was actually quite concerned that something wasn’t quite right, and then sure enough at 5am, my lung went again, this time with a tension pneumothorax despite there already being one operative chest drain in place. They fought hard to get another drain in but by this time my CO2 levels were rising dangerously high. There is a machine which can help rebalance the CO2 levels called a bi-pap but they couldn’t use this on me as my lung was down, so essentially there was nothing more they could do. I am thankfully very unaware of most of the goings on, it is my poor family who had to endure being phoned in the early hours of the morning and told to get there asap. I wont try to put into words the respect and awe I have for my amazing family as I can’t. We were told the next 24 hours were critical and I was taken down to ICU. I think the high CO2 levels were acting as a kind of anesthetic as I was genuinely calm and felt very peaceful, and couldn’t quite believe what I was being told, expect for the odd symptom such as being unable to feel my arms and legs which showed my body was shutting down.

I said to my family “it’s not over till it’s over” as that is what I firmly believe, and then we set off to ICU to see what happened. 24 hours later, things were improving beyond all expectation. The team that are looking after me are amazing, they went and continue to go beyond the call of duty, and have been amazingly supportive to my family as well. The progress as you can see, kindly updated by my sisters, has been rather better than any of us could have hoped. It’s funny because when it a moment of crisis, you go into survival mode, and it’s only afterwards it has really hit me that that is rather a lot for a small person to get up to in a few days.

Sorry for the huge lengthy entry, writing it really helps me get my head round it all too, but essentially, I am now sitting up in a side room in pink PJs with pretty pink toenails and feeling very tired and sore and relieved. The next bit will probably be very slow, it is a case of taking each day as it comes and watching the lung to see when, if at all, the drain might come out. Huge abundance of love to each and every shiny star that has been cheering me on - the nurses have commented on how lucky and spoilt I am and whilst I would desperately love to disagree I know that would be lying!

29 comments:

Anonymous said...

Pah! You drama queen ;o)

Guess you want your stick of pink rock now too!

livvy said...

Welcome back Miss. Had us all worried there for a while with overload of pink vibe's heading for London from all over the Country - and world by the looks of some comments!
Keep taking it easy - one step at a time - we need our leader for September! ;-) xx

Sarah Milne said...

Wow!!! So good to hear from you Em. Have been thinking about you all the time! Someone up there is looking out for you! What a scary few days but thank God you are over the worse now. Here's to a steady recovery! I am at the Brompton on Wednesday for a meeting so will pop in with Haribo if you are up to a quick visit by then.
lots of love, as always
Sarah xxx

Simba said...

Wow! What a lovely treat to find a post written by our very own pink leader (not that your sister's weren't doing a great job, which, of course, they were).

But here's a big, fat, humongous YAY!! And a Hurrah, hurrah, hurrah from me as I'm so glad you're back and feeling better and hope you're not too sore. :)

I've missed your sweetiebobble-esque musings.

Lots of love and hugs xx

Anonymous said...

Welcome back lovely. Its so good to actually read a post from your wonderful self. So amazed at how hard you have fought back but thats our em. So glad to hear ur feelin a bit better. Just take each day as at comes and take it easy chikie. Ur the best hunni. Luv ya millions love tasha x x

lil fairy said...

YAY!!! go miss emily. lovely to read a post written by you :D lil lady can you not do anything without adding full blown dramatics to it? tell your lungs to be boring and normal from plz and tell them to be good to you until your nu shiney pair come along. but very very glad to hear you are on the mendy road :D yay
sending lots of love and more pink sparkly thoughts to match your toenails :D
neesh xxx

Anonymous said...

Oh Em, I am soooooo pleased that you have managed to written this blog and only days after being so ill. You are such a fighter and keep on going- just take things easy though and concentrate on getting better and nothing else major! You've gone through so much and just to let you know that you are one in a million- I would have complained so much, you know me! ;-) Loads and loads of love! xxxx

Anonymous said...

The little miss naughtie PJ top seems to have been the perfect choice ;-)

Glad you are once again radiating pinkness from head to toe :D

Anonymous said...

Amazing! That wasn't a blog post, but a film script.

Welcome back + so glad you're feeling up to some typing...

Anonymous said...

Yey Em! I'm so glad you're feeling better - it was so nice to read an entry from you (although your sisters are stars for keeping us updated!), I'm glad to hear you're getting back to your pink-and-sparkly self! Take care of yourself - I hope things stay good for you, you deserve it! :) loads and loads of love x

Kiera said...

Great to have you back blogging. Here's to your ever strengthening come-back. :0) Take it easy. x

Anonymous said...

So good that you're feeling a bit better.Bet they wished they had taken you to the Brompton before your lungs protested! keep on getting better ,thinking of you ..Anne

Anonymous said...

Welcome back from the surreal world of half lung-ness. Onwards abd upwards. Lots of positiviry to you and your pink lungs.

Lotsaluvnstuff.

Bill H 'n' Jax

Anonymous said...

Awww sweetie I am so glad that you are back to your little blogging self again ;)

Seriously though,so lovely to know you are in a wee side room,which is a good sign.(compared to ICU)

I hope you are feeling a little less sore now.

I think I would like to have a little talk with those naughty lungs of yours on MSN,maybe they could sign a contract and agree to behave until new shiny ones come along?!?!?!

Anonymous said...

Hello Em!
Glad your feeling better much relief felt all round!
Am in oz at mo and daily checking to see if you are ok!thank god for blogspots!
Take it easy hun.
lots of love, soph xxx

Anonymous said...

G'day Em!

Sounds like you've all been through the mill over the last few days. Great to hear what's been happening from you though. Keep up the good work everyone - we are sending our love from far away but it doesn't get any less!

Big hugs from your Fitznells mummy
Sheila xxx

Anonymous said...

Welcome back Em. It's brilliant to see you post :-)
I hope you get a little bit better every day, one step at the time.

Love and kisses, Marjolein

Anonymous said...

Hello Em.
Just looked at your photo on email taken by uncle Paul. Not up to your usual beauty but I think it is wonderful to see you again. Gave us quiet a scare, perhaps you could speak to those pink things that caused the problem. Once againkeep up the good work and get out of the hospital as soon as possible, I hear you, can catch nasty things in there. Love Uncle Brian Aunty Wendy

Anonymous said...

YAYNESS! Em!!!!!!!!!!!

So glad to see you posting again, was so worried for you.
Glad things are getting better.
Your the most remarkable person I know, and that includes your speedy recoveries.
Hope your back to your fantastically pink and sparkley self soon sweetheart.
*massive hugs*

Gem
XxXxX

Anonymous said...

What a terrible time for you and the family. Think of you every day. Keep getting better. Lots of love, Kate & Alice (Fitznells)

Sasha said...

Have to disagree with those nurses....you aren't spoilt and lucky........just got what you totally deserved cos you are one incredible person.
So happy to read a post from you.
You are made of such strong stuff Miss T.
Love to your family whom I also have total respect for. I cannot begin to even imagine what they have gone through over the past week.
With so much love
Sxxxx

Anonymous said...

*sigh of relief*. Oh Miss Sweetiebobble. Easy does it now, please. I'll have no more of this, alright?! So much love xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Anonymous said...

Glad you are staring to feel better. Hope you get your new lungs soon.

Best wishes for the future to you and your family.

misdee said...

Oh my word young lady, i belive you are slightly younger than me so can say that ;)

sounds so so scary (i am not that clued up on lungs i am afraid) but yet you still manange to inject some humour into that blog :)

Hope you are up-ish and about-ish soon.

sarah

Anonymous said...

You can do it EM!
-breath_seeker-
http://www.fightingtobreathe.com

Anonymous said...

So glad you are over the worst of it Em lots of love Gemma from the Trust xx

Anonymous said...

So glad you are over the worst of it Em lots of love Gemma from the Trust xx

Anonymous said...

Hi Em,

I'm so sorry that you've been through so much. I've been away so I didn't know but we are all thinking of you and sending out billions of pink hugs and sprinkles of love and healing to you honey.

You are a total inspiration to Annabelle and we all think your wonderful. Keep up that incredible strength of mind and spirit. Love Donna and Belle xxx

Anonymous said...

Emily sending positive vibes and (((hugz))) 2 u & your family.Only just read your blog updates etc as been on holiday to Spain for 2weeks got bak sun pm. Our 1st family holiday in 10yrs and was soo nice especially since Rachs kidney transplant 10mnths ago.

Anyhow sure every 1 is helping look after you 'pretty in pink' ;)

best wishes n luv Elaine Rach & family xxxxx

ps will say some prayers for you all keep strong Emily xx