Month: March 2012

Pain in the Ass Part 2

Alright, so where was I.. Dr. Rennie. Right.

I think here’s the point where I should point out that my flight home was booked for March 7- which is this Wednesday (Surprise!). I’d been keeping this a secret- which no longer is a secret due to all these recent events.

It was decided that this was indeed a Pilonidal Cyst, and would need surgically removing. So Dr. Rennie gave me two options- which weren’t really options- 1- we could go to theatre and do the surgery asap, which would mean I would be staying put for 2 weeks at least- more likely 6 weeks or more- or we could go the conservative route first, and see if that clears up the problem enough for me to fly home and do surgery there- still having me on the surgery list just in case things went bad or didn’t imnprove. What do you think I chose. So, what came next? Rennie and her intern Nathan trying to get as much of the gunk out as they could. Definitely one of the most painful things I’ve ever been through, but they got almost all the pus and whatever else out. But in Dunedin I stayed for 2 nights. Dunedin and I do not have a great relationship.. first my hair.. now this? Really? The next morning I was examined yet again by Dr. Rennie, and a higher up surgeon, and their interns. I felt like I was in Grey’s Anatomy! There was interns scribbling furiously in charts around my bed, and surgeons having heated discussions about what to do next. Unfortunately none of them looked even close to McDreamy or McSteamy. So that was disappointing.. It was decided, on Sunday morning that they would insert the tip of a sterile glove into the small opening in the cyst to keep it open, and draining what was left inside- and I was to stay one more night to be observed. My antibiotics were switched to oral now so thankfully I got to have the line taken out of my elbow. I felt so much better after that was out.

I should also mention that dear Marie and her sister Bern stayed with me through all of this. After driving me to Dunedin and getting me settled in they stayed the night at a rellys, and came back to visit me the next day. They went back to Alex that evening, and Marie packed my bags and brought them to me this morning (Monday) so that I would be ready to go, if and when, I got permission to continue on with my scheduled flights. They basically adopted me as their own, which I am so grateful for! I’m also very glad I wasn’t in some random hostel, by myself, when I started passing out and what not. That would have really sucked!

So I hung out in Dunedin for another night, treated very well by the nurses who were all lovely. Going on extreme diets. Since I was on hold for surgery, and nobody ever knew what was going to happen within 24 hours.. I was usually not allowed to eat or drink from midnight on. Usually I got something around 11am each morning, after the decision was made- but then it started all over again. Annoying! But the next night passed, and Dr Rennie came again this morning and gave me the very awesome news that she thought I’d be able to make my flights! So the discharge process started and before I knew it I was out (it felt soooo goood not to be stuck in bed and walking around for the first time in 4 days) and at Dunedin airport purchasing a $325 ticket for a 45 minute flight to Christchurch, where Lindy picked me up. Better then sitting on a bus for 6 hours… 45 minutes was painful enough. Which raises the question of how 14 hours would go over. Not well. This is why we’re hoping that we’ll be able to upgrade my flight to business class so I can lay down for majority of the time.

So that’s been my week. But I’m very happy to be coming home, on time. Even though I’m disappointed that I don’t get to really surprise people anymore.. and that I have to have surgery. Kinda upsets all my plans.. for everything. But I’m feeling much healthier now then I was a few days ago- antibiotics are magic. I haven’t had to rely on painkillers much. Which is good, cause I hate hate hate them. But I’m well stocked up for if I do need them.

Tomorrow morning I get on a flight to Auckland- where I’ll meet up again with my family there, repack and get on a plane on Wednesday evening for Vancouver!!!! I arrive in Vancouver around 12pm Wednesday, and then Winnipeg at around 10pm Wednesday. So time is standing still for me. That will surely be lots of fun!

What have we learned from this? Travel insurance is a very worthwhile investment…

Pain in the Ass (literally) Part 1

Ookay, so long time no post- but I’m sure you’re used to that by now. I at least have something interesting to post this time, no pictures..thankfully.

I don’t think I mentioned this in my previous post, but I guess about on Monday this week I started getting really bad pain in my tailbone area. I hadn’t done anything traumatic- so I was a bit confused as to why this was occurring. At this point I was in Queenstown staying in a dingy hostel. I figured it must just be from spending hours and hours on buses (which I’m sure didn’t help anyway). I would rate this pain at about an 8 or 9 out of 10. Definitely the worst pain I’ve ever had- and if you know me, you know I’m decently accustomed to pain. Anyway, although I was a little concerned- I wasn’t about to not go out to Milford Sounds (10 hrs on a bus sucked), and hoped it was just bruising and would subside in a few days. Well, a few days passed- which brings my location to Alexandra at the lovely Marie and Ken’s place. By Wednesday, since I don’t usually carry painkillers with me, I had bought some nurofen (ibuprofen). This had little to no effect. By Friday nothing had improved, at all, so I finally decided to find a doctor. I was getting concerned because not only had the pain maintained for a week- it was constant pain. Usually if it’s a muscle thing, certain movements will make it worse, etc. But this was constant. Didn’t matter what I as doing, it was excruciating. So, went to Dr. Norman at the local family clinic. He did a quick look and decided it was a pilonidal cyst, and gave me some antibiotics and stronger pain medication. So off I trotted with my prescription. I started the antibodies as soon as I got home to Marie’s. Really not feeling too hot. So I spent the evening curled up on the couch. Later on, about 9, I got up to get another antibody pill from my room. I made it to my room, got the pill, but noticed as I went to leave my room I was feeling a little faint. Then my vision went. Then my ears started ringing. Then I was kneeling. Me, being me, figured I just needed a glass of water. So I got myself up and went to the kitchen. Where I completely failed at getting water. By this point I remember thinking, okay, this isn’t good, go get someone. So I started walking towards the living area. Still having no vision, or balance, I promptly walked into a wall, and proceeded to pass out. This got Ken’s attention- who quickly jumped up and exclaimed some words not appropriate for wordpress, and put a pillow under my head and got me back to reality. He got me up and almost as soon as I was up again, the whole thing started over. So we sat me down and called the doctor I’d seen earlier. Thank goodness for small towns! We met him back at the clinic where he reassessed me and decided that I might be a little septic, hence the fainting. Thus began my first night in hospital. Dunstan hospital took very good care of me, and it being a small hospital I got my own room too! After being assessed by another doc, having a line put in my arm (in the stupidest place, the only vein he could find was in my elbow), having that arm splinted so I couldn’t bend it, having IV antibiotics, and given some very strong painmeds, I was down for the night. I can’t say I slept great, because I hate painmeds. I can feel the exact moment they kick in, and wear off. So that caused a lot of me being wide awake.

The next day I was seen by yet another doctor, who found that the cyst had begun leaking a little bit-not a lot- as the hole was very small. Here came the decision (not really a decision, more like “you’re going, now”) to move me to Dunedin hospital. Marie and her sister Bern were more than happy to transport me themselves, and set up the car like a mini ambulance, as I couldn’t sit. So I had the seat reclined and full of pillows. I was pretty dopy the whole ride- but my pain at this point was down to 3 or 4 as some of the pressure had been relieved. Upon arriving at Dunedin, I was assessed again by a surgeon, Dr. Rennie.

To be continued…….