I'm Still Here

Oh what a circus, oh what a show!

That's what my life's been like recently.

I attended hospital 'as normal' for cardiac decompensation; all was well and I was almost at the point of going home, when suddenly "BANG" - I collapsed. Where did that come from?

I was glad to be on my favourite ward, with my favourite staff who swooped upon me (well I think they did, I don't remember). I recall a female voice calling Frank, someone holding my hand, and then I founf it was 4 days later than I thought. How odd!

It seems that during that time, I of catheter fame for years and as many of my male-nurse bretheren, ended up with one. How embarrassing! Kidney failure had meant no urine for over 24 hours and health trashed. Everyone was shocked. I saw doctors daily, I had bloods taken daily. I was always difficult to canulate and get blood from, so imagine the fun they and I had. A pin cushion in the making. As many of you know, my 'normal' bloods would be far from anyone else's normal, but this time clearly, they were wrong even for  me - they were on a different planet.

Everyone worked so hard, kept me on the ward in a single room; pain was treated with morphine, causing an image of a lady from Woman's Own Magazine of the 1950's to talk incessantly to me at night.... A variation of morphine drug brought me VERY DARK THOUGHTS, and I do mean dark. I had enough rationalised thoughts to know this was wrong and that I didn't really want to jump from the roof! Yes that dark.

It couldn't have been worse. Family were summoned and my priest performed "last rights"; yet amazingly, and within hours. things turned around.

To bad for this world and not yet wanted in the next!

Still Here!

Finally a week later, and very cautiously I might add, 'm back on my usual IV furosemide. I'm loosing around 1-2 2 kilo's in weight daily,  and the life is returning to the old dog again.

Regrettably I've put a dent into the statistics of the Consultant - all Hell to pay for that! But he is good humoured about it. I just know once again I'm glad to be alive. And it's because of doctors and nurses and he skills that you all have.

Thank you all.

Frank