Very hungry and thirsty, pain in my stomach was hurting the pain in my chest, and vice versa. Very lovely redhead nurse came in (we’ll call her P for pelirroja – redhead in Spanish) and took a syringe of blood (was this the vampiress I was dreaming about on hallow’een ?! Be very careful what you wish for, it just might come true !!). She said I couldn’t have any breakfast, ‘cos I was gonna have some more tests. Breakfast came, had to leave it on the side, stomach still hurting.
A while later, a pretty blonde nurse came and took me to the CAT scan. It looked like a huge and scary tumble dryer ! I had to lie on this half capsule type thing (very uncomfortable), the scanner operator, another pretty blonde, injected some stuff in my IV line. I had to sign a consent form, getting worried now, what if it erases my brain or something !! Then I had to stretch my arms above my head, very painful with the pain in my chest ! Must grin and bear it though, can’t disappoint the ladies ! The 2 girls went out and closed the door. Then the monster started making wierd noises and I got inserted into it. I started panicking and getting claustrophobic, I wanted to hiperventilate, but, that just hurt my chest more, my heartbeat went mental ! Part of the scanner started spinning around me. Then it spoke !! “Breathe deeply and hold your breath”. INCREDIBLE PAIN in my chest !! Seemed to take ages before it let me breathe again. Then it moved me about and told me to hold my breath again. I thought the torture would never end !! Then the second girl spoke to me though the intercom, said I could relax now. Phew !! The machine let me go and I was put back on my bed, still in quite a lot of pain. After a while, was taken back to my room, pain had died down. Was glad that was all over!
Opened my big blue box expecting to find some kind of breakfast, all that was there was: a bread roll, a cup of milk, some olive oil, sugar, and some decaffinated coffee. Was quite disappointed, why did it need such a big box ? Drank the milk, and ate some of the bread. Luckily I’d kept the last nights yoghourt !
A while later the Doctor came in said they’d found a blood clot in my lungs, was gonna carry on with the anticoagulants and painkillers, and would talk about discharging me on the Monday or Tuesday (12th or 13th). He told me whenever I got a pain in my chest to call the help button as they had the painkillers already and waiting. The Doctor went and I called for the drugs. The pretty redhead from before, P, came and hooked up a bag of painkillers to my IV line, also hooked me up to the oxygen.
Rested a bit, spoke to various relatives on the phone. Then lunch came, was dreading what I’d find in my blue box this time ! Starters was supposed to be vegetable soup. It was greeny brown and tasted of nothing. I just put the lid back on and left it ! Main course was roast chicken leg, it was actaully quite nice, I ate all of that. I didn’t bother with the soggy reheated cold chips it was resting on though ! Satsuma was nice, and got another small bottle of water.
My friend S, came while I was eating, he brought me some magazines and water. We talked for a while. Then gave him my house keys and a list of stuff to bring. Also asked him to turn of water heater and inform the neighbours. If it weren’t for S I’d be completely up the creek without a paddle! On his way out he had a word with P, told her I was shy (I prefer the word reserved!). As everyone seems to do, P, came in and asked me why I was shy, as if it’s some kind of lifestyle choice! I still don’t have an answer for that question. She said not to be shy and not to be afraid to ask for anything. Aaah, she’s so sweet !! I’m gonna enjoy being looked after by her !
Some people from a charity came in afterwards, asked if I needed anything. That was nice of them. I got the phone number of my room from them. Phoned my bro, R, gave him the number. Now I don’t have to rely on my mobile, which was rapidly running out of juice. S returned with my stuff, including my phone charger. I was sorted now. P kept coming in asking if I needed anything.
“Dinner” came. For starters was an attempt at fish soup, tasted like the water we use to defrost the fish at the restaurante, it had a mussel floating in it that looked quite dodgy. Could only eat half of that. Second course was supposed to be omelette with sautéed vegetables. The omelette was cold, dry, badly beaten and utterly inedible. Next to it was what can only be described as slime with cold half raw carrots and what I assume was other vegetable matter !! It was the mankiest thing I had ever eaten !! It turned my stomach ! I wouldn’t feed this crap to a dying rat, let alone patients in a hospital !Later my family phoned from England again. The pain in my chest had gone now. Must have got high on the painkillers and oxygen, ‘cos I was feeling so happy !! Mum, being a nurse, asked me to ask the nurse what drugs I was taking, she said the painkillers might be morphine.
A while later, P came back to give me my injection. Asked her about the drugs. She said the injections were heparin anticoagulant and the painkiller nolotil.
Nighttime came, pain in my chest started up again, called for more drugs. P came and hooked me up. Got unhooked from the oxygen, was hurting my nose a bit.
Tried to sleep, couldn’t. Still buzzing from the drugs and oxygen. Every time I closed my eyes, I could see everything in my brain as flashing images. After a while, something wierd started happening, the intercom control system, on the wall started changing shape. The 3 parts of it changed into 3 gremlin type creatures, the 2 on the ends developed an arm each, then they started having an argument !! Waving their arm at each other and shouting (with no sound). The one in the middle was trying to stay out of it !! Sooo wierd !! Couldn’t get anything else to change shape, couldn’t sleep neither. So turned the light on and did a bit of drawing.
Bored after a while, turned off light and tried to sleep. Started sleeping 2 minute intervals and waking up with a jump, like you do on a train or in the bank! At times I nearly jumped out of bed. Thought I was gonna have heart failiure or something. This went on most of the night, started to get very tedious ! Also had a bad stomach and farting heavily, the thought of that “food” I had made me want to puke ! The 2 minute sleep intervals gradually got longer and turned into half hour intervals.
Tags: anticoagulants, blood, blood clot, CAT scan, claustrophobia, gremlin, hallucination, heparin, inedible, mank, nolotil, oxygen, pain, painkillers, puke, redhead, shy, shyness, tedios
