My Irritabilities

Hospital life is nothing like real life. In hospital everything is done for you, pretty much, (save for the occasional injection). You food is ordered in your room, your food is delivered to your table, your water is brought in two to three times a day, they'll make you tea and coffee if you want, they'll sort your meds, they'll do your blood pressure, the cleaners will clean your room and toilet; everything, to the best of their abilities, is done for you. The nurses change your bed sheets every day, although there were a couple of days mine were missed. This isn't very nice when you've been sweating into the sheets over night and then have to sleep in them again the next. What also isn't very nice is when they take your empty water jug and don't bring another full one back for four hours,  despite you asking four times. But, I mean, that only happened once... I'm a very quiet and hassle free patient according to a lot of the nurses who've...

Ok, readers! The day has finally arrived! The Sirolimus has begun! These tiny little pills, to be taken twice a day, are what I've been waiting for, for just over 3 weeks! These pills (pictured above) are designed to suppress your immune system, similar to that of steroids, but in a less aggressive way. I think they are also used with organ transplant patients, though I don't know what exactly they would do in that situation. Maidstone couldn't get hold of and dispense these pills, which is why I had to come up to Hammersmith Hospital to be given them. Ridiculous, right, that only certain hospitals can get certain drugs? So, the aim is, as far as I know (because I'm not even sure the consultants are really aware) for these to become my main treatment. Over the coming weeks, or months, I should be weaned off the steroids, and the hope is that the Sirolimus will then take the lead in treating me. I think. But plans change. I've been ...

Ok, so this one is going to be a little different from the last two, but it is essentially the "NHS Funding" continued. This one will include a lot of the images I wanted to put into the original, but couldn't find until yesterday, or two days ago, depending on when this one gets typed up and published. I'm particularly tired right now, as yesterday morning the consultant ordered 4 bottles of IVIG from the pharmacy, and they didn't arrive until about 9pm last night. It's not a surprise really, that it took almost all day to get the product I needed, but fine. This blood product needed to be pumped in for hours, so I was still attached to my friend Baxter until about 3 this morning. Baxter is my IV stand, so named because the word 'Baxter' is printed onto the front. Original, huh? Baxter is actually a medical supply company, I know because they supply all of my home infusion products, but that's not really important.   Sorry for the blurry...

Welcome to another instalment of the NHS Chronicles! This bought of my illness is all happening right now, so it’s fresh in my mind. Of course, that should mean everything will be a lot more detailed and comprehensive, only I don’t have a particularly good memory for anything other than random animal facts, but we’ll give it a go. Exactly the same as before I had sickness and diarrhoea, and my appetite plummeted. It certainly hasn’t been as bad as last time, as I never completely went off my food, but more just cut down my intake by about half of what I usually eat. It’s a considerable difference that’s for sure, and I have lost around a stone, but the weight isn’t coming off any further, in fact I am pretty sure I’ve starting gaining weight again… Actually, that’s a lie, a nurse just weighed me and I'm staying around the same weight. On the 12 th of June, I had a prearranged (by email) appointment with my Immunologist at the Brompton Hospital. My immunologist is a bi...

When I was 19 I was admitted to hospital. I’ve started this off as if I’m telling a story, haven’t I? Once upon a time, a maiden fair… ugh. In all seriousness though, when I was 19 I became pretty sick. There’s really no other way to say it. At that point in time I had no clue what would happen, what was happening, and what would continue to happen. I didn't realise the impact it would have on my life, my future and my family, not that it’s had a huge impact per se, but it hasn’t had an insignificant one either. As far as I can remember (all the dates sort of blur together), I had something akin to flu in February/ March of 2012, and lost about a stone in weight. I wasn't eating very much, and what I did eat and drink came back up minutes, seconds, later. I then got better, supposedly, but a few weeks later started vomiting again, and lost about two stone more. At this point I was basically on death's door. Not eating properly for several weeks will do th...