In again, but out to come to Tassie

So you must have heard the saying " An Apple a day, keeps the Dr away" I Dispute this saying with a vengeance. Let me explain my theory to you.

Friday night I went to my friends Dave and Ande's for tea and after a nice tea, Dave and I settled on the couch for our usual sport fest and after awhile he goes can I get you a drink or anything to eat, I said an apple sounds good, so he grabbed me one. Later that night after arriving home, well around 12 to be exact, something started to give me pain and so like the other times since the operation, I thought ok a small blockage, take some pain killers and also drink alot and flush it out with liquids, then like usual it will pass over night. About 2am, I was still in pain, so took some more pain killers and so we went for awhile, I got through the night, the morning seemed not so bad.

Saturday was a nice day and I'd arranged with Dave to go with him to footy, him to play and me to watch and support my team. I took some nurofen plus with me and off we went, well the roads just churned me up and by the time we got to the ground, I was well and truly ready for a couple of those good lil pills. I sat through the game, in abit of discomfort, but the Rams, which is my team actually got up for a win, just our third this season. During the game I kept trying to pump fluids into me, to try and push the blockage through, but it didn't seem to want to work. By this stage I was definitely thinking about the apple and the warning that for at least the next few months I shouldn't eat anything with skins.

After the game, Dave was going to meet with Ande up at his parents place for a Cummings family Dinner for one of his brothers wifes birthday celebration, and the Cummings had invited me along, so up we went. Dave was a little concerned and asked if I wanted him to drive me home first as I was grimacing all the time, but I said no I'll be fine, so up the mountain we went. We were the first to arrive, so we sat at the bench and talked to his parents while Dave showered, and then after awhile everyone else arrived, I was still in pain so took my last pain killers and took more fluids in. When it was time to eat, Dave and Ande were pretty worried and said I could take one of their cars and go home if I wanted, but I thought that would be pretty rude and the rest of the family didn't know the pain I was in, so I sat down and ate with them. The tea was actually great, and their was alot of it, but I just took a little bit and scooped the potato out of the skin and drank more hoping the extra food and liquid would push the apple skin through. After Tea, we sat on the couch and chatted and after awhile, we left to get the kids home to bed. Dave and I chatted and he was offering advice on what I should do, by the time we got back, Dave was asking if I wanted to go to hospital, but I said, nope I'd be fine, he also said well you should probably stay here then, but if you know me, i'm pretty head strong and hard headed at times and so once again, I declined the offer and said I'll be right and started walking to the car with my head hunched just about to my knees in pain.

Poor old Dave just watched me walk and I headed home, on the way back I stopped for some coke as some sheets given to me told me that it helps to unblock along with potato chips, which I'd already tried before with other blockages and also with this one. I'm not a coke drinker, I always say no unless it will offend someone not to take it, but I was ready to try some more to get rid of this pain. I got home and drank like half a bottle nearly and also ran a bath, to try to get the heat to take some pressure off, thought I'd read for awhile and get some comfort from the pain, but it was still there. I'd also put the electric blanket on in the spare bed and thought that would be a good choice with the warmth, so piled in there for the night with more pain killers. I got a few minutes sleep here and there, between pain killers and about 4am, I felt really sick and when I got up to take a drink, I was quite nautious and threw up, then went back to bed, about another hour later, got up and threw up again, and then started thinking might be time for hospital, as the pain was intense as well and just a little finger on my stomach would cause untold pain, even moving just a fraction. I could hardly move, so stayed in bed till 7am, and then when I thought it was a nice time, not too early, I tried calling Dave and Ande's, but there was no answer, so tried Dave's mobile, but it was off. After another 15 minutes I tried again and Dave picked up and he goes are you alright and I said not really and can you take me to hospital, and he goes yep, be there in a few. I got changed and once again threw up and waited for him to arrive, I put the heater on and sat in front of it and when he arrived could hardly get to the door to open it. Dave had to assist me to the car and every bump on the way brought pain. We arrived at the carpark and I told him to just drop me, but he goes nope I'll come in with you, lucky he probably did, because he had to practically hold me and support me into the ED. We didn't have to wait long, told her my complaint, then sat down and once again ran to the toilet, then came out and straight in for a history and my complaint. I was put in as a category 2 patient, just below Heart attacks and that kind of Emergency and was found a bed straight away. Was offered a wheel chair to sit in, but as per usual said I'd be fine, but the nurse over ruled me and I got a lift to my bed. Dave stayed with me for about 4 hours until he had to go home as Ande had a baby shower she was running, luckily in that time, they were able to give me some extra strong pain killers whenever I needed them and I went for an Xray on my stomach and there was a blockage shown, so had to go for a another scan to see where exactly. the nurse came back and said the DR suggested a tube into my nose and down my throat to help drain the fluid from the throwing up, I declined as last time it hurt and said I'd wait for the Dr and see if it was really necessary. After awhile the doctor came and saw to me and much to my disgust said the nose tube needed to go in. They also decided that they would put a tube into me, and as soon as they did it, within 5 mins, 900 mm of fluid came straight out of the small bowel into a bag, and then they put another one in and another 900 mm came out and the pressure started to ease off.

I soon left the ED and was found a bed upstairs in my old ward I was in after the operation, I had a different view this time though, that of the blue mountains instead of bricks and concrete of the hospital. All this time I still had a tube into the small bowel and was draining more fluid and the nose tube wasn't doing much, so after having it for like 2 hours or so, they decided to take it back out, which I didn't complain about at all. All the pressure had eased off and no more pain killers were needed, I knew I'd be in overnight, so my other doctors could check in on me and make sure everything was fine, but they wanted more than that, to see how I went with food again, They also told me more about the blockage and I told them about the apple and they had a big smile on their faces and laughed and said that will do it everytime and shook their heads. I started out on a drip again, and the then got to move to broth, jelly and custard. The next day I'd had enough and wanted some real food and was going to suggest it to them, but some food turned up on the late brekky trolley for me, so I buzzed the nurse and said is this right can I eat it and she nodded and said yep, it's in the notes. I stayed in Monday and Tuesday as well and they wanted me in longer, but told them I wanted to be out on Wednesday as I had a flight booked for Tassie, which I'd discussed with them when I was getting out last time, but was told to stay in the state for at least a week. I had kept putting it off and off, to make sure I was ok and had no problems, so last saturday had actually booked a flight to come down home.

The doctors Said I should be right for Wednesday and true to their word, this morning they came in and said, you can go home. I had a little chat with them about some questions I had and then had brekky, then thought I'd shower before heading home, to feel human again. Before I could get there though, suprising me, the doctor actually had my discharge ready, but I said I'm having a shower anyway, so I did. Ande came and picked me up and drove me home. It's good to be out and home again, I'm not planning another trip to hospital for 11 months when the next operation will take place, at least thats what were hoping :)

So tomorrow I'm catching a plane, I'll be coming down for between 1-3 weeks depending on what happens and how I feel. Hopefully I'll get to see some of you and catch up again, planneda good time to come down I think, I believe you have stake conference, so will be able to catch alot of people I usually wouldn't get too without travelling and going to different wards.

See you soon, hope you weren't bored with my saga or the grossness of it, I didn't add some of the yuckier parts to protect you. So that's my theory about Drs and apples, they don't always keep them away, but bring them to you, it will be stewed apples for me from now on.