A hospital adventure

I just got back from 4 days in hospital with sudden numbness and weakness in my feet and lower legs and partial toe paralysis in left foot. What a tumultuous time.  Here are some "highlights" from the experience, taken from messages with my "hiking gang" and emails with family.


Monday, 8 March

2 pm
Graeme:  I would love to come climbing tonight but I'm in emergency right now with numb feet and legs. Can't move some of my toes :(   Quite scary!  Please send me lots of positive, healing vibes.

3 pm
Graeme:  Just got prodded and poked all over. It's not a mini stroke which I most feared. Might be my back. The doctor seems pretty perplexed!! Thanks for positive thoughts. Just trusting it will all end up ok. A great reminder not to take my legs for granted. They're such a gift.  Now waiting for a CT scan on my lower back.

Elizabeth:  Have you had a CT scan before?  Are they injecting you with a dye. It makes you feel so weird- warm and tingly. My 6 yr old had to have one not long ago as well. She was fine.

Graeme:  Yes. I had no idea there was an injection into the spine involved though. Yikes!!  I hate needles :(

Elna: Be brave, you can do it!

Graeme:  I suppose if a 6 year old girl can do it without a whimper, I shouldn't make too much of a fuss...

Elizabeth:  Yes and I had to have an injection in my spine while I was have massive contractions 30 seconds apart and I wasn't allowed to move a mm. So yes I'm sure you'll be fine.

Graeme:  Ok I'm up for it then!  Bring it on!!!  I'm not even going to ask for a twig to bite down on. Just for a pretty nurse to hold my hand.

Elizabeth:  Haha. Hope it's a female nurse.

Elna:  Just don't crush her delicate hand, oh big brave strong warrior!

5 pm
Graeme:  The nurse who took me to cat scan was cute, gorgeous even, with a sweet American accent. But there was no needle. I almost felt cheated!!!

6 pm 
Graeme:  A doctor just showed the pretty American student nurse how to take blood. Using me as a pin cushion!  He obviously wanted to impress her and got flustered, had to do three attempts!!  I didn't want to increase his stress so managed to stay lighthearted about it. Ah, the effects of a pretty girl on us poor males. Such performance pressure.   Brain scan next!

8 pm

Graeme:  Having an MRI tomorrow. Have to stay overnight. Spine ok in the CT scan. Thanks for all your healing vibes. Battery about to die.

Tuesday, 9 March

5 pm
Graeme:  Hi guys. Sorry about the black hole. I did indeed run out of battery and finding a charger proved really hard!!!  I'm doing ok, been a bit of a drawn out day. The highlight again has been being the test dummy for student doctors. All so sweet. So much to remember under pressure, I would have sucked at it!

Elna:  You must be bored to tears. Do you need reading materials? Soduko? Porn?  (if so speak to Gavin)  :)

Graeme:  Ha ha!  Yes, several doctors asked me if I'd lost any feeling in that part of my body. Concerned me greatly!  First thing I checked when I got back to ward!!

Elna:  Discreetly I hope!!!

Graeme:  Discretion is my middle name :)

Zante:  G, I work in the city so it's no bother for me to visit. I'll pop in this eve. If you do think of anything need or want let me know.

Michelle:  Hi Graham I have something on tonight so can't visit - sending some healing wishes instead. If they want to poke and prod you for another day I'll bring you some real food.

Elizabeth:  Hopefully you'll be home soon. But if you unluckily are still there Friday I can come in during the day or even come by your place of you need help with anything. Sending lots of prayers your way.

Zante:  Srini and I are on our way, with a care package of assorted snacks and porn ;)

Graeme:  Thanks so much. Friends simply don't come any better than all you guys. Love is not a strong enough word!

Wednesday, 10 March

Graeme:  Heard via the grapevine my MRI scan is ok, so no back issue. Had nerve shocks and needles in my muscles today. Ouch!  It's my peroneal nerves that have been effected, though no one sure why. There's good hope they could recover in 4 - 6 weeks. Fingers crossed!!  I'll never take my legs for granted again!  Hopefully go home today and cuddle Mack!!


Thursday, 11 March

Graeme:  I've discovered I'm staying another night. Tomorrow I'm getting assertive about going home. Every night at midnight and 4 am they wake me up and ask me my name and the name of the Australian prime minister!!!!  If I have to say the word "Tony Abbott" many more times, I'm going to go demented !


Friday, 12 March

Graeme:  I'm loving the freedom of being home and cuddling up to the Mackster!!  Thanks guys for all your well wishes and positive vibes and visits and gifts. You've all helped me enormously to keep my spirits up. I've got a few more tests to go out of hospital for a couple more potentials. If those are clear, I can fly to South Africa on Sunday next week into the warm bosom of my family as planned. Hopefully within 4 - 6 weeks I'll recover my strength. My first successful hike after all this is over is going to be a very joyous and emotional experience!!!  Hope to share it with you guys.


Friday, 12 March

Message to Matt (my cousin)

Yes, I'm so happy!!  Great to be free again. My legs are still weak (will take at least a month to get strong again) but my spirits are high. 

I often get stressed by little things and this experience has given me great perspective.   There are two secrets to life I've realised: 1 Don't sweat the small stuff. 2. At the end of the day, it's all small stuff!!!!  

Can't wait to see you, counting down the days.

Saturday, 14 March  

Email to Trish (my aunt who is a physiotherapist)

Thanks so much Trish.

Yes, it has been a rather tumultuous experience!  If I come out of it ok, a very beneficial one though. Nothing like this to give you perspective and remind you what's truly important in life and not to stress about the small things.

I had nerve tests done (EMG with current on nerves and needle in muscle), and it showed some weakness, and slight difference between legs (left worse than right, though both effected.)  They did say though it was a bit early for the tests to be really useful or definitive.

The prognosis is good. Neurologist seemed to think there's good chance of recovery after 4 - 6 weeks, though he's stumped as to cause. He says it's certainly not a severe case.  Fingers crossed as you know how important my hiking is.  My first successful hike after this is all over will be a very joyous and emotional experience!

Thanks for the recommendations. Will follow those.

If all tests this week come out ok, then I can think of only 2 possibilities - virus or repetitive stress syndrome.  On the latter, I noticed in last couple of days that I carry a lot of tension in my feet when I work at the computer!  Often scrunch my toes up and tense my feet. Subconscious until now.  I've heard RSS can come on very suddenly. It's a far shot, but possible I suppose?  My body's way of telling me to stop. Or maybe even a combination of virus and RSS, virus attacking weakness...

I'm keeping a spreadsheet to track patterns in numbness, weakness and discomfort. Helping me feel more in control and might prove useful to doctors,

Will definitely give you a shout as things come up.  A skype call may well in in order in next couple of weeks.

My main concern in the shorter term will be how much exercise to do. Whether I should give legs and feet complete recovery for a while.  Or keep up some gentle walking (very tiring at the moment).  And do some exercises to keep calves from wasting.

Also, whether I should prepare myself for some pain as part of recovery process.  The weird thing there is almost no pain at present, though not complaining!  This can be a very painful condition, I've heard.

Thanks for being there,
G