Tag: chronic illness warrior

Posted in Archive, November 2022

Fridays Ambulance Call Out

Posted on by dystoniaandme

As the early light of Friday morning broke through the damp cover of night I lay in bed counting the minutes until my Drs practice opened. The pain in my lower back had been agony all night and I suspected my ongoing UTI had progressed. After a night of no sleep 8am couldn’t arrive quick enough.

By the time I arrived at my doctor’s for my 11am appointment my temp had hit 40.3c and I was in urinary retention, my heart rate and blood pressure were through the roof. I can vaguely remember being encouraged out of my wheelchair chair and onto the bed whilst they phoned an ambulance. Shivering with fever chills, and desperately tired. Three hours later I was in the back of an ambulance on my way to the hospital.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen A&E so busy. The staff were amazing and after quickly establishing my veins were playing hide and collapse they had an ultrasound out to guide them. They hooked me straight up to antibiotics for an upper kidney infection and told me urology would make me a plan.

Waiting for ward rounds

Saturday morning three burly Urology consultants appeared at the end of my bed. “What would you like us to do?” The question caught me offguard. I’m rather used to staying quiet and listening so as not insult god complexes, or putting my thoughts across in a tonned down manner. When I explained I’d be happy to be guided by them, it was really refreshing as they took the moment to explain my options. I could that day under local anesthesia have a suprapubic catheter put in: this would involve a small incision in the tummy allowing them to put the catheter through and to the bladder. Alternatively I could have an indwelling urethera catheter and go home, to come back at a later to have the suprapubic catheter put in under a general. I chose the latter option giving them a brief explanation about my Ehlers-Danlos and how due to EDS you can pump me full of local but I’ll still feel everything. They happily accepted my decision .

Back in 2019 whilst pregnant with my daughter I’d agreed to surgery where they attempted to remove a large suspicious mole from my breast without pain relief or sedation due to the pregnancy. The local failed. I felt every cut. The team did their best to distract me but the whole thing was traumatic. I made the decision at the time to not put myself back in that situation ever again. So even though the suprapubic catheter is meant to be better long term I’m happy to wait a few extra days/weeks for it if it means they can put me under.

So why has this all happened? My guess is that it’s down to the Ehlers-Danlos. My bladder has been dodgy for well over a decade, it’s just recently sped up in its decline. I’m feeling a little emotionally up and down, frustrated mainly but I think it’s healthy to acknowledge that. I know this will all feel normal soon.

*On a side note if you use catheters and have any tips on making it more comfortable please get in touch!

Posted in Archive, November 2022

Motherhood and Pacing

Posted on by dystoniaandme

Being a mum is without a doubt one of the best, and most challenging, joys in my life. Whilst there is an element of predictability, there is also the beauty of their ever growing imagination. We never quite know what they will ask next or what game they’ll invent. It really is a blessing. Hearing my youngest call out in her sleep the other night “Sing for your treasure pirates!” is a memory I will treasure with a chuckle.

Last week my son and I found ourselves in the local children’s ward again. Luckily this time our stay was short. He had clung to me like a young monkey. The way children do when they’re feeling awful. He’s five now, and as much as I love holding him, especially as he’s usually so full of beans and always on the go, 13 hours like that took a physical toll. I knew better, but when our children are ill pacing goes out the window. It’s a week on and I’m only just starting to feel myself again.

We had found ourselves in hospital without much warning having been sent straight there by the GP. Normally I go armed with extra clothes, extra meds, books, etc. This time I just had my handbag. I will now always carry an extra day’s worth of meds with me.In the days after his discharge the fatigue was at levels it hasn’t been for awhile. My partner found me taking a break whilst getting ready for church on Sunday morning. I felt ridiculous but at the same time knew I needed to listen to my body

It’s a new balance I’m needing to learn to walk. In reflection I can see ways I could have helped limit the physical impact. For example I could have explained my conditions and asked if I could have had a small blanket to fold up to cushion behind my back where it was spasming etc. Hopefully this will help a tad next time.

You’ll be glad to know that although still on antibiotics my eldest is back to his bouncing about cheeky self.

Posted in Archive, November 2022

First Neurology Appointment

Posted on by dystoniaandme

The nerves leading up to today’s appointment had been doubling with each sunrise. I was dreading meeting my new neurologist. After a decade under the care of Prof Wonderful, and have met more than a handful of neurologists with severe god complexes before I wasn’t feeling very optimistic. Whilst I knew that it was ridiculous to tarnish all neurologists with the same brush, I had met multiple neuro’s from this particular hospital before who had awful bedside manners. Previously they had refused to take me on as patient as they had deemed me too complicated at my first appointment. The second time they met me my symptoms were brushed under the rug with a quick “ah it’s most likely a side effect of your Ehlers Danlos” but didn’t run any tests to back this up. So I was hesitant to say the least, and that I would once again be swept under the rug.

The appointment had come rather suddenly as an opening slot had become available via their virtual neurology clinic. Whilst it meant that I still wouldn’t get my botox, it would at least mean that my foot would be in the door, my name on their patient list, which feels like a positive step forwards after several months of floating around in the neurology space waiting to be allocated to a hospital.

I was pleasantly surprised by the neurologist who met with me. He was open about his retirement plans and understood my wishes for continuity of care due to the complex nature of my health. It was agreed that I would be assigned to a different neurologist, whose specialism was Dystonia, he reassured me he would book me into the botox clinic as soon a space became available. I had expected there to be an issue when I brought up the frequency of my injections (6 weekly) as this is quite a small gap between treatments than what most prescribe. His understanding of the matter was not one I’d been met with before. Normally I have to really battle to get my Drs to understand that this treatment regime was one created out of necessity to keep me out of the hospital due to the severity of my Oromandibular Dystonia.

We had had a brief chat over where we felt my treatment needed to be going moving forwards as whilst the majority of my body is fairly well controlled my jaw is feeling much like a losing battle. I still have a lot of baby teeth as I don’t have the adult teeth for them in my mouth, which at almost 30 I’m pretty happy their still in place! However several are now painful and wobbly due to the battering they have received from my tremors, spasms, and dislocations. We know from previous experiences there is no point in wiring the jaw shut as the spasms are strong enough to break the wires, but further intervention in some form is needed. We briefly discussed today playing around further with the EMG machine to see if that can pinpoint better the areas needed to be injected and some surgeries we can try. These though will obviously be needed to be discussed again in greater detail face to-face.

Overall it was a very positive appointment. I’m still devastated not to be under my old neurologist, he really helped me not only accept my conditions but also reign myself back in when I needed it. He helped me to adapt to my new life and for that, I will be forever grateful.

Posted in Archive, July, July 2022

Urology Pick Me Up

Posted on by dystoniaandme

Yesterday I attended my first appointment with my urology consultant. I had no idea what to expect. Urology issues are common in my family but I’ve never pushed to have my issues investigated. I had a scan once in 2012 and was told oh it’s just an overactive bladder just try to go to the loo less and you’ll be fine. I was training to be a midwife, I was queen of going to the loo less.

I hadn’t realised just how nervous I was. I’ve been coping with on/off incontinence issues for a longtime now, it can take me twenty minutes to void my bladder and it’s never fully empty. Throw in my prolapse on top and things are just not great in the pelvic region. When he asked me to explain what was wrong the words just tumbled out at top speed, I was vaguely aware of my hands nervously shaking. He stopped me a few times, got me to take a breath, reassured me there was no rush he had time to listen to me and that I could explain in as much detail as I could.

He was eccentric in his mannerisms, but put me completely at ease. After my neuro left this was the pick me up I needed. Before I left his clinic I had appointments in my hand to come back for further testing, instructions for at home testing and a date to review the results. The NHS at its finest.

Posted in Archive, march 2022

Bandages & Bruises

Posted on by dystoniaandme

Last night I spent hours upon hours sitting in my local hospital A&E waiting room. I witnessed paramedics having to treat patients on board their vehicles as the hallways were already overflowing. Drs were having to discuss treatment and admit/discharge from the waiting room. It was heartbreaking. I’d have left if it weren’t for the fact my jaw had been out for three days and desperately needed relocating.

When I was called through, the Dr passed me the penthrox and told me to use it for five minutes and she’d me round to relocate me after. They left the curtain open to keep an eye on me. I vaguely remember feeling giggly. I’ve had this medicine a few times and that’s my normal response. But never this long. Next thing I know I’m coming round having lost consciousness and somehow ended up on the floor. They quickly got me back on the chair, manipulated my jaw into place and bandaged me up. The bandages must remain on now untill I see my neuro.

Ready for mass

I mentioned at the time I had considerable pain on my left pain but this was ignored. Despite falling unconsciously and somehow to the floor they never thought to look me over. I now have a significant bruise, my pain is high and I’ll be heading to the walk in tomorrow to get checked over. When I was diagnosed with EDS it was impressed on to that swelling and bad bruising always need to be looked at.

Whilst I appreciated the hospital was indeed ran off its feet. People like myself with chronic complex conditions can’t afford to slip through the net. I hope the demand eases off them soon.

Posted in Archive, September 2021

‘Learn to live with it’

Posted on by dystoniaandme

After over a year of my follow up gyny appointment being rearranged and cancelled repeadedly by the hospital due to Covid, I finally saw the consultant. I arrived with high hopes, a notebook full of the requested data they’d asked me to log, and a very grumpy daughter who would have preferred we’d stayed on the bus.

After reassuring staff that I’d contracted Covid at the start of the month and hadn’t escaped isolation, they took my temp which was border line high. Feeling thankful that a quick round of begging and reassuring them that I felt fine, I was allowed to stay. Two hours later, I was seen with grumpy toddler who was vocalising her unhappiness in tow.

Normally when I have a female gyny the appointment goes slightly better. I explained that my periods were getting worse 48 days long on average but 73 was getting more frequent. That they left me physically sick and due to the change in hormones increased my eds symptoms. She brushed it to one side.

“You will have to learn to live with it”. I’m pretty my face was a picture. My emotions were not in check as I was desperate for this appointment to go well, having last time discussed albation with me. Meds are no option for me due to my EDS, I understand that, hell we had even tried that. I queried the more radical surgical and was told not untill I’m forty, at the moment I am 28.

I can’t get my head around it really. I’m lucky to get more than two weeks between each cycle. It leaves me in pain, sick and exhausted. But yeah sure “learn to live with it”.

Posted in may 2021

An Open Letter to Stagecoach & Arriva Bus

Posted on by dystoniaandme

Dear Stagecoach & Arriva Bus,

I’m writing you an open letter as one of your disabled service users, and a frequent customer. I’ve had a few issue traveling before but today took the biscuit. Myself and my two young children were using your service to travel home from a hospital appointment. We flagged a Stagecoach bus down first. The driver pulled over, explained that he had already allowed two prams on, one was in the allocated buggy area and the other in the wheelchair space; neither parent wished to fold their pram down or move and off he went. I was more than slightly shocked as this is against your covid-19 policy which is listed on your site. I’ve screenshot it below, along with a picture taken from another of your buses which points out that it is law for a buggy to be moved from the wheelchair space should one need to board. Yet we were left in the rain.*

screenshot taken from stagecoach accessibility facts and question page focusing on wheelchair v prams.
Stagecoach Accessibility FAQS
Sign stating the law that wheelchairs have priority

Arriva Bus, it was one of yours that we flagged down next. This time, there was only one pram on board. Inexplicably the parent and pram had placed themselves in the wheelchair area despite the buggy section being free. When your driver asked them to move so we could board, they refused to move and the driver simply shook his head at me said “Sorry, love.” And drove off. This caused quite the stir at the bus stop, with others asking if this was something that happened often. It is quite disappointing to say that this is not the first time that has. Here is a screenshot from your own website Arriva of your policy for wheelchairs and prams.

Arrivas website instruction of priority of wheelchairs over prams
https://www.arrivabus.co.uk/help/conditions-of-carriageArriva Bus Carriage of Wheelchairs and pushchairs

Considering how much time has passed since Doug Paulley first brought his discrimination case to the supreme court back in 2012 over this matter I really expected this issue to be non-existent/on its way out. However experiencing it twice today within a matter of minutes is beyond a joke. How do you explain it to a four year old that two bus drivers didn’t want to follow the law? “Sorry we are not getting that bus either because the driver didn’t want to point out that it’s actually law for her to move over into the pram space. Despite it being his job.” Its disheartening, upsetting, discriminatory and lazy.

I would ask that both companies refresh your drivers memories on your own policies, and on the law. You may have stuck signs inside the buses but that is pointless if you are not going to act on them!

R. McDowall

*I want to acknowledge the kind stagecoach driver who was coming towards the end of a break and witnessed all of this. After waiting a few minutes and realising it was a while before anymore buses going in our direction would be there, cut his break short and drove over to us to let us on. I couldn’t have been more thankful.

Posted in may 2021

Ambulant Wheelchair Users

Posted on by dystoniaandme

For those who don’t know me personally when they see me coming along me in power chair they naturally presume that I’m wheelchair bound. It’s always an interesting situation when they see me move my legs so I’m more comfortable, or stand up to get in to the house. Sometimes I need the chair full time due to injury or severity of spasms, other times I need it due to length of time we’re out for and my body cannot handle it.

Whilst I’m confident in using it and appreciate how much freedom it provides. I’m not quiet used to the interactions yet with people with nothing nice to say. There’s been a few occasions of people telling me if I lost weight I wouldn’t need the chair, or to stop being lazy and walk. Presumptuous really considering they have no clue why I’m in it but also hurtful. I’ve always been a sensitive soul and I need to learn to toughen up.

I’m currently using my chair full time due to yet another injury thanks to my EDS. I find it odd how many people still are surprised by ambulant chair users. It’s an area that deffinently needs more discussion and awareness. I’ve used wheelchairs on and off for years due to my many conditions, as my EDS has deteriorated the use has increased. It enables me to still function and go about my day to day life independently, something that is very important to me. I couldn’t be more greatful for my chair.

Using my power chair to get home from church.

Posted in Archive, COVID-19, february 2021

The Positive To Lockdown With Chronic Illness

Posted on by dystoniaandme
Chronic Illness in Lockdown memes

Whilst the multiple national lockdowns have come with there fair share of complications, for example cancelled treatments, the stay at home message has been a blessing in disguise for me. My body has been going through a decline/more frequent dislocations lately, which is less than an ideal. Now prepandemic I would have ignored my bodies pain signals, and ploughed through the day. A bad cycle, and habit that I had formed. Only collapsing in the evening, spoonless, in pain and annoyed at myself. Lockdown has relieved the social pressure to attended multiple groups a week, and be on the go all the time. For my particular lot of chronic illnesses it’s meant I have rested when I have needed to. I’ve had the opportunity to relearn my bodies distress signals.

Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not literally doing the above meme, though it has its appeals. But it has removed the guilt I felt on slow mornings when we watched a Disney film and had a slow start to the day, rather than rushing about. I still finish the day with no spoons. That is just life with chronic illnesses. However I rarely exhaust myself to the point that I have impacted the next day, which prelockdown was a frequent occurance.

Post-lockdown this is something I need to remember; that it is perfectly fine to acknowledge if my body is saying no not today. We can watch films, craft and bake in the house instead and have a lovely day. Just being kind to my body more often will allow more days out and in the long run that’s what works.

Posted in Archive, January 2021

Improving Routine To Improve Pain Levels

Posted on by dystoniaandme

Health conditions can have both a physical and emotional toll, for example chronic pain; this can impact your sleep, cause more fatigue and leaves you starting the day just as drained as when you went to bed. A routine can change all that.

Now I’m not suggesting you plan out every moment of your day!

However a well thought through routine can empower your day, lowering your pain levels over all as you’ve optimised the way you have used your body.

It’s worth asking yourself when is your pain worse in the day? What activities does that impact? Make a list. From here you can proactively look at your routine and adjust how you manage your day which in turn should lower your pain levels. An example of this is if you struggle more in the mornings, then lay out what you need (or ask someone to help you) in an accessible place. This will save you time and energy in the morning.

Make sure to include time for you in your routine and space out energy consuming tasks over the day. If there is a task you are particular struggling with think about how it can be altered. For example, when chopping vegetables does sitting on a stool help? Would buying pre-chopped vegetables be a more realistic option? Is there someone else who could do this task for you?

Doing to much will result in a Boom and Bust cycle. Pacing is your friend.

I’ll be live tomorrow night with more on the Boom Bust Cycle.