Tuesday 9 September 2014

Another Hospital Horror Story

Seriously, what a week. Talking about pain! So as you all know, my Trigeminal Neuralgia pain is extreme, and lately it's either a 9/10 or a 10/10 on the pain scale. Completely unbearable. It makes life seem impossible, every single moment is utter hell. 

Last Thursday night, I met with a few people regarding the Irish TN group, and after the meeting my lower back was so sore, I put it down to the chair I was sitting on, and kept going. At 4.20 the next morning, I was in so much pain that I can't even describe it! My back had completely locked. I tried for two hours to get out of bed, and I couldn't. I eventually called for help, and at that point my mother had to call an ambulance. 

I will never forget it. My face was on fire, shock after shock took my breath away, and my back was so sore I couldn't move. I have a high pain threshold thanks to the TN, so that is saying something. When the paramedics arrived, they tried pulling me up, but I screamed in pain. Another plan was some sort of gas that is supposed to numb pain (can't remember the name). That didn't work at all, it made me feel sick. As they didn't have a spinal board, a Fire Brigade had to be called. 

Now I know that it is most woman's dream come true to have 2 paramedics and 6 firemen appear to the rescue, but I was fucking mortified, and I was in so much pain. My hair was wild, I had no bra on or makeup. 

 After a shot of morphine, they were shocked that it had no effect. They ended up pulling me up and guiding me to the ambulance. It was the most painful experience of my life! 

After a very handsome paramedic/fireman held my hand to hospital, I ended up on the flat of my back on a trolley for 7 hours. That evening, a neuro doctor came to see me, and she apologised that there was NO CONSULTANT/SPECIALIST in the hospital as it was a Friday evening. It was a complete disgrace. I got NO x-ray, NO pain relief, NO food or drink. I was told I could go home that evening, and I still couldn't move. 

I called my mother and sister and they came to get me, and they had to try and get me up. Not one medical personnel around even offered to help. After about half an hour, and a lot of tears, I was finally on my feet. I left that shit hole, and I swore to myself that I am not letting this go, and I am not. 

An emergency appointment was made to see a pain specialist last Monday, which was a complete waste of time. Even though it was my back that needed to be fixed, he refused to do anything until I saw my Neurologist. I was told to rest, like I could do anything else!

 An emergency appointment was made for tomorrow (Wednesday) morning. So I wonder if I will get any help. 

The Irish health system is an absolute horror story. Don't get me wrong, the nurses in A&E do the best they can, but they can only do so much, It is dangerously overcrowded and in a developed country like Ireland, it is abhorrent. 

So I missed a very important meeting last Saturday, and I missed out on going to a play tonight. I am angry, no I am fucking fuming. If I was given a little help last Friday, I may feel a lot better by now. 

As anyone with TN knows. stress and other pain can set it off and my face is worse than it's ever been. I feel like I have third degree burns, thousands of fire ants in my face, and I feel like my nerves have been attached to an electric fence, The vision in my left eye is all but gone, and the entire left side of my body is so sore, and that happens to be my TN side, so it's a bit freaky. 

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