The year that was

I've been rather lazy at this blogging lark but I hope after reading this you'll forgive me. This year has been a rather eventful one but hopefully it will be the turning point and I can look forward to a better and brighter future.

Shortly after my last blog post I was rushed into hospital with suspected appendicitis. When I saw rushed, I was actually refused treatment by an Out Of Hours GP, send home from A&E and then admitted to hospital by a GP but ended up in A&E again because there were no beds. I was taken from my local hospital to Doncaster Royal Infirmary where I had an exploratory laparoscopy. They found my pelvic cavity full of adhesions, endometriosis and pus. They guessed it was Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (even though they don't know what caused it) gave me truck loads of antibitoics and sent me home.

I spent the next few months being very poorly with more abdominal pain, UTIs, throat infections and the mother of all arthritis flares which left me bed bound and on seriously strong pain killers for 2 months.

My gynae problems were getting worse. I already knew I had a deformed uterus and had been offered a hysterectomy 2 years ago but I declined. I was still grieving the stillbirth of my fourth child in November 2007 and being a very maternal person I couln't contemplate never having another baby. Fate took that choice of out of my hands. Every cycle the pain was unbearable to the point where I ended up screaming in pain in A&E. The local gynaes couldn't do anything and I had to wait weeks for a gynae appointment at Jessops, the women's wing of the Hallamshire Hospital in Sheffield. I saw the consultant and I reluctantly agreed to have a laparoscopic sub total hysterectomy. There was no way I could continue living in that much pain, I couldn't put myself and my family though any more suffering and my husband was adamant that there would be no more babies. A hysterectomy was the only option that would solve the problem.

At the same time as this I was battling to be seen by a rheumatologist as no-one was treating my arthritis. My joint pain has always been conveniently blamed on my ME/CFS (which I'm not entirely convinced I have anyway) but getting to see a specialist is like trying to get blood out of a stone. I was referred to a doctor in Nottingham and as I eagerly waitied for the appointment I received a telephone call to say it had been cancelled. Apparently he didn't see people with "chronic fatigue". I complained at the GP practice manager and eventually I got an appointment to see a doctor in Norwich. He took 10 minutes to dignose me with Palindromic Rheumatism and recommended a treatment plan. RESULT! Well, kind of. Logistics meant he couldn't treat me so then I had to go home and find a local consultant who would treat me. That wasn't easy either! I saw a regsistrar at Rotherham General Hospital who after a brief examination declared that I didn't have arthritis, I had ME and I should go home. I stood my ground and argued my point on my previous test results and I went back a week later to see the consultant who disagreed with the Palindromic Rheumatism diagnosis but thought I may have Reactive Arthritis so she agreed to treat me with hydroxychloroquine. I was very pleased but a little disappointed that it had taken 16 months from being diagnosed with Reactive Arthritis to getting any kind of treatment for it.

Spending most of the year in severe pain for one reason or another has meant that home life and my relationship with my husband has suffered. We are trying to be strong but it's not easy when every day is a struggle just to make it through. Creatively I have done next to nothing which frustrates me but recently I rediscovered my love for writing and I'm half way through penning a coming of age novel about the life and loves of a 16 year old girl. She's kind of my alter ego in a way but one who made all the mistakes that I didn't. I don't know if anyone will ever read it but I'm having fun writing it anyway.

On 13th December I went into the Hallamshire for my hysterectomy. It went very well and I was allowed home the next day. I was recovering well until the whole family came down with a tummy bug! Despite overdoing it I'm recovering pretty well and hopefully that will be the end of my pain. Emotionally it hasn't quite hit home yet, I'm just relieved that it's over and I can look forward to a future without the cramps, heavy bleeding and waking in the night screaming in pain but I'm sure if the no more babies ever thing gets too much I'll find a substitue and get a new puppy or kitten or something.

So that was 2010. Here's hoping that 2011 will be a painfree year of freedom and new discoveries.