Been rather lucky
Discussion
Thought I'd share a story really to give thanks to the 40 or so NHS staff that saved my life during March. Weekend of the 5/6 March I started to feel flu like symptoms coming on and being a typical man I just took two paracetamol and tried to carry on. By Mid week I wasn't feeling good enough to work any more and by Friday I felt like I could barely walk.
Come Saturday 12th my wife took me to the walkin centre at our local small hospital in Loughborough as I was completely confused and acting 'oddly'. There they took the usual measures and beyond a temperature the more serious problem was that the amount of oxygen in my bloody was down to 67% (normally its 96%+ for a healthy person). I was rushed to Leicester Royal Infirmary by ambulance with suspected Swine Flu, but that was only the start. It turned out I also had pneumonia and was rapidly developing sepsis where the bacteria pass into the blood. Thankfully a nurse with special skills in this disease spotted the condition and gave me a very strong antibiotic within half an hour of getting to LRI. According to my consultant this action alone is the main reason I can be typing this today otherwise the sepsis would probably have taken me away from my wife and baby.
At around midnight on the 12th I was put into a medically induced coma where I remained for the next 9 days while my wife did her best to prepare for what might come. She really was a complete rock spending 8 hours+ with me each day talking to me while I was unconscious. Fortunately my condition improved and on the 21st they began waking me up which was successful. I then proceeded to recover in intensive care then move to a ward. I was allowed out of hospital this time last week but I'll not be back to full health for about 3 months apparently. Fortunately being fairly young at 32 and other than slightly overweight, healthy, I've recovered well so far but let's say it's been a pretty scary month for my family. I feel incredibly unlucky to have gotten ill but incredibly lucky subsequently to have survived and had such great care at LRI. So my thanks go to all those doctors, nurses and consultants that mean I can still spend time with my little boy and my beautiful wife.
Come Saturday 12th my wife took me to the walkin centre at our local small hospital in Loughborough as I was completely confused and acting 'oddly'. There they took the usual measures and beyond a temperature the more serious problem was that the amount of oxygen in my bloody was down to 67% (normally its 96%+ for a healthy person). I was rushed to Leicester Royal Infirmary by ambulance with suspected Swine Flu, but that was only the start. It turned out I also had pneumonia and was rapidly developing sepsis where the bacteria pass into the blood. Thankfully a nurse with special skills in this disease spotted the condition and gave me a very strong antibiotic within half an hour of getting to LRI. According to my consultant this action alone is the main reason I can be typing this today otherwise the sepsis would probably have taken me away from my wife and baby.
At around midnight on the 12th I was put into a medically induced coma where I remained for the next 9 days while my wife did her best to prepare for what might come. She really was a complete rock spending 8 hours+ with me each day talking to me while I was unconscious. Fortunately my condition improved and on the 21st they began waking me up which was successful. I then proceeded to recover in intensive care then move to a ward. I was allowed out of hospital this time last week but I'll not be back to full health for about 3 months apparently. Fortunately being fairly young at 32 and other than slightly overweight, healthy, I've recovered well so far but let's say it's been a pretty scary month for my family. I feel incredibly unlucky to have gotten ill but incredibly lucky subsequently to have survived and had such great care at LRI. So my thanks go to all those doctors, nurses and consultants that mean I can still spend time with my little boy and my beautiful wife.
The NHS for all its criticism really is a life saver!
SWMBO was unwell a few weeks back, bad "monthly pains" that got worse to the point where she was in agony and unable to communicate without screaming. We called an ambulance who arrived within 5 minutes and I was talked in by a doctor who was concerned that she had a burst ovarian cyst. She was blue lighted into A+E where she was sedated and filled with IV anti-biotics immediately turns out she had sepsis cause by something in her uterus lining breaking away (not a pregnancy, that isn’t possible for us unfortunately
) they were really quite concerned for her at one stage and I was told to prepare for something dramatic be it surgery or further sedation into a medically induced coma or similar. Luckily she is a stubborn b
h and pulled through thanks to the fantastic treatment and support she received from the staff in the SAU at MK General. Like you she feels rather lucky and grateful to be here! We took a card and biscuits down to the ward when she was discharged as a thank you for all they did (you can’t send flowers and they can't eat them anyway 
)
Aint life and the NHS grand?!
Glad you are on the mend OP, make sure you buy Mrs OP something nice for being there for you
SWMBO was unwell a few weeks back, bad "monthly pains" that got worse to the point where she was in agony and unable to communicate without screaming. We called an ambulance who arrived within 5 minutes and I was talked in by a doctor who was concerned that she had a burst ovarian cyst. She was blue lighted into A+E where she was sedated and filled with IV anti-biotics immediately turns out she had sepsis cause by something in her uterus lining breaking away (not a pregnancy, that isn’t possible for us unfortunately
) they were really quite concerned for her at one stage and I was told to prepare for something dramatic be it surgery or further sedation into a medically induced coma or similar. Luckily she is a stubborn bh and pulled through thanks to the fantastic treatment and support she received from the staff in the SAU at MK General. Like you she feels rather lucky and grateful to be here! We took a card and biscuits down to the ward when she was discharged as a thank you for all they did (you can’t send flowers and they can't eat them anyway ) Aint life and the NHS grand?!
Glad you are on the mend OP, make sure you buy Mrs OP something nice for being there for you
Great news and sounds as if you are over the worst.
I have had a tendency to pneumonia for many years, and would contract it frequently after very long distance plane trips..( Canada to Japan or India for example). Each time was worse.
About ten years ago my doctor told me that there was a pneumonia vaccine and I was inoculated. I have had one booster dose, but have had no pneumonia since, whereas I had had it six times in the prior ten years. After you are fully recovered might be an idea to see if your GP recommends it.
I have had a tendency to pneumonia for many years, and would contract it frequently after very long distance plane trips..( Canada to Japan or India for example). Each time was worse.
About ten years ago my doctor told me that there was a pneumonia vaccine and I was inoculated. I have had one booster dose, but have had no pneumonia since, whereas I had had it six times in the prior ten years. After you are fully recovered might be an idea to see if your GP recommends it.
A great account of what must have been scary to say the least. I am going though something similar (but less acute). Fell of my Road Bike last Saturday and ended up in hospital with 4 broken ribs and a collapsed lung. Yesterday (Thursday) I was discharged and went home. Apart from the utter and thankless pain from the ribs I felt good and had a sleep for three hours.
Woke up drenched in sweat, saw GP who said the drain hole in my chest (used to reinflate collapsed lung from earlier) was infected. Instructions were to call an ambulance if temp went up (or did not come down more).
Got home and essentially my body started locking down, could not move properly, barely breathe. Doctor call us out of the blue at 9pm saying she was worried. To cut tot the chase she dispatched a long ambilance there and then.
End result is pneumonia and SATs reading of around 88-91%
Hopefully it will get cleared up quickly!
Woke up drenched in sweat, saw GP who said the drain hole in my chest (used to reinflate collapsed lung from earlier) was infected. Instructions were to call an ambulance if temp went up (or did not come down more).
Got home and essentially my body started locking down, could not move properly, barely breathe. Doctor call us out of the blue at 9pm saying she was worried. To cut tot the chase she dispatched a long ambilance there and then.
End result is pneumonia and SATs reading of around 88-91%
Hopefully it will get cleared up quickly!
Sorry for the delay in replying over the weekend - half the family came to confirm I really was out of the hospital and normal (by my standards!)
geeks said:
The NHS for all its criticism really is a life saver!
Definitely agree with that! I'm really pleased to hear your wife pulled through ok - I'll be following your lead and taking in some things for the team at LRI too! Sorry to hear pregnancy isn't possible for you, we have some friends in the same position and I always find the room rather dusty when I think about it so my thoughts are with you.blindswelledrat said:
Was it actually swine flu in the end? Did they diagnose it?
Yes it was diagnosed as initially being swine flu that developed into bacterial pneumonia too and sepsis all simultaneously. Swine Flu apparently for most is just really bad flu, but, particularly if you're run down (and after 10 weeks of 50-55hr working weeks I was!), then it's possible for the other complications to develop too. Perhaps the biggest learning point for me is about how I handle work, I need to keep my working weeks under control and recognise that the problem can wait until tomorrow in the role I do.RDMcG said:
About ten years ago my doctor told me that there was a pneumonia vaccine and I was inoculated. I have had one booster dose, but have had no pneumonia since, whereas I had had it six times in the prior ten years. After you are fully recovered might be an idea to see if your GP recommends it.
Very interesting, I didn't know there was a pneumonia vaccine, I will ask my consultant when I go back on 21/4 - thank you!asgard said:
A great account of what must have been scary to say the least. I am going though something similar (but less acute). Fell of my Road Bike last Saturday and ended up in hospital with 4 broken ribs and a collapsed lung. Yesterday (Thursday) I was discharged and went home. Apart from the utter and thankless pain from the ribs I felt good and had a sleep for three hours.
Woke up drenched in sweat, saw GP who said the drain hole in my chest (used to reinflate collapsed lung from earlier) was infected. Instructions were to call an ambulance if temp went up (or did not come down more).
Got home and essentially my body started locking down, could not move properly, barely breathe. Doctor call us out of the blue at 9pm saying she was worried. To cut to the chase she dispatched a long ambulance there and then.
End result is pneumonia and SATs reading of around 88-91%
Hopefully it will get cleared up quickly!
I really hope you pull through and are feeling better - just keep fighting the fight. Keep your oxygen levels up and when they recommend slightly odd breathing exercises, do the religiously, they really help clearing your lungs. Take care and let us know how you're doing.Woke up drenched in sweat, saw GP who said the drain hole in my chest (used to reinflate collapsed lung from earlier) was infected. Instructions were to call an ambulance if temp went up (or did not come down more).
Got home and essentially my body started locking down, could not move properly, barely breathe. Doctor call us out of the blue at 9pm saying she was worried. To cut to the chase she dispatched a long ambulance there and then.
End result is pneumonia and SATs reading of around 88-91%
Hopefully it will get cleared up quickly!
Words of advice I have been following. However after my last submission here, things have not improved much. After a further week in hospital and two more chest drains (circa 1 litre of fluid removed from chest cavity in total) my local hospital admitted defeat.
Moved up to Guys in London yesterday and am going down for surgery in the next hour. Looking forward to being able to cuddle my wife and kids again !
Moved up to Guys in London yesterday and am going down for surgery in the next hour. Looking forward to being able to cuddle my wife and kids again !
Sorry for the delay in updating this. Operation went well and to cut to the chase I was discharged from Guys this Thursday evening.
Can't say enough about the staff at Guys hospital, most impressive. Great to be home. Have given myself the weekend to catch up on sleep and then it will be time to get dressed, walk the dog and try to accelerate recovery.
Can't say enough about the staff at Guys hospital, most impressive. Great to be home. Have given myself the weekend to catch up on sleep and then it will be time to get dressed, walk the dog and try to accelerate recovery.
geeks said:
Mr Trophy said:
Great news OP.
Silly question, when you're in a coma, can you hear your missus talking to you?!
Good question I was wondering the same thing..Silly question, when you're in a coma, can you hear your missus talking to you?!
Not only are you ill enough to be in a coma but you are trapped listening to your wife bleating on. Like some medieval torture.
Chris Hinds said:
Thought I'd share a story really to give thanks to the 40 or so NHS staff that saved my life during March. Weekend of the 5/6 March I started to feel flu like symptoms coming on and being a typical man I just took two paracetamol and tried to carry on. By Mid week I wasn't feeling good enough to work any more and by Friday I felt like I could barely walk.
Come Saturday 12th my wife took me to the walkin centre at our local small hospital in Loughborough as I was completely confused and acting 'oddly'. There they took the usual measures and beyond a temperature the more serious problem was that the amount of oxygen in my bloody was down to 67% (normally its 96%+ for a healthy person). I was rushed to Leicester Royal Infirmary by ambulance with suspected Swine Flu, but that was only the start. It turned out I also had pneumonia and was rapidly developing sepsis where the bacteria pass into the blood. Thankfully a nurse with special skills in this disease spotted the condition and gave me a very strong antibiotic within half an hour of getting to LRI. According to my consultant this action alone is the main reason I can be typing this today otherwise the sepsis would probably have taken me away from my wife and baby.
At around midnight on the 12th I was put into a medically induced coma where I remained for the next 9 days while my wife did her best to prepare for what might come. She really was a complete rock spending 8 hours+ with me each day talking to me while I was unconscious. Fortunately my condition improved and on the 21st they began waking me up which was successful. I then proceeded to recover in intensive care then move to a ward. I was allowed out of hospital this time last week but I'll not be back to full health for about 3 months apparently. Fortunately being fairly young at 32 and other than slightly overweight, healthy, I've recovered well so far but let's say it's been a pretty scary month for my family. I feel incredibly unlucky to have gotten ill but incredibly lucky subsequently to have survived and had such great care at LRI. So my thanks go to all those doctors, nurses and consultants that mean I can still spend time with my little boy and my beautiful wife.
Sepsis is very hard to spot, I'm told by my niece who is a nurse. You are indeed fortunate that a clued-up nurse was on duty that day. Don't push your luck and buy a lottery ticket though! Save your luck for more important things.Come Saturday 12th my wife took me to the walkin centre at our local small hospital in Loughborough as I was completely confused and acting 'oddly'. There they took the usual measures and beyond a temperature the more serious problem was that the amount of oxygen in my bloody was down to 67% (normally its 96%+ for a healthy person). I was rushed to Leicester Royal Infirmary by ambulance with suspected Swine Flu, but that was only the start. It turned out I also had pneumonia and was rapidly developing sepsis where the bacteria pass into the blood. Thankfully a nurse with special skills in this disease spotted the condition and gave me a very strong antibiotic within half an hour of getting to LRI. According to my consultant this action alone is the main reason I can be typing this today otherwise the sepsis would probably have taken me away from my wife and baby.
At around midnight on the 12th I was put into a medically induced coma where I remained for the next 9 days while my wife did her best to prepare for what might come. She really was a complete rock spending 8 hours+ with me each day talking to me while I was unconscious. Fortunately my condition improved and on the 21st they began waking me up which was successful. I then proceeded to recover in intensive care then move to a ward. I was allowed out of hospital this time last week but I'll not be back to full health for about 3 months apparently. Fortunately being fairly young at 32 and other than slightly overweight, healthy, I've recovered well so far but let's say it's been a pretty scary month for my family. I feel incredibly unlucky to have gotten ill but incredibly lucky subsequently to have survived and had such great care at LRI. So my thanks go to all those doctors, nurses and consultants that mean I can still spend time with my little boy and my beautiful wife.
You have my sympathy.
I'm currently laid up in hospital with the after effects of pneumonia. Awaiting a transfer to Guys hospital for surgery.
It all started a couple of weeks before easter with a cough that wouldn't quite go away, I'd be fine for a day or two then it would come back. Come Good Friday I woke up in a lot of pain around my back, a few painkillers and a bit of sleep later the pain had settled around the lower ribs on my right. I just assumed I'd stained a rib coughing, then carried on as normal. Away for the weekend with a lot of walking, only needing a couple of ibuprofen for the pain. Then it was back to work as normal, no painkillers needed, just the occasional twinge which I figured would get better on it's own in a few weeks.
That was fine for another couple of weeks, (3 weeks ago). Then the pain came back. Over the course of about 20 minutes I was laid out, struggling to breath through the pain, with an ambulance called out to get me.
Spent the night in a&e being pumped full of antibiotics and various painkillers, xray helped confirm the diagnosis of pneumonia. Despite still being in a bad state, I was kicked out on the morning with a box of antibiotics and a perspiration for decent painkillers.
Forunately I managed to get a lift home as I could barely walk. There I crashed out for three days, not eating, luckily I had a friend who would come and make sure I was drinking and try to get me to eat something. By day 4 I could manage a small meal I would normally consider a snack. Heading into the second week I was up and about slowly but getting back to normal. Coming up to the third week after a&e there was still some tenderness in my side, particularly when sneezing, and slight shortness of breath when I went out for a walk, but otherwise felt absolutely fine.
A followup with my Dr had me sent for a chest xray just as a precaution to be on the safe side. Had the xray that afternoon, they took one look at it and told me to get back to a&e as there was a lot of fluid around my lung.
I've now been here for a few days. Standard drain didn't work, so I'm being transferred for surgery to sort it out. I guess I'm lucky that I'm feeling absolutely fine, other than being a pin cushion, but it feels like everything's taking ages to happen.
I kept getting the impression I could be sent home, then it's referred to a different Dr/specialist, another more detailed scan requested then another wait... So now I'm waiting for a free bed at Guys which may take a day or few particularly as I'm healthy enough not to be considered urgent.
I'm currently laid up in hospital with the after effects of pneumonia. Awaiting a transfer to Guys hospital for surgery.
It all started a couple of weeks before easter with a cough that wouldn't quite go away, I'd be fine for a day or two then it would come back. Come Good Friday I woke up in a lot of pain around my back, a few painkillers and a bit of sleep later the pain had settled around the lower ribs on my right. I just assumed I'd stained a rib coughing, then carried on as normal. Away for the weekend with a lot of walking, only needing a couple of ibuprofen for the pain. Then it was back to work as normal, no painkillers needed, just the occasional twinge which I figured would get better on it's own in a few weeks.
That was fine for another couple of weeks, (3 weeks ago). Then the pain came back. Over the course of about 20 minutes I was laid out, struggling to breath through the pain, with an ambulance called out to get me.
Spent the night in a&e being pumped full of antibiotics and various painkillers, xray helped confirm the diagnosis of pneumonia. Despite still being in a bad state, I was kicked out on the morning with a box of antibiotics and a perspiration for decent painkillers.
Forunately I managed to get a lift home as I could barely walk. There I crashed out for three days, not eating, luckily I had a friend who would come and make sure I was drinking and try to get me to eat something. By day 4 I could manage a small meal I would normally consider a snack. Heading into the second week I was up and about slowly but getting back to normal. Coming up to the third week after a&e there was still some tenderness in my side, particularly when sneezing, and slight shortness of breath when I went out for a walk, but otherwise felt absolutely fine.
A followup with my Dr had me sent for a chest xray just as a precaution to be on the safe side. Had the xray that afternoon, they took one look at it and told me to get back to a&e as there was a lot of fluid around my lung.
I've now been here for a few days. Standard drain didn't work, so I'm being transferred for surgery to sort it out. I guess I'm lucky that I'm feeling absolutely fine, other than being a pin cushion, but it feels like everything's taking ages to happen.
I kept getting the impression I could be sent home, then it's referred to a different Dr/specialist, another more detailed scan requested then another wait... So now I'm waiting for a free bed at Guys which may take a day or few particularly as I'm healthy enough not to be considered urgent.
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