Wakey wakey rise and shiver…

Backblip

Well today took an unexpected turn from the get go.

Woke up at 5am and went to the loo. Got back to bed and tried to get back to sleep but felt really cold. Tucked the quilt all around me but got colder and colder till I was shivering really violently, literally teeth chattering and couldn't hold my phone to check the time. Woke David who checked my feet, which felt like blocks of ice to me, but he said they were warm.

I received a phone call from our Health Centre yesterday advising I’d been prescribed an antibiotic as a result of tests done last week but it was too late to collect them yesterday and we’d planned to get them today. Knowing I had an infection and knowing (as a result of a friend’s experience a few years ago) that violent shivering is symptom of sepsis, we phoned NHS24. After speaking to a call handler who spoke to a practitioner an ambulance was sent!

On checking me over the paramedics found my temperature high, heart rate high, BP low, oxygen stat low so faster than I could say pack my pjs, I was in the back of the ambulance and on my way to PRI!

To add to the surreal situation, as I was being loaded into the ambulance, the tesco delivery man was unloading our shopping. My last sight as the ambulance doors closed was him waving in and wishing me all the best!

Checks redone in PRI, lots of concern and five attempts to get a cannula in! Nurse came and hooked antibiotics to the cannula so treatment could commence. Unfortunately cannula wasn’t in properly and my arm started to swell so it had to come out. What a mess my arm was (and still is) in. Another doctor arrived (they are all so impossibly young!) and she finally managed to get it in and the IV antibiotics could begin.

By now I felt wiped out, alternating between hot and cold. I thought I’d be admitted to the ward Alan was in in January but the nurse returned and told me that I was being transferred to Dundee. Another thrilling ride in an ambulance.

As I headed for Dundee, David headed back home to gather more supplies to bring to Dundee.

Once in the hospital there was a hilarious search for the ward. The signage is awful and everywhere looks the same. Eventually we found the ward!

Oh how great it was to sit on the bed after being on a very hard trolley for hours!

The rest of the day is a bit of a blur really as I felt so wiped out. Lots of activity. Obs checked every half hour. Concern as my BP was so low. Nurses were surprised I didn’t feel dizzy.

D arrived and had brought me a sandwich but I didn’t feel at all hungry. I was falling asleep so sent him home with a list of things to bring in tomorrow.

Nurse brought me and the older lady in the bed opposite (I’ll call her Elizabeth for the sake of anonymity) a cup of tea and a sandwich. I was hungry by that point so it was very welcome.

Had a lovely chat with Elizabeth. She’s quite a character.

Still feeling hot and cold and between that and the regular obs checks, I wasn’t certain I’d sleep much but I like the electric bed :-)