THE FIRST NIGHT:
Original incident. Alone this time, no photos until later on in the stay.
Well, according to my last post… LIFE was great. It was. I had my health, my job, and happiness with life in general.
Then, a day or two later it wasn’t. Why? Oh…Same old, same old. This time I was laying in bed- I felt a sharp and terrible pain in my right hip. I tried to change positions and I could not move my right leg. Immediately, panic, fear, and terror filled my veins. My parents’ (whom I’m currently living with for support) were on a cruise. Luckily I had my cell phone nearby, because I had to find which cruise ship they were on, call it’s emergency line, and try not to give my mother a heart attack while telling her what was occuring. After that brief conversation I called 911. Luckily we have a ‘code lock’ to our front door along with a key lock so I was able to give the police officers who arrived first the lock code. Then EMS and the firemen arrived.
By this time, it must have been almost 2 in the morning. I had my parents’ 2 dogs on my bed, my 2 cats, and 4-6 emergency responders all in my bedroom. Not to mention I was wailing tears because this had happened again. IT had happened again…
It was pure CHAOS, and strangely with so many people (and animals) around me, I had never felt so alone.
One of the police officers managed to carry the small dogs downstairs for me while I told the paramedics as much as I could manage to convy. Luckily my mom ended up calling back and I believe that I just flat out handed the phone to one of the men…or held it in the air until they got the picture. I was in excruciating pain in a leg that I couldn’t even feel. It seems paradoxical- but it was true. And still is. Once the emergency crew got my vitals, and basic information, they decided to take me to the hospital. My hospital: University of Colorado Hospital- Denver (about a 30 minute drive). Four men carried me down the curving stairs of my house in what I can best describe as a body-bag with handles and without a zipper. I felt utterly helpless, and literally had my ‘life’ in these mens’ hands. Then off I went- to the land of doctors and needles.
I get to the hospital, slightly less hysterical than previously mentioned, and am immediately taken to a room. I was helpless, I was alone, and all I wanted to was be ‘normal’ for a change… so I wouldn’t even have the chance to be telling this story! The medicine they gave me wasn’t strong enough, their bedside manner wasn’t calm enough, and worst of all I felt absolutely terrible ruining the second to last day of my parents’ vacation!
Sometime soon after, my mother got back in touch with me through the hospital phone, to the room I was in. Somehow I felt relief she had managed this difficult feat. As quickly as the feelings of happiness came, they were quite literally drained from me. Luckily, as I lost all control of my bladder I was still in the paramedics’ ‘body-bag’ so it was somewhat easy for the nurses to clean up. Although, apparently not easy enough, since one of the nurses asked me to stand up so they could change the bed. If I had the least bit of emotional strength left in me I would have screamed at her “I’m f–king paralyzed b-tch. Do you pay attention at all?!” (My apologies for the ill-mannered thoughts)
But I didn’t have the strength, so I remained silent- perhaps mute- at my utter embarrassment and disdain for my own body.
Shortly after, my dear family friend “Uncle” Bob arrived after hearing the news through my mother’s tears in which she will never admit existed. Bob was my saving grace. I always tell everyone I’m ok alone, I don’t need anyone in the hospital with me, etc. And honestly until that night- I was fine alone. But that night, everything changed. This one time freak accident/illness had recurred…and that made it real.
It was more real than the first hospitalization almost a year ago to the date, where I spend 16 days including Thanksgiving on the Neurology floor. It was more real that all the steroids that caused me to gained almost 50lbs. And it was even more real than all my plasmapheresis and chemotherapy combined.
It was devastating.
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Not to be dramatic by any means, but this is all I can tell (re-live) for tonight. Thanks for reading, thanks for caring. I will try to finish up this experience tomorrow.
-Becca
XOXO
started itching. Then I itched all over. Still do. I’m not sure if anyone who reads this knoew about or has lupus, but is this common? Or anyone with gross stretch marks? I feel like they hurt and itch as they are growing in. Today they have become almost fuschia. It is awful. From my belly-button down, and then my hips, and top half of inner thighs. Lupus is SO not pretty.
