Hospital visit

Well, I said I didn't expect them to come up with anything and they didn't. They have absolutely no idea why I am in so much pain. They just kept saying, "well, we know it's not the heart, that's good" but that doesnt help me. I'm still in pain and to be honest I didn't think it was my heart to begin with. I knew how this appointment was going to go, but I still wasn't really prepared for them to shrug their shoulders and start coming up with weird ideas. They're sending me to someone else because they reckon it could be heartburn. I've never had this but I'm sure for one it wouldn't continue solidly for 3 weeks and secondly be a 9 on the pain scale.

It is very frustrating not knowing what it is. I'm used to it, but that never really makes it easier to deal with, just easier to put out of your mind when you want to.

I'm really not keen on staying on morphine for a long time either, because I'm sure that's not good for you, but I don't want to be in pain either. It doesn't really get rid of the pain but it takes the edge off and stops you getting restless and unable to find a comfortable position. It's a highly addictive class A drug, which sort of scares me a little. But my doctors don't seem too worried about it. I know I'm not addicted because I often forget to take my next dose and only remember when the pain starts getting really bad.  But it's still a bit scary. I hate the idea of being dependant on something. Even though I'm practically dependant on all my drugs, it's just not a mental dependancy.

So I'm going to be in pain for a while. Good job my uni is done for this year. Except for two assignments I missed due to illness earlier in the year, but they're not due for a while I think. They're both essay type things, so I can whip them out quickly compared having to give in a story, which takes a bit more careful planning. That sounds a bit backwards but I'm a bit backwards myself.

Just got to hope the pain eases a bit in the next couple of weeks.

Thanks for reading!

My sexy oxygen tubes and one poorly chest :(

Preparing for hospital appointments

So, I have an emergency appointment tomorrow at the Bristol Heart Institute, to see my doctor about my chest pain. Which is pretty painful, if I'm honest. I've rated it a 9 out of 10, second only to a pulmonary embolism I had 4 years ago which was without a doubt the most painful thing I've ever experienced. I've had this pain for 2 weeks now, though it has not always been at a 9. The first time I had this pain, back in January, I rushed off to hospital, stayed over a week, caught a sickness bug and was still none the wiser on what the pain was. So this time I'm just going calmly to my doctor and see what he thinks.

I'm currently packing a little bag in case I end up staying over night. I don't think I'll have to stay in, but in case they find something majorly wrong, I'd like to have some entertainment and earplugs with me because hospitals are extremely boring and very noisey. I don't particularly want to be stuck there without any home comforts. 

So this is a small list of things I'm going to bring with me. These are essentials and I'd pack a lot more if I knew I was staying in. I'll probably do a proper "What I take to hospital" post next time I'm admitted, which probably won't be too long to wait.

So here's the list:

Drugs (which are not the kind of things hospital stock up with)

PJs

Leggings (nice and comfy for lying in bed, and to avoid contact with those horrible stiff, scratchy sheets they have)

A change of clothes

Deodorant 

Phone and iPad charger

iPad

iPod (yes I am completely in love with Apple)

Paracetamol (naughty, but they act like it's a class A substance in hospitals, you ask a nurse for some and it never turns up!)

Toothbrush and toothpaste

Ear plugs

Sleep mask (because hospitals don't know that light switches go the other way, and that curtains probably should get fixed if all the hooks are broken)

Note book and pen

Spare headphones

...and

Dry shampoo!

That's pretty much all I need to survive one night in hospital. That and food! Because I cannot stand hospital food at all. I eat as little as I possibly can and make all my visitors bring gifts of food!      

Hope this was interesting :)

Have a lovely day!

Sara