*Trigger Warning...Blood*. Why you should always be careful when taking medicine.
If you know me well, you will probably have heard this story before, maybe whilst you were popping a few ibuprofen for that little headache or hangover of yours. At first you were probably thinking ‘ohhh shut up hippie’ (yes I can read your mind!). Then by the end of my story, you were opening the rubbish bag to throw those Ibuprofen away!
I’m not telling you to throw away totally useful medicine. Basically, I just want you to be more aware of what you are taking and HOW you are using it.
Back in 2007 I almost popped my clogs. I had a really bad case of glandular fever and my tonsils were like cricket balls, with razor blades on them. I had to spit into a cup, it was that painful to swallow. I was tired and miserable. Like anyone, I reached for the nearest painkillers. Like most people, I did NOT read the label. Painkillers are so common, I saw people just popping them willy nilly, like they were vitamins. I didn’t even think twice.
They worked, of course. I started to feel a little better, and after not being able to eat from pain, I decided to try and get some hot chopped tomatoes down me. It wasn’t pleasant, but I felt much better. I went back to bed to have a rest.
An hour or so later, I woke up feeling terrible. I had to make my dizzy way to the bathroom to be sick *TRIGGER WARNING ...when I looked in the toilet, I saw red. My thought was, ah the tomatoes I ate. When I looked in the bathroom mirror, I thought I’d turned into the Incredible Hulk I was that green.
My little brother was in his bedroom, luckily, otherwise I would have just gone back to bed...and well, who knows what would have happened. I feebly called to my little brother to get my mum (always want my mum when I’m sick). When she came, she looked in the toilet. She said ‘Amy, that’s blood.’ I just laughed and told her it was the tomatoes I ate. To which she cleverly put me in the car and took me to the emergency centre.
...still I was confused and told the doctor it was just tomatoes.
I didn’t understand what all the fuss was about. When I arrived they brought a wheelchair, again I laughed. I tried to walk and was confused as to why my legs wouldn’t work. I let them put me in the wheelchair. As soon as we got inside and told the doctor, she called for an ambulance.
All the while I was really embarrassed...it was just tomatoes. The ambulance came….this is where it gets a little hazy. Apparently they tried to put an IV drip in my arm and I told them to ‘f*ck off’ (not something I would ever EVER say to a paramedic!). Then I started joking with them...giving them my arms and then pulling it away saying ‘No you don’t’. If you’re out there, I hope you found this funny…(my mum said you were laughing). If not...then I’m 100% sorry.
When we got to the hospital they put me in a bed...still I was confused and told the doctor it was just tomatoes. He came to check me over and asked me to sit up. I told him that’s not a good idea...he sat me up.
*DON’T READ THIS PARAGRAPH IF YOU DON’T LIKE BLOOD….then, the blood came. I filled up bowl after bowl after bowl. The amazing doctors and nurses sprung out of nowhere and straight into action. I had all kinds happening, they squeezed something into the IV drip that the paramedics attached (luckily) to stop my body from going into shock. I’m sure lots of other things happened, but I don’t remember. I was in and out...for I don’t know how long. At some point they sent my mum home to rest. I woke up alone at around 2am….and vomited what I thought was my liver. I asked the nurse if this was a good thing, like the blood was clotting...she said ‘No, just rest now.’ I was terrified to say the least.
*OK YOU CAN READ AGAIN SQUEAMISH ONES...I was in a room with four other people. I obviously couldn’t sleep...but the most beautiful thing...an old old lady singing old war time songs. That old lady kept me going through the night. I held onto her every word, every note, every croaky little sound.
Then the morning came. I was a little more alive and aware of what was happening. I had about 5 IV drips hanging off me, saving my little life, blood transfusions, medicine to heal my stomach lining (which was eroded away by the ibuprofen) and I’m not sure what else.
My amazing family and friends came to visit me, most of them cried when they saw me, as I was essentially just a bag of white bones. I was actually working in the hospital at this time, so it was easy to explain to my manager where I was, they even came to visit me from time to time! This was pretty much the Stone Age time, and all I had was the hospital TV, safe to say I slept most of the day rather than watching re-runs of Hollyoaks.
...half my blood was from other people.
I was Nil By Mouth so that they could give me an endoscopy...a camera down the throat. In my head it would be like a phone charger cable..nice and small. Reality...it’s big. Very uncomfortable...and well I won’t go into too much detail, but this was the most traumatising part. Whilst my mum was waiting for me, she was consoling a rugby player, who was having a second one and was terrified. So you can only imagine!
They had to give my 6 pints of blood, GIVE BLOOD EVERYONE! Thank you to those that donated and saved my life. Weird to think half my blood was from other people! Imagine one day you just go and give blood, get a biscuit and cup of tea and carry on with your life. Then one day, that blood actually saves someone's life. Isn’t that the most incredible thing.
It turns out I have an allergy to ibuprofen, however this can happen to anyone if you do not use it properly. If you take ibuprofen on an empty stomach, then it can erode your stomach lining, for most people it would take quite a lot, for me it only took the recommended amount for a day.
Medicine is amazing and incredible...but always read the label and know what you are taking!
Also...give blood....even if you’re scared of needles, even if you’re scared of blood. You get to face your fears and save a life, double win!
Also, also…..doctors, nurses and paramedics are super human beings! Always show them the respect that they deserve.
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