December Catch up *editited in March*

December 2010 catch up blog!


I had a fairly good December for all the catastrophes that came in the months before it. It did however start the month with a pretty nasty fall, after I dodged our aging senile cat. I transferred all my weight onto my bad leg, so i would not run into her, however my leg gave way and I accidentally kicked the cat accross the room as I went flying head first into the tiles. I ended up with lots of scrapes and bruises, a nasty bump to my left eye and side of my cheek and forhead, a very sore right knee, and a jarred left hip! Luckily the cat was fine! I had had another cortisone injection into my hip in the very beginning of the month, which allowed me to have a night out with some of my newer friends and get through christmas and new year. Andrea, Hayley and I have all met in person before, even though we all originally met each other off twitter. Hayley and I have become extremely good friends over the last 18 months and have become very close as we share a similar issue with pain (check out Hayleys blog here ). This night out with her and Andrea (This was our second time hanging out with Andrea) was incredibly fun and we met her at Felix bar in St Kilda for a night of drinks, a bite to eat and Wednesday night comedy. Here’s a few pictures from a very enjoyable night. I hope to do it again soon.

Andrea, myself and Hayley at Felix Bar in Stkilda

Hayley playing around after a few drinks

Hayley and I

Christmas time


I managed to get through Christmas down in Geelong at my Cousins house. It’s a 35+ year tradition, that every year we trek down there for the day, have a big lunch with the family, sleep, pass out our KK gifts and head home about dinner time. This year was so lovely, as many other years are. One of my cousins had come home from London where she has been living for quite a few years now, so it was lovely to see her. Us “kids” all have a good laugh at the expense of our parents and grandparent/great uncle as they age, making under the table jokes and somehow turning things round so that they sound like some sort of sexual innuendo! Its crazy but always a lot of fun. I always have a good laugh with the Notini’s.

My Cousins Suzy and John Paul

Christmas Tree!!!

and here is my brother Scott... Pondering the thought of christmas (NOT)

NYE


Finally to cap off December, I was invited to Hayley’s house for NYE. She only had a small number of friends over, but it was lovely to just chill, chat & air our grievances (as opposed to making resolutions). As the clock struck 12, and we screamed happy New Year, we ran out the front to find the nearby fireworks. As we stood at the corner, we looked around to see many of her neighbours doing the same. I remember standing on the corner of her street and seeing in the distance, what looked like what was about to become a nudie run. I saw it coming. Both of them, as the two boys ran past us and stopped under the streetlight. It was incredibly funny, and I think we all had a good laugh at their expense. I had much fun, until *some of Hayley’s other guests became a bit “overwhelmed” with there alcohol intake. As being the 'sober' person of the group, I sent everyone to bed once it started to get messy.




** Ive been requested by one of the individuals at this small NYE party to edit out my last part of the NYE adventures (Even though i had previously posted this blog peice a long time ago). It's really not something i wanted to do, however out of respect, i've deleted my telling of a story which WAS the highlight of MY night.**





This latest post brings me to 2011, and now that I’ve caught you up with all my drama, and I have read all of yours, ill soon blog again with more recent happenings in my Chronic Life.



Take care, and don’t slip!
Xx Jen

Woah? What on earth has happened?

Hi peoples,

Clearly, I haven't written in a while, but all in good reason. You see I haven't had access to a computer in the last 2 weeks, and some major shit has happened.

I went up to Uni (a 2 hour drive away from my Melbourne home), still in a lot of pain and still on crutches the day before i had to present a maths project (an oral presentation that had been put off for 5 weeks due to my "injury"). Arrived in good old Bendigo and although extremely sore from the trip, went off to the pub for a meal, and went back to my house. It was a pretty early night for me, and i went off to sleep as normal but many hours earlier than normal.
About 4am, I awoke in extreme pain, in my left butt cheek. I already knew i had a tear in the gluteus maximus, and was unable to explain the new onset as i had been asleep! Anyway i couldn't get comfortable and the pain was worsening so i took some medication. I cried quietly in pain while my mother slept beside me.
Although i knew something was seriously wrong, and i wouldn't be able to get back home to Melbourne on the medications i had available, i had to go to Uni and present, knowing it would only take 10-15 mins and i would be able to go to the hospital straight after.

I painfully arrived at the hospital in 10/10 pain, and was told to go wait in the waiting room. Actually she told me to take a seat, but knowing full well i couldn't sit down, which was half the reason i went there in the first place, and after informing her of this, she told me to lean again something instead. Within 10 minutes ( i wouldn't of lasted much longer) the doctor came to call me in. My mother followed. I layed down in the bed, then had to put on a gown as the Dr.'s decided to take a E.E.G. . I had high blood pressure and an extremely high heart rate, not unusual for someone in so much pain. After explaining the history to what felt like 10 different people (nurses, Dr.'s, student nurse's, student Dr,'s etc..) the chief Dr. came in to examine me. at one point he hit what seemed to be a bomb, as all pain spots in my legs exploded into extreme pain. The lovely screen that showed my BP, HR etc also erupted as my blood pressure rose to alarm levels as did my heart rate at 145 bpm.
The chief doc left to ring my new doctors to decide the best course of action. before i knew it, i was being wheeled off to the small intensive care part of the ED, as they started a Ketamine drip or shall i say 'shots mixed with a saline bag'. The first shot consisted of 20ml and i have never tripped out before, but i can tell you, i don't want to do it again. All i remember was a horrible experience, with people staying still, but the rest of the room becoming a blur. It reduced my pain for a short period of time, but as i came out of the hallucination, the pain came back, just as bad. Over the course of an hour, i had another two 'shots' containing about 10ml - luckily they didn't cause any hallucinations however didn't do much for the pain.
Before I knew it, i was being told they had a bed for me at a private hospital in Melbourne and were going to ambulance me down, and the paramedics would be arriving in approximately 5-10 mins. Holy shit somehow between 11 -2 disappeared in all of that and next thing i was aware of i was being transferred into an ambulance.

The Ambulance consisted of a bumpy ride of about 180km, i was treated to 2.5ml of morphine every half hour, on oxygen and we changed ambulances at Kyneton. I arrived at the hospital where i am now, between 5-6pm and i have remained here ever since. Before i forget to mention it, I spent my 23rd birthday in here (friday the 16th) which sucked, but i got lovely visitors which/but i guess it was just a good excuse for my friends to come visit.

Anyway back to that Thursday night I was put on a sub-cutanious ketamine drip which is attached into your stomach fat:










which was followed by an inflamed area with 20 hours or so:










After 4 days of this I eventually got it put in IV but I've also managed to get a rash there too. Ill save you the picture of my itchy scratchy spotty arm.

A few positives of my stay here however have been, I got to meet a fellow twitter friend @rellacafa, who I've shared many thoughts with and she's helped me get through some tough times in this hospital even! But Hayley was the one who inspired me to write this blog thing, and i can tell you, meeting her was definitely a highlight, and someone i know i will be friend with on and off the Internet. She was so kind, she even bought me a 'get better soon/happy birthday' gift and card!

Meet 'Brawson' - a small but inspiring bear to get through the hard times!

I was told he likes to play twister, sing karaoke and eat gingerbread!

However I've layed here for most of my 11 days so far, I'm only starting to work with the physio and psychologist and I'm not sure of how much longer ill be here for. Unfortunately i wont be able to blog again most likely, until i get home, so ill leave you with some pictures of some of the HOSPITAL food I've been getting. You can see all pics on my twitpic page but here the current ones are:

and they taste as good as they look!

As usual, feel free to comment, send me an email to jl4cummins@students.latrobe.edu.au, facebook me or message me on twitter @jencummins16.

hope to be back soon,

signing out,

Jen xo

PS you can get to Hayleys/@rellacafa's blog by clicking here