Hospital Stay, Day 4

Carol | April 13, 2017 | Journals | No Comments

Pulmonary Embolism | Hospital Stay, Day 4

In pain and unable to sleep so I was given a morphine injection around midnight but was only able to nap on and off for about an hour before temporarily giving up on sleep. I spent the quiet morning hours processing photo, surfing the internet, and watching part of Fern Gully for kicks. A nurse came in around 4 am to draw blood. I passed out for a few hours afterwards but woke up with a bad cough that was causing me a lot of pain. I received a breathing treatment that made me feel a lot better, but also jittery. The seriousness of all this is still setting in and I had an emotional morning with a bit of crying. I know it’s good to cry and I guess I should expect it but I don’t like it. I don’t like feeling vulnerable. But I don’t like almost dying by no fault of my own even more. I’m upset and pissed off at how random this is and at how lucky I am I went to the doctor when I did. This whole situation is just total BS.

Was having a bad coughing fit so I got a breathing treatment.

This is looking good I think. Heart-rate is still high for me but I guess my heart will be working harder for awhile.

This checks both my pulse and my oxygen level. I thought it was neat that it could check my oxygen. Apparently it works by looking at my blood density or something like that.

Bruise Status – doesn’t hurt quite so much now but still feels like a rock.

Felt a bit emotional this morning. Stupid feelings.

Breakfast was served around 8 am and was more bland than usual, but I cheered myself up a bit by playing with the iPhone macro lens Lindsey had brought me. Photography is usually what I turn to when I’m feeling down and need cheering up. It’s easier to forget your troubles when you have a project to focus on.

Breakfast: pears, chicken, biscuit, and flavorless oatmeal. Not a good one.

Entertaining myself by taking macro shots of my food.

This iv location is a lot less painful but it’s on my wrist so every time I hold something or bend I stab myself and bleed a little. #bleh

Got a humidifier in the room but my poor nose is still dry and bloody from wearing oxygen most of the time.

All these flowers are brightening my day and giving me things to photograph. Hopefully I make it home in time to scan them while they’re alive then I can enjoy watching them die and document that process as well.

Trying to suppress the feelings. Almost there.

Caught another two of hours of sleep before the first of my many visitors of the day arrived. Fionna, Rhonda, and Reda dropped by around noon, followed by my brother, Anna, and Emma at 4; joined by my mom less than an hour later. Emma was quite the handful during her visit. She was as cute as could be getting into mischief all over the place. I had my bed in chair mode and she kept climbing up it which was cute until she spotted my phone and my laptop. She locked me out of my phone several times, opened things on my computer I didn’t know I had, and was frequently reaching for my IV line and the buttons that control my bed. It was very entertaining but exhausting.