Not Sleeping At Night..

Medical Trauma, PTSD, Irrational Fears and Insomnia.

It’s been two and a half years now since I fought my way through what was, hands down, the scariest ordeal of my life. Though honestly, in many ways, it may as well have happened yesterday- or even still be happening right now as I lie here in the dark.

In February of 2020 I went in for a sub -total colectomy, as a stoma advocate I was fully intending to document my journey through surgery and recovery. However, what ended up happening was a snowball of events that ultimately lead to me abandoning my blog as I fought for my life. Though I’ve attempted to return to it before now, I’ve just not been able to talk about things. I still don’t know if I’ll be able to. The only reason I’m trying tonight is because my counsellor seemed to indicate writing would help and I’m more desperate for sleep than you can believe.

Still though, I am not ready to delve into everything. But, for context it’s important to say that a doctor made a mistake that ultimately lead to me having sepsis and a whost of other complications in the months running up to the discovery of the problem. I came very close to death and found myself repeatedly put in hospital; where I felt I was crying out for help, only to be dismissed, belittled and left to worsen by countless doctors.

I suffered months and months of pain, fear and trauma – all at the very height at the Covid pandemic when families were unable to visit during my repeated stays in hospital.

I had thought I was coping OK. Yes, sleep was difficult, as I had recurrent nightmares and flashbacks – but on the average day I was able to put on a smile and hide how close to the wire I really felt when it came to emotions of unrest over what I’d been through. Until, at the beginning of this summer, it was decided I needed another surgery.

When I tell you I almost had a nervous breakdown over the idea of putting my life in the hands of a physician and hospital again, I’m not over exaggerating. The panic attacks which had become periods of breathlessness where I had time to safely react to them, blew up to episodes where I fully flaked out – many times. This of course wasn’t helped by the fact that I have POTS and the stress and hyperventilating was triggering my symptoms massively.

I would snap and snarl, or break down and cry. Other times I would be completely zoned out, unhearing of the world around me.

I attempted to continue on; but the last straw was when I began to become so fearful of the pain of recovery and surgical complications I secretly wished to not wake from the operation. These were some of my darkest hours. Dreading dying and living with equal fervor and honestly not knowing which would be worse for my family. By now my simmering undercurrent of feeling like a burden, something many disabled spouses/ parents struggle with, had become a raging torrent, not to be brought under control again.

I felt the fear was ripping me in two. At night, as I tried to sleep, I’d hear the voices from the nurses of the ward rousing me as if to perform painful procedures. When I slept my dreams would twist between this surgery and parts of what happened before that my mind had previously blocked out for my own sanity – I have huge blanks in my memory from that time. I feared lying awake in the dark, tripping over terrible memories that would rise like spectres from the grave to haunt me as much as falling asleep to terrible nightmares of a horrific future of catastrophic complications in my nightmares.

Suddenly, I was further overcome by an all encompassing terror that I wouldn’t survive the surgery and nobody could convince me otherwise.

Having escaped death so many times over the storage of the year in 2020, and holding the underlying feeling I simply wasn’t strong enough anymore to push through a fight should I need to – death seemed the logical outcome.

After all, I was, and will forever be, a high risk case. I’m also now at high risk of getting blood clots, since my body formed several during the hell that was 2020. Then, there was the fact that I had tempted fate. Despite all the times I chanted in my head I didn’t mean it, prayed to anyone who would listen that I was desperate to live and I wouldn’t let anyone near me say ANYTHING remotely about me dying, I was positive I was doomed.

I couldn’t stand to watch the news or stories on social media about people dying or having bad luck, anything remotely unsettling and I couldn’t have it around me. I still can’t. I’m either triggered and end up in tears, blubbering about how that could have been me. Or my skin crawls and I get this awful feeling I’m drawing bad karma to me by watching the problems of others.

Its nonsense. I’m an intelligent woman, I hear myself say these things and I know they’re nonsense. But I can’t help becoming irrationally upset and crying or hyperventilating. I feel so stupid.

Luckily, I did manage to get in with an amazing counsellor over the phone. She approached counselling in a way I’ve never been spoken to before and we had much more conversational sessions than I’ve ever known. She made me feel heard and understood. But there was only time for six sessions before I had to head for the chopping block and now I’ll need re referring if I want anymore.

I’m so grateful to her though, she honestly stopped me falling into an abyss unlike I’ve ever known. I was circling the rim of something I can’t even now fathom, my mind going in more directions than I could cope with at the time. She and I captured my fluttering thoughts and helped me stay tethered long enough to get through surgery and hospitalisation.

So, now I’m home. There were complications again this time. I had infections, but my surgeon was not to blame – it was the scarring that was caused by the sepsis that made the surgical field difficult to navigate. I believe him. He’s the one doctor I trust.

But, its all trauma on trauma on trauma. The infections were the least of my worries during my stay and subsequent healing.

Hospitals are so understaffed, I don’t think many patients come out without a traumatic experience these days.

Mine is all one layered on another on another. All giving more ammunition to my demons.

Which leads me to now.. lying here, in my bed, desperate to sleep. I know in my logical mind it’s all over. But everything else in my body is crying out to stay on alert. Not to sleep, because that’s where the nightmares lie. Because when I rest, there’s a chance I’ll wake up sicker than when I dropped off – like I often did in the hospital. Because, no matter the position I sleep in, remaining still any length of hours caused my scarring to seize up, my bladder to fill and my abdomen to scream in pain. So best to sleep as little as possible.

But mostly because no matter how hard I try, I still can’t shake the feeling that death is stalking me. I’ve foiled him too many times and if I sleep too deep, will I ever wake up?

A brown eyed woman stares wide awake from in bed. Her lips are chapped from anxious biting. Beside her a well loved Sunshine care bear helps keep the nightmares at bay.

The Bad Days.

Today is one of those days. You might know the ones? Where even before you’ve struggled to open your eyes you just know its going to be a write off!

I didn’t sleep well last night. Waking what felt like every few minutes with an ache in my bladder and a niggling feeling that my body needed to get up. But I didn’t. There’s only so many times that you can wring out a dry body before you learn to ignore it… close your eyes again and pray you’ll sleep until morning.

When the time to rise eventually came, I simply couldn’t. Pain was licking through my body like flames around dry kindling. Whilst my eyelids felt weighed down by lead weights; drooping constantly against my battles to open them.

‘Another half an hour.’ I decided. Which became an hour. Then another.. There was just no getting started for my body today. Even writing this I’m doing so with squinted eyes and the covers pulled up to my chin.

I hate days like today. My husband patiently reminds me that I’m doing much more and I need to listen to my body. But I don’t really hear him over the whooshing tinnitus in my ears and ever present groan of my aching joints.

I feel desolate. Like a failure. Stranded once more in my bed and afraid I’ll be stuck here like I was for so long in the past.

Guilt too burns at me. Maybe I should be using my energy wiser. Am I selfish in pursuing my artwork and all that entails, when it saps at my precious energy reserves leaving less for my family? They tell me no, that I must follow my dream now that I finally can. That the sacrifices are worth it and I’m doing so much better than I was. It’s helping me build my strength.

Today though I don’t see it. Today I had to keep telling my son no as he asked me to go play with his toys with him. Today I ate my meals in my bed, barely chewing my cereal thanks to the pain and hunched over the bowl because I couldn’t sit up straight. Today my hands are curled like claws. Today I have cried more than I have in weeks.

Snuggled in bed, Jen hides under the covers away from the world.

Today I don’t feel like I have a disability, I feel like disability has me.

About Time…

If you followed my blog, then you might be very aware that it’s been years since I opened up my WordPress and typed out a blog. From posting on here on a weekly basis I faded away to nothing, for a long time I didn’t even post on my personal Facebook or other social media accounts.

I clammed up, closed down and turned my back on all those people who had followed and supported me for the years I’ve written on here.. Not that there’s exactly thousands; but I did have some regular readers who were wondering where I’d disappeared to and if something had happened? I’m sorry to those who reached out worried, I think I messaged everyone back.

Honestly, something did happen. My life was turned upside down and inside out in a way I never expected it to be. A way I still can’t fully comprehend. Over the course of four months after my third stoma revision I became repeatedly and increasingly ill. I suffered with swelling on my brain, large abdominal blood clots and eventually severe sepsis that almost killed me.

These experiences shook me to my core. I still wake at night sweating and in tears from the nightmares of what I went through. I’m not sure exactly how much I can say on the matter; both because I struggle to talk about it and due to the legal proceedings I’m in the middle of.

So instead of looking back, I’m going to look forward. Since my emergency surgery to clear out the sepsis and my long recovery, I’ve fought hard to retrieve my quality of life. I’m finally starting to feel like I’m at the point where I’m tipping the scales in my favour.

Despite recovering from a life threatening illness and two major surgeries I still enrolled for my art degree last September. I’m now ready to head into my second year and am wanting to challenge myself not to rely on my electric wheelchair whilst in college.

Hopefully I can focus on my future and making adaptations to live my best life with the level of health that I now have. I want hospitals firmly in my rear view mirror!

There’s lots I plan to share on here. I want to open up about what is been like to live with a stoma and how I found travelling abroad. Body confidence issues, both around the bag and also around being a disabled woman in general. Plus how I feel about my fluctuating health and how that affects my mental state. But bare with me, I still feel like I’m taking tentative steps towards becoming the open person I once was.

Running for Recognition – why my husband took part in a half marathon in aid of EDS UK.

Today is Father’s Day here in the UK, the day where most of us choose to celebrate the men in our lives. They could be our Father, our Grandfather or a Father figure; or like me, it could be the Father to our children. My husband is not only Dad, he’s also my carer. He’s ‘chief cook and bottle washer’ in our house (a saying I heard a lot as a child) and he works incredibly hard to do his best by me and our children, all three of them.

Though my husband Karl is biologically Father to my youngest son and my stepson, in reality he is Dad to all of our children. When my daughter talks of her Daddy, she refers to him. When she tells her friends at school about her Dad, it’s him she’s talking about. She is his little girl in every way shape and form; they play fight and play pranks on each other, they watch football together and play team computer games. Soon she will be towering over him, but she will forever be his little girl.

Recently she had her EDS diagnosis reconfirmed just like me (they like to do another check a few years after the original one to see if any thing has changed) . They’ve reclassified it now, called it Hypermobility Spectrum Disorder in order to try and make Doctors less fearful of the diagnosis, but it’s the same condition. As usual Karl was by my side at her appointment, listening in to all the advice we were given so he could help as much as possible. Then, out of the blue a few weeks later he decided to sign up for the Doncaster Half Marathon in aid of EDS UK with only a week or so to prepare! Why? This is what he said when I asked…

Why did you decide to run the half marathon?

Initially I decided to run the half marathon as a challenge for myself. My whole life is devoted to looking after the family and its meant I’ve let my own interests and hobbies fall on the back burner. Recently my wife’s health has deteriorated which has left me under more pressure, this has manifested itself in depression; something very common in people who care for their loved ones. I haven’t been to the gym in years, but I thought if I could complete the run it would be a great way to kick start my journey back to a more active lifestyle. My wife now has a home care package and we should hopefully be moving to a bungalow soon, this gives us both more opportunities for independence. Don’t get me wrong, I love my wife and children; I just don’t think people realise quite how high pressure being a carer and parent is. So, when I saw this opportunity I decided to jump at it.

What made you choose EDS UK as your charity?

As soon as I signed up for the run I knew EDS UK would be the charity for me. Both my wife and daughter are afflicted by Ehlers Danlos Syndrome and its important to me that I show them both that I fully support them as best as I can. I know about the illness due to my family being so heavily affected by it, but most people have never even heard of it. Since joining support groups and learning about the condition myself I’ve realised there are thousands and thousands of people worldwide suffering in countless ways because of it. For such a widespread condition there is so little exposure, I wanted to try and do my part to help spread the word.

How do you feel about the money raised, do you feel lack of knowledge contributed to the amount of donations?

So far we have raised £75; I know it doesn’t seem a huge amount, but I only had a week to fundraise. For the time I had to prepare I’m happy with the amount I raised, after all every little helps towards finding much needed research that will eventually help people like my family and I. Obviously we all want to raise thousands of pounds, I’ve even left my fundraiser open in case anyone still chooses to donate, but with the condition being so unheard of it can be difficult to raise money. Often people assume it’s just a case of having hypermobility (as it’s also known as Hypermobility Syndrome) and don’t realise the many debilitating effects EDS can have on a person. Hopefully the more visible EDS becomes, the more people will learn and be willing to donate.

Did you get chance to raise awareness through fundraising?

I hope so. I chose to run in the EDS charity vest which is bright yellow and very eye catching. From what I could see I was the only person there wearing one, so hopefully seeing me pass by got people thinking about the condition.

In the run up to the half marathon I also shared the fundraiser all over my local Facebook and asked people in the support groups to share too. My wife also shared the link from her Facebook page which she uses to talk about all aspects of living with EDS and her other associated conditions; last week her page got two thousand hits so hopefully some people stayed to read a little of the information on there.

Due to an injury I picked up three miles in, I ran alongside two women from around eight miles; they hadn’t heard of EDS before so I told them all about it and how it affects so many people. It felt good to be able to educate someone on the condition and also kept my mind off the pain I was feeling. Hopefully they will go on to tell other people about the crazy guy who ran the half marathon on no training to raise awareness of Ehlers Danlos Syndrome. I know that I’ve raised awareness in at least two people, I’m happy with that. If each of us could educate just two people then think of how many would understand the condition better, it could be in the millions.

Do you feel the aches and injury caused by the race gave you a better insight into life with EDS?

Oh yes, most definitely. I hurt so badly for three days solid after the run. Obviously I hurt where I’d injured myself by pulling my groin, but I also hurt everywhere else. Literally everywhere, even my fingers hurt. I do feel it’s helped me relate better to the pain my wife and child feel, particularly my wife as she was diagnosed later in life so has sustained a lot of strain on her joints. Injuries and sprains in EDS are cumulative, once a joint is damaged it never gets back to how it was (or this is how we have had it explained). Because my wife was unaware of her condition she used to push through her pain and fatigue, this has left her in a state of serious chronic pain. So yes, I do feel it’s helped me understand her better when she tells me everything hurts, but I’ll never know what it’s like to be in a degree of pain all day every day. I struggle to even imagine it.

Why didn’t you give up after the injury?

I didn’t give up for several reasons. Firstly, this was a personal goal of mine and it meant a lot to me to complete it; also I wanted to give those who had been kind enough to donate their monies worth. Most of all though, I wanted to make my wife and children proud.

At around eight miles in I collapsed in pain by the road, I thought I was done and rung my wife to tell her I had failed and would be getting collected by the sweeper bus. I really believed I couldn’t go on.

My wife told me how proud her and the kids were of me, that whether I completed it or not I was a winner in their eyes. She also put the phone on speaker so my children could shout words of encouragement down the phone. This was the first time she had been alone with the children for over a year, but she reassured me they were all being great and her carer was due any minute meaning I could walk the rest of the run if needed. She encouraged me but didn’t pressure me.

The two ladies I mentioned earlier offered for me to tag along with them as they weren’t going to be rushing and running in a group is always easier. Much like when battling an illness, support is key. Thanks to the mental boost from my call home I was able to catch up with the ladies I’d met and complete the whole thirteen miles. I’m so glad I did as I wanted so badly to earn the medal and give Ehlers Danlos the exposure it deserves.

What do you think about the way doctors treat EDS? (how much knowledge they have, their willingness to treat patients with the condition?)

After seeing how my wife is treat due to her condition I know for sure that more research needs doing into the condition and the problems it causes. When my wife is taken into Hospital and has to spend her time educating almost every doctor she sees about her condition you know something isn’t right. We have travelled to London more times than I can count because there are so few specialists North of the capital. What’s even more disheartening is even when you do see a specialist in Ehlers Danlos they will more often than not refuse to treat any of the issues it causes! Often we are left feeling disappointed and hopeless. I can’t talk for other countries, but in the UK something needs to change. Even issues not linked to the EDS don’t get treatment, my wife has an aneurysm and she’s literally been told that she’s lucky it’s not in a spot that will kill her if /when it busts as due to her EDS they won’t consider surgery on it! Things need to change.

As a parent and partner how does EDS affect you?

Ehlers Danlos has completely changed my life despite me not being a sufferer. I had to give up a well paid job around four years ago in order to become my wife’s full time carer, my friendships have all but fizzled away and I’ve had to put up with a lot of negativity about not working.

Since leaving work my partners health has deteriorated. She has developed Cranio Cervical instability as well as other issues with her spine, this means she relies on me to get around and has to be laid in bed a lot. The stairs are dangerous for her as her legs go from under her without warning, so on the rare occasion she makes it downstairs I have to bare her weight over my shoulders. This is not only dangerous it’s also caused me to injure my back. Hopefully we will soon get a bungalow that will suit our needs better and my wife will get a PA, but even then I’ll be her carer. It’s unlikely I’ll get back to work and if I do it won’t be in a job with long demanding hours like before.

With my daughter I do find it tricky. She’s at an age where hormones are beginning to fly around her body and it’s hard to tell what is a hormonal meltdown and what is her body telling her she is in pain or needs to rest. Even she doesn’t recognise the signs that her body has had enough for one day yet, so it’s very hard for me to. Sometimes I don’t pick up on when she’s actually in pain, I’m trying to improve on that.

As much as I know about EDS I’ll never actually know how either of them feel as it’s not my body it’s hurting.

Will you be doing more events?

I do plan on doing more events throughout the year and will be proudly sporting my EDS vest at each one of them, though I won’t be doing another thirteen mile run on no training any time soon! Some people think I’m stupid for taking on the Half Marathon at such short notice, but I’m glad I did it as its proved to me that I can still achieve my goals. Currently I’m considering another local run through Yorkshire Wildlife Park, its a 5k run with a fun run that your children can join if they like. The entry fee goes towards the conservation of the animals at the park, including Zebras (which anyone with EDS will know are our mascot). I’ll also be raising sponsorship for EDS UK. Plus I’m on the lookout for other local events, eventually working up to doing Tough Mudder and such. I hope to get plenty of use out of my EDS vest!

Any further comments?

The only thing I want to say to anyone out there who is battling this illness is never give up. I know it’s hard; there are days my wife can barely move for pain, days where the lack of medical help gets us all down to rock bottom, but don’t give up. As long as people keep up the fight to raise both awareness and funding there’s hope that things will improve; never give up that hope.

If you would like to donate to Karl’s latest fundraiser please click HERE. I’ll update the link each time he starts a new one, so feel free to check back if the current one has finished. There’s still time to sponsor his half marathon!

All professional photographs accredited to Nullstack Ltd.

The Aftermath of my Appointment.

So, I’m here again. Trying to kick off my writing..

I have spent the last year fighting tooth and nail to get help with my neck problem. I raised money. I got it diagnosed. I saw specialist after specialist and finally I got in with one of the best neurosurgical teams in Britain at, apparently, the best hospital.

They dragged me down there for appointments, pressured me into dropping my other doctor, then discharged me with no help whatsoever.

When I say no help, I mean it. “Sorry we can’t do surgery on you” (yet admitted they would for anyone with my issues without EDS) “You’re discharged.” That’s all I got. No advice on how long to wear my collar, what collar is best, where to turn for any form of palliative care, if I’m going to degenerate further… The list goes on. I never even got to see the doctor I was referred to. Yes I did ask. I also asked all my questions. I was met with shrugs and I don’t knows.

Then the worst happened, I fell apart. I fell into a million pieces in front of both of my kids. (My specialist was in London and we had no choice but to take them due to circumstances at the time.) I saw my life stretching before me and it terrified me. It still does. I’m desperately trying to piece myself back together whilst reassuring my kids I was just overwhelmed at the doctors. I am not lying, I was overwhelmed, but the thing is I still am.

That evening, so my children didn’t have a night of listening to me sob in a hotel room, we dragged my broken body and soul to Winter Wonderland. I couldn’t walk round, so we went to the circus. My children thrilled at the spectacle in front of them and seeing them happy made me and my husband smile, at least for a little while. We took lots of photos of the pretty lights, it may seem we were there for an age. We were not. It was the circus then home. Home being a hotel room where I fell into bed in agony, an agony of my body, mind and soul. An agony unlike anything I’ve ever felt.

The next morning was back to our home, but to make the visit a little more special for the kids we took them to the Natural History Museum first.

It may seem strange, ‘claiming’ to be in so much pain but still pushing on. However, as a mother, something took over me.

A need to push the memory of me breaking down out of my children’s heads. Show them I’m ok, even though I’m far from it. I wanted to fill their minds with wonder and excitement so they were the lasting memories they brought home from the trip. Me too I guess.

Again many photos were taken. Again many smiles were seen. All were uploaded on my profile. I love to share the fleeting moments of being a ‘mum’ to my children. Most of the time I feel almost ghost like in the home. They know I’m here, but I’m never quite seen. The museum was genuinely a wonderful experience and great for access. So was Winter Wonderland (or at least the small part we saw). But inside, I was millimetres from falling apart. The whole time I was going out of my mind at the thought of a life like this, wondering how far I’d decline, how rapidly?

As the photos uploaded the likes from family and friends rolled in. They know how important these times are to me, how hard it is for me to achieve a few hours out and about. To keep that smile on my face.

Sometimes though, sometimes I wonder if I’ve gotten too good at it. Comments consisted mostly of how nice it was to see me ‘genuinely happy’. Even on the evening after my appointment where I’d originally told my husband I didn’t want to be in any pictures because I couldn’t force a smile. The evening I made sure I was too exhausted to sob myself to sleep so my children didn’t hear me. Even then I looked genuinely happy.

That scares me. It scares me because how can I reach for the help I need if people can’t see the cracks that run so deep? Why would anyone believe how bad things really are when I hide it so well? Am I hiding it for my children’s sake, so they’re not afraid, or because I can’t face it? Because if I do I’m afraid I just won’t be able to take it? Honestly I don’t know the answer. But I do know this..

I’m not the only person that does this. Many of us in the disabled /chronically ill community hide our pain. We put a veneer of smiles over our heartbreak and show that the phrase ‘you can’t polish a turd’ really isn’t true. My life had honestly gone down the toilet, but a few sparkly lights and a smile I ensured reached my eyes and all was well. I also know I’ve not been writing here because when I write I open up and a culmination of exhaustion, depression and certain events, has left me afraid to do so. But I had to write this. I had to get it out. Because I can’t fall into old traps.

The last time I hid too well behind a mask of smiles I left myself completely alone at the point in my life I was most vulnerable. I almost lost myself entirely.

I will not do that again. To those of you also hiding behind those smiles, the posed photos which hide the pain; some even making their illness worse to appear ‘normal’, I implore you to try to open up. I used to. I’m going to try to again. Not to seek attention. Not to garner sympathy. Simply to show the truth of my life. To help me accept it and hopefully find a way to come to terms with my new reality in the best way I can. This, this is the reality of that night…

Trying to hold it together as I lay full of worry in a room with my family.

Please note comments have been turned off on here due to trolls who hide behind no name, if you’d like to comment please do so on my Facebook Page @Littlelifeofmine where all posts are shared.

Who’s Watching You?

Hi folks. I don’t know if anyone even reads this anymore, it’s been such a long time since I wrote anything on here. Serious health decline is my excuse, but that’s not the real reason. The real reason is somewhat more personal.

You see I started getting comments on blog posts. Personal ones. Talking about my life and saying I’m faking my illness. They even commented on how often we got take away delivered to my house! This continued to escalate. So called friends and family who never actually see me as they live at a distance started with similar diatribe. How I’m always moaning but theirs clearly little wrong with me. I need to try harder. Push further. Put up and shut up.

I felt like judgement and accusations were coming at me from all angles. That I couldn’t talk about any aspect of my life anymore. If I have a good day and do something, I’m a faker. If I have a bad day and talk about it, I’m an attention seeker. I couldn’t win.. everyone was forcing down my throat that I’m a loser.

This culminated in someone reporting me for benefits fraud. Why? Because I was taken to Florida with my family and my daughter went on a slide that apparently had 216 steps. (Ironically this was on one of the days I was in and out of sleep in the hotel. Crying about the fact that even with a scooter I couldn’t keep up with the rest of the family and I was letting the kids down. Upset that I was spoiling the holiday for everyone and believing I should have stayed home. I forget which of those days she went to that water park, there were a few where my body gave out on me.) They must have overheard her talking about it and assumed I went up them too seeing as the exact number of steps were reported.

I was completely truthful. I told the lady I had been to Florida. I hoped to save up over the years and go again, at my own pace rather than trying to keep up with everyone else. So my kids don’t see me left behind. So we can do all the things we missed. So they can actually get to see the fireworks. I told her about my scooter and the lifts to any ride I did manage to go on. How my neck issues are a new development and I haven’t even reported them as I would be entitled to higher carers and that would mean they’d use the opportunity to swap me to PIP. Stress I don’t need right now. With POTS and my other problems I’m allowed on rollercoasters!

I told her how I felt watched. How I have to try my best not to wear my collar and I’m judged if I leave the house without it. I told her that if I’m having a good day I will continue to go to the park with my kids. If I can manage it I’ll take my son down the slide. I’m going to grab every opportunity to do everything I can with my children when I can, because too much of my life is either in bed or in hospital. Do you know what she said?

She said ‘Good for you!’ She told me it was clearly a malicious report and they see it a lot when people have unseen disabilities. She told me I have to ‘stuff the lot of them’ and live my life as best as I can. If I want to save and go on holidays (Not that I actually can right now, but the hope is there) do it. If I want to go to the park. Do it. Live my life as best I can and don’t apologise for it.

So this is me saying a big fat F YOU to all the people who have tried to drag me down this year; the hardest year of my life. I will keep fighting for my health, I will keep resting when I need, I will also keep going out and enjoying precious moments with my family when I can. I’m not just disabled, I’m a mother, wife, lover, friend, woman.

I’m disabled, not dead and I have as much right to living my best life as any of you! I will not apologise. I will not explain. I will continue to paint a smile on my face whenever I can. Myself, my Doctors and my husband and kids know I’m no liar. That’s enough for me.

PS. Comments will be switched off on this page from now on due to people hiding behind anonymous comments on here to give me abuse. If you would like to comment on this piece please feel free to do so on Facebook where I shall be posting it on my page: This Little Life of Mine

What to do?

Recently I’ve been going to London. A LOT. Not for fun, but because of a neck problem I have which could eventually lead me to quadriplegia or stroke. Currently it’s just leading me to pain, exhaustion and lots of scary neurological symptoms: twitching, juddering, slurring, losing grip, extreme brain fog and my legs going from under me as and when they see fit. I also often walk/stumble like a drunken robot who’s pooped my pants on regular occasions. It’s a great look! Other times I look completely normal on the outside aside from my collar and the flicker of pain behind my smile. More and more I’m having to spend my days in bed, missing out on my children’s lives and feeling like all the previous progress I’d made in my life was for nothing.

Because my condition is a complication of another rare condition I have (EDS), worsened exponentially by an accident I had whilst on holiday with my children, the NHS are not willing to cover the very specialised tests and treatment in order to help me. This includes an upright MRI, specialist Rheumatologist opinion, specialist physiotherapy, likely more tests and eventually fusion of my spine.

I began begging my local NHS funding panel for my scan in early October. By the twentieth they had flat out refused. Even with heaps of medical studies explaining that my issues would only show up on an upright MRI, they simply stated a supine one would do. I requested a reconsideration. Sent in more evidence, even a letter from my GP stating how much I needed the scan. Rather than writing to one of the several doctors and specialists who had advised me and were well versed in my condition, they asked my neurologist for more information. My neurologist who had already stated he only knew about this condition at all because of the information I presented him with. I feel they purposely did this to slow time and make excuses not to help.

Meanwhile I fundraised. I held bake sales and tombolas. A fundraising night. I received help from local singing group New Visions and Bentley Baptist Church, even though I’m not a member! I did everything I could think of and drove myself into the ground doing so. This is why I haven’t been blogging. My body is literally broken and falling apart. I’m exhausted. Friendships have been neglected. My life has been fundraise, make calls, get carried to bed if I’m not already there. But eventually we made it! We got enough money together for my scans and the doctors appointment needed.

I finally found out I wasn’t crazy! I have all sorts of issues with my neck and the doctor I saw was incredibly understanding about it. Even trying to come up with a plan of action for me. Unfortunately, that plan was all private. Apparently the NHS just doesn’t have the resources I need. Particularly the specialist physios.

Thanks to the wonderful generosity of the Bentley Baptist Church community I have been able to attend two physio appointments already. The initial one was £196 and subsequent ones are £128. Add on travel for me and a carer, plus a one night stay (in the cheapest accommodation I can find, see below picture) so I can recover from the journey, each trip is costing over £200. I use my own funds to top things up and feed myself, use the tube etc; meaning I now have enough funds left to take one more trip to see my physio. I’m also going to be fitted with a hard aspen vista neck brace on this visit which is being kindly donated to me by a wonderful member of the church who is no longer in need of it.

After this visit though, my funds run out. I had planned to pop up another fundraising page on Facebook. Also, to do another fundraiser at the Library. But I’m so ill I don’t know how I’ll manage to prepare and attend it. Especially just over a week after my physio in London. Each trip is taking me longer and longer to recover from.

Moreover, I’ve had someone harassing me over the weekend. Despite the fact I’ve posted my hospital letters and reports. Even offered to show invoices to anyone who wants to see. They believe me to be a beggar and a scammer.

I believe it’s must be someone I know, or someone who has had a VERY good snoop into my life. But they’ve hidden their name and commented on my blog, (see Dear Mother post: no I do not think it’s her) my blog I’ve not been well enough to write since September. Apparently my children shouldn’t have had Christmas presents. I shouldn’t be going on a free, once in a lifetime holiday with them; after our years of stress and turmoil. I’m a liar and because I have family who can do that for us then there’s no way I’m ‘poor’. What does my families financial situation have to do with my own? I cannot expect them to bankroll my health needs! Yes, I’ve replied to each comment. But not because I’m a cheat or a scammer. Just because I’m sick of this ableist point of view. The idea that people who are ill or disabled do not deserve a life. We don’t work, so happiness should not be on the table for us. Going out to the park or with our families is wrong, despite the amount of effort it takes and pain it causes. Because we should remain out of sight and out of mind.

Life is difficult enough without me grabbing the slightly better days with both hands and holding on with dear life. It kills me when I’m up more and do more. But I love it. Because I’m living rather than just exhausting for a while.

So now I’m at a loss. Do I make this physio my last and just try my best to cope with the collar? Do I fight on? Do I still set up my fundraising page and open myself up to more abuse and stress that I just don’t need? Do I run myself further into the ground organising more fundraisers I just don’t have the energy to do justice?

I don’t know. I just do not know what’s for the best anymore.

My Stoma Story… Surgery Day, Part One.

Mornings are always early in hospital. No matter how terribly you sleep the noise and light always seep into your dreams and rouse you from the tiny abandon you’re clinging to. The morning of my surgery was no different. Even though it was well past four when I eventually switched off and drifted into oblivion, I was awake and anxious before the hour hand was barely scraping by six. Today was shaping up to be one of the longest of my life. 

The words of disgust I’d heard the day previously weighed heavy on my mind, whilst the bowel prep still weighed heavy on my digestive system. Despite having nothing to eat since lunch and my drinks stopped in the night, that liquid dynamite was still wreaking havoc on my insides; helped along by my hyperactive nerves. You couldn’t tell by looking at me but I was practically catatonic. Making pathetic small talk one minute and crying the next, seconds ticked by like hours. I swear the sands of time slowed that morning. 

I called my husband to try and take my mind off the sight and smells of breakfast wafting my way. (Food always smells so great when you can’t have any doesn’t it?!) He promised he’d be with me as soon as possible; but with the school run and a toddler to attend to, it would be last eleven when he finally arrived. In the meantime I waited. I worried. I pestered the nurses. I worried some more. 

It was around nine when the anaesthetist arrived at my bedside. He seemed like a nice guy. Down to earth, approachable. He told me how he would numb my pain with nerve blocks and I told him about all the different pain killers and ways of administering them that don’t work on me. He politely dismissed all of what I said, confident that his approach would be nothing like everyone else’s. Desperate to believe him, I nodded and agreed. The surgeon arrived whilst the anaesthetist was still at my bedside, they shared pleasantries as I milked over the similarities between doctors and buses. It’s always the same, you wait forever for one then a whole load turn up at once.. 

Meeting my surgeon was somewhat of a relief, if only a minor one. I had started to believe I’d never lay eyes on the guy! In my imagination he was some eccentric old surgeon with a scalpel and a glint in his eye. In real life he was just an ordinary man. So ordinary his face is hazy from the fog of memory. I probably couldn’t pick him out of a lineup. 

He was the man who would change my life forever and I wouldn’t even recognise him if I bumped into him. 

What I do remember of him was that he listened. He seemed to take in what I said and genuinely try to assuage my worries. I babbled on about my recent struggles, the extreme increase in my pain and the fear that had brought with it and begged him to check over my bowel before closing me up. He assured me he would and I believed him. For a brief moment my fears were sated; until he shook my hand and disappeared from view. My calm disappeared with him, only to return in part when my husband arrived. 

The hours he was there I felt stronger. More able to cope. My husband and I bicker and argue, we are both stubborn and dig our heals in. But we also share a love unlike one I’ve ever known before. He is my best friend, my safe place, my home. With him beside me I feel like I can get through anything. He calms me and gives me strength. We spent our time chatting, holding hands and even both trying to doze. Just being close to him helped. 

All too soon though he had to leave. I’d hoped he would see me off to surgery, but the school run waits for no man and he had a long drive back home. I bawled like a baby after he left. Not for long though, minutes later I was being wheeled down to the operating theatre to meet my fate… 

The surgery before mine had run long, they were still finishing up as I was entering the anaesthetic room. The staff inside were all really cheerful. Each one of them seemed happy and friendly. Of course it could all have been an act for me, but they seemed to be a really great team. They were kind too; within seconds of entering the chilly room I was shivering, seconds later I was handed warm blankets to make me more comfortable. As a bonus, they also halted the annoying chattering coming from my teeth! 

When I’m nervous I tend to babble. Not only that but I fall back on sarcasm and humour. Minutes before surgery to perform an ileostomy in a room full of people who were about to see me butt naked and sliced open on a table I was most definitely nervous! Thanks to that days rota being shuffled I’d somehow ended up with two top anaesthetists and their teams in my surgery, so the room was pretty crowded. My nerves peaked and out of my mouth came what was practically a stand up comedians set. I can’t for the life of me remember what I was saying, but I remember laughter. My own and the six or seven people surrounding me. Fleetingly, as the anaesthetic took hold and my eyes drifted closed I thought to myself… 

If the worst happens and I don’t wake up, at least I went down laughing. 

*Watch out for the next instalment to find out what happened in the aftermath of my surgery and subsequent adjustment to life as a #baglady. 

Off to the Seaside…

Today I went to the seaside with my family. We had fish and chips. Walked the promenade. Sat by the harbour and explored down the stairs where people were crabbing. Took the kids down to play on the sand. The day was finished off with candy floss and ice creams and a drive home in the sun. It was pretty much perfect. Or at least it was to the kids, to social media.  

But that wasn’t my day. My day started with my husband telling me it was time to rise and me point blank telling him there was no chance. I needed another half hour, minimum. It started with me feeling shaken  and achey, with a temperature I’ve been unable to shift and a bag on my belly rapidly filling with fluid. You see I haven’t found that sweet spot with my output yet. My stoma is still in its infancy and I’m either sloshing out boatloads of liquid or blopping (yes I made that up) out very thick sludge. There is rarely an in between. Today was fluid. Mornings are often fluid, which doesn’t seem to help my body when trying to take my meds and hydrate. 

Fast forward to leaving and there’s me desperately using my jacket, bag and a cushion to try and prop myself up in the car. My neck and lumbar spine have been complete agony recently, to the point it’s getting a little/a lot scary. Just getting myself dressed and ready had taken so much out of me I was half an hour late with my POTS meds and hanging out of my A hole. Meds administered I peeked up about half way into the journey and started to feel hopeful for the day. The sun was shining, my family was smiling and I was just about on the right side of coping. 

Arriving at Brid we pulled up and hunted down a fish and chip place for lunch. We always start with lunch. Our days out are really only afternoons, I don’t have it in me just yet to cope with a full day of driving and walking around. Not even on a good day. The chippy was a pleasant eat in place and I could see out over the bay from where we sitting. Food didn’t take long and really was very yummy, especially the chips! They reminded me of the type we would get when I was a kid. All good so far! 

Until it wasn’t anymore. About halfway into my meal my stomach began to hurt and I felt hot. REALLY hot. I stripped off my jacket and ploughed on, its not unusual for a meal to have strange and uncomfortable effects on my temperature. But this time, things just kept escalating. As I began to feel myself shudder internally I knew I had to lie down. Immediately. 

Opposite the chippy was a set of two benches. Just about close enough that I could make it safely. I quickly told my husband and beat a hasty retreat, my toddlers screams ringing in my ear as I left. I felt guilty as sin, but I knew I couldn’t turn back and console him. Waste any time and he would likely see me fully flake for the first time in his little life. I’m not ready for that, neither is he. As I reached the bench a rather bedraggled looking man plonked his backside right in the middle of it. Luckily there was a second one. Not so luckily it was right next to a huge bin. But beggars can’t be choosers and I made the best of it. My bag under my head I laid out, ignoring the stares from strangers as I hid behind my over sized sunglasses and stared out to sea. At least the view across the harbour wasn’t half bad!

Soon enough, a little too soon for my body, my family emerged from lunch and I had to scrape myself up and slope down the incline to the promenade. The second I stood my body started screaming at me. 

Idiot!! Get back down!! What the hell are you trying to do to us?! You need to be horizontal, horizontal was working!! At least sit your ass back down somewhere, anywhere!!

I could hear this narrative through every creak and groan of my joints. The pull of each muscle and the ever increasing feeling of trying to walk through a vat of Vaseline after approximately 25 shots. That pain I was just about coping with spiked to a point where every nerve ending in my body bristled and screamed. But I tried not to show it. Just minutes from my rest on the bench I was sitting on a harbour wall. I had tried to look around a small flat museum with my family. But that was too much, so the harbour wall it was. 

I smiled and tried to enjoy the sunshine. The sun that was making me sweat buckets whilst the (apparently) refreshing breeze dumped buckets of ice across my agonised body. Outwardly I smiled whilst inwardly I writhed like a worm on a hook. Not ten yards further I was sat on another bench. Gran and I chatted whilst my husband took the kids to explore the exciting looking steps down to the sea. Covered in barnacles and going right down under the boardwalk the kids loved it, especially seeing the people who were catching crabs on a line. I sat in the sun. Missing the excitement on my little ones faces. Gran told me I should have used my wheelchair. She would have pushed me. I smiled and said I was ok.

The longest walk of all was to the entrance to the beach, past whizzing whirring fairground rides and gaggles of laughing holidaymakers. The kids forged ahead with my husband as me and Gran brought up the rear. She saw me stumbling and dragging my feet, desperately catching myself as my knees went from under me on more times than I care to remember. The children didn’t see; but my older two knew, of that I’m sure. I confided in Gran I probably shouldn’t have come, and she asked if I’d like to leave. No came my answer. I couldn’t show my kids the golden sand and glistening water and deprive them of going to play. I’d be fine. 

Gran and I had a drink whilst my husband played in the sand with the kids. Again I had to lay down, meaning I couldn’t even see them frolicking on the sand. Soaking their clothes in the salty water and not caring one jot. People stared. One young boy was so brazen that he sat less than a foot away, staring intently until I had the audacity to say hello (in my least crazy person voice). I didn’t care. I don’t care. My family is what matters to me and if laying down on a sandy wall is what’s needed to remain present for them, then that’s what I’ll do. People can stare all they like. I do however draw the line at kids purposely kicking footballs at me, of which I told them so!! 

What felt like ten million years later my husband returned with our sopping wet brood. I was less than impressed as we had no change of clothing and no towels. I’d also been laid wearing my jacket and covered over with Gran’s. Though it was sunny, in my opinion it was certainly not the weather to be going for a, fully clothed, dip in the sea. Paddle, perhaps. Drenched to the waist like my eldest son, not so much. My husband disagreed. 

That was the last bit of my barely there patience done. Rather than argue in front of the children I headed back to the car, stopping only at the loos for a quick bag empty. (Though I may as well refer to it as a pee for the amount of liquid I had in there!) At least I’d been able to use the burst of adrenaline to get me back to the vehicle in one piece. Windows down and seat back, I slowly breathed in and out trying to focus on anything but the complete agony I was in and the faces of nosey passers by. Though faster than my journey down to the prom, my journey back had been a whole lot less controlled. It wouldn’t surprise me if people were under the impression I was just another drunk, rather than a mum just trying to push her ever failing body as far as she could. The kids got their ice creams as I pulled myself together. 

An agonising car ride later and I was once again home. As soon as I could I sloped off to bed, stretching flat my now completely broken body and telling my father about the day we had had at the coast. He told me I should get a lightweight scooter. Things would be so much easier! Minutes later my husband told me I should have cancelled. 

But I couldn’t do any of those things, cancel, wheelchair, scooter. 

To cancel would have let down Gran and the kids, who had all been looking forward to this treat. So why not use my wheelchair or a scooter? Because I’ve been doing better. I’m managing. I’m supposed to be building up my stamina. 

But, as I lie here broken and close to tears, I have to ask myself if that’s truly what I’m doing. Am I building myself up or breaking myself down? When I was taught to cope with my ill health it was all about being as active as possible whilst making sure to pace out every aspect of my life. Is sitting down at each point I cannot physically stand any longer pacing? Or giving up and not going altogether on bad days, is that pacing? Or, is pacing using aids such as a wheelchair or scooter in order to make the best of what energy and pain reserves I do have? Maybe then I’d have had it in me to make it onto the beach rather than just watching videos taken by my husband. 
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My Stoma Story.. My First Night in Hospital.

I had hoped to update regularly whilst in hospital. Unfortunately the signal on the wards where I was staying was absolutely terrible; so that wasn’t possible. I couldn’t even FaceTime my kids regularly. Instead I took lots of pictures to document my stay, now I finally feel up to sharing My Stoma Story with you via a series of blogs; starting with my first night in hospital… 

Day 1: 13.6.17.

Rather than turning up the morning of my operation, as I did with my hysterectomy, it was decided at my pre op I should arrive at hospital the day before my surgery. Due to my health issues my surgeon and I thought it best I do a bowel prep in order to clear me out ready for life with a stoma. As horrible as that was, I’m so glad I did it and I’d recommend anyone else take the same approach. Clearing out meant I could concentrate on getting used to my new stoma without having the pain and difficulty of getting any remaining stool out of my colon. It was this clearout, and my need to remain hydrated throughout (thank you POTS) that landed me in hospital a day early. 

I’m not going to lie, I arrived at the hospital completely terrified. But that calmed as soon as I was on the ward and settled. The nurses were friendly and the other ladies in my room seemed really nice. There was four of us and we chatted most of the afternoon away. My husband and son stayed to settle me in before leaving for the school run, it was then the serious business of preparing for my operation began. 

First off the stoma nurse arrived, she drew two ominous black dots on my bloated stomach. One of these would become my new stoma, we wouldn’t know which until after surgery. It suddenly dawned on me that after the surgery my stomach would never be the same again. It’s strange to look down on your stomach and know that in less than 24 hours your entire anatomy will work in a completely different way. That this relatively ‘simple’ surgery would change your life drastically. I looked down at those dots for a long time, contemplating the journey ahead. Little did I realise quite how much things would change. 

Marks are put on both sides of the abdomen in case internal scarring prevents the bowel from being pulled through to the surface in one particular spot. The same part of the bowel will be pulled through regardless of which side it comes out at. 

Even though these marks just look quite haphazard, they’re actually pretty carefully placed. The nurse had me sat down and stood up, I also wore my favourite jeans in order to try and avoid their wasteband. The nurse will try her best to mark the surgery site so it is easy to access whilst being comfortable with your usual wardrobe. Obviously placement can never be guaranteed though, it all depends on what the doctor finds inside. 

To try and take my mind off the daunting task ahead of me I arrived at hospital with a bundle of goodies. My friend had kindly bought me a colouring book and pencils, I’d also filled my iPad with all the remotely interesting free books I could find. But most importantly I had a plastic cup which had been lovingly decorated by my daughter. Not only the cup, but the box too. Love hearts, kisses and words of love adorned each side of the box. I read them over and over, reminding myself constantly of the people who I was truly doing this for. 

Of course I wanted to feel better in myself. But it was my need to be more involved and present for my little family that really drove me to have this operation. My husband and children are my world and I want to be as well as possible for them. 

Lunch arrived at around twelve thirty. My nerves were running riot and the meal they offered me did not appeal. I couldn’t even force down this soggy short bread and ice cream. Luckily I still had a pastry left over from breakfast which was just tasty enough to be worth feeling nauseous for. If only I’d known that within minutes of my meal I’d have my cannula placed and be told I was no longer allowed anything solid; I may have thought differently about my lunch! 

Two hours later and it was time to start the dreaded Picolax. For anyone who hasn’t tried it, this stuff is basically liquid dynamite! Created to clear out the bowel quickly and efficiently, most people choose to sit as close to a toilet as possible when they take it! The nurses on the ward, and some of the patients, looked at me with pity as I struggled to gulp down the putrid mix. To me there is little on this planet that tastes worse than Picolax, I literally feel it hitting my stomach and starting to pummel its way through my bowel. Keeping this stuff down is definitely not the easiest task for me! 

Soon those looks of pity turned into confusion. Why wasn’t I running to the toilet? An hour passed. Then two. Three. Four. It was almost five hours before the Picolax had ANY effect. Even then it was not the bowl shattering poonami they were expecting. ‘Luckily’ they had more Picolax for me to drink.  By round two I was exhausted and looking nine months pregnant. My POTS meds had worn off and I was walking like a weird chicken zombie hybrid. This was turning into a long night. 

As I speed shudder shuffled to the loo for the umpteenth time the lady from the bed opposite me chimed up, ‘You know I couldn’t understand why you called your husband your carer when you arrived. But looking at you know I completely get it.’ Thanks. For anyone thinking of pointing out my inadequacies in future, regardless of motive, please don’t. 

The night wore on; even with my earplugs, cushion and sleep mask, I was in no way able to sleep. Yet it wasn’t my stomach tying  itself in knots or the possibility of a river of molten lava spewing forth from my nether regions without warning that was the issue; unfortunately I’m pretty used to those symptoms. No, the issue was my nerves over my impending operation, aggravated by a series of conversations I had had throughout the evening with my bedfellows. 

You see, the lady opposite me had stomas. Stomas which she didn’t exactly love. In fact, she believes many of her current health issues relate back to her previous stoma surgeries. (Due to my preoccupation with my own problems, hunger and exhaustion, I didn’t fully understand the timeline of her declining health. However, it did seem to me that her main issues pre dated the stomas.) Though I felt sad for her that she held so much resentment and mistrust towards doctors, I tried hard not to let her experiences colour my own. 

What I did find upsetting was when she bragged about chastising another patient for having her ostomy bag on show. Telling all of us in earshot how disgusting it was and how she feels the new movement to try and normalise stomas just encourages people to stare. Which they will, because it’s weird and disgusting. 

Her words really shook me. To the point I closed my curtains and sobbed silently to myself. Totally oblivious the woman carried on talking about how gross it was of anyone to see a bag, even with a cover on. We should all respect others and keep it hidden! Another patient popped her head around the curtain and sat with me a while. She had seen my upset, and even though she wasn’t quite sure what a stoma was, she wanted to help. ‘Ignore her’, she said. ‘It’s her age, she’s a prude, people won’t really think like that.’ I nodded in agreement. Wiped my tears and told her I was fine. 

But I wasn’t fine. 

The very next day I’d be having surgery to have one of those ‘disgusting’ bags. I knew that thanks to my issues with pain relief I wouldn’t be able to stand anything over my tummy, my bag would be on show. My see through bag that was surely much worse than a regular fabric covered one. Would she be on my ward then? Would she chastise me too, at a time I’m most vulnerable? My mind wandered further into the future. To my holidays and summertime. Should I hide my bag? Would a cover not be enough? Would people really stop and stare like the woman had said? She had lived it. So surely she knew? Or was she just paranoid thanks to already hating her extra appendiges? 

Question after question swirled through my mind. Worry after worry. Too tired to colour I attempted to take my mind off things with mindless games on my phone. I tried to block out the worries that crept in and gnawed at me. I tried, and I failed. 

Like with all other difficult nights I’ve lived through, the darkness eventually passed. As the sun rose I finally closed my eyes and managed to catch a few precious hours of sleep. It was then, as I closed my eyes to try and make the hours pass faster, that I vowed to myself I wouldn’t let anyone’s issues define me. Nobody else’s opinion will affect what I wear and how I live my life. In a matter of hours I would be getting operated on. An operation I was sure would improve my life. No way would I let anyone else’s negativity impact me. Yes, my nerves were still there. But now my determination had returned, for that I was stronger. 

To anyone else facing surgery and going through similar emotions as me, I say this: Fear is not a sign of weakness. To find something terrifying to the point of sobbing your heart out yet still go ahead with it is a sign of true strength, not weakness. Never beat yourself up for being afraid or upset. Just work through it and continue on your path with determination. 

To be continued… 
* Please note that my experiences in hospital may not reflect your own. I am simply documenting my journey in the hopes of spreading awareness and alleviating any fears I may be able to. 

Check back soon to hear all about surgery day and my early recovery.