Saturday 5 July 2014

Be careful what you wish for.......

We have just returned from a combined visit/holiday with my daughter in East Anglia.  I was so looking forward to spending time with her and enjoying a relaxing break.

Well, it WAS relaxing, but not quite in the way I'd envisaged.

On day two, in the morning, I had a 'funny turn' and collapsed in the bathroom.  One minute I was fine, the next I was coming to on the floor, in a pool of blood.  I have no idea what happened, but somehow I lost consciousness and fell, hitting my head on the way down resulting in a 3" gash on my head.

So, after I'd recovered somewhat, we set off to the A&E department at Ipswich Hospital, anticipating I'd probably need to have the head wound stitched.  Initially, all went well.  I was rapidly processed through triage but I was feeling increasingly woozy and nauseous.  At that point the doctor abandoned cleaning the head wound and I was moved from Minors to Resus so they could better monitor what was happening as my blood pressure was very low. I was vaguely aware of canullas being inserted, blood being taken, drugs administered etc but to be honest, I couldn't have cared less.

When I re-surfaced I was having IV fluids and was wired up to an ECG and BP machine.  As my BP was remaining resolutely low I was told that I would be admitted for observation.

To be honest, I was feeling so strange that the news didn't really register.   I vaguely remember having the head wound cleaned and glued shut, and being moved to the Emergency Assessment Unit, where I stayed for the rest of the day, gradually improving as the day wore on.

Both PP and my daughter were completely brilliant, as was Small Dog who had come to the hospital with us in the car as we'd thought I'd be patched up and home within a few hours at the most.  In the end it was early evening by the time I was discharged and set off for home complete with large comedy dressing on my head.

Over the following days after we set off for our stay on Mersea Island, I had no option but to relax and take things easy.  The combined effects of the head injury, a mild concussion and whiplash from the fall,  slowed me down considerably, but the weather was perfect and we all thoroughly enjoyed our time there.

I'm feeling much better now, and apart from a lingering headache and still feeling a bit spacey, I'm pretty much back to what passes for normal.

Here are some of the highlights.....


Regular visitor in my daughter's garden.....



 Receiving the healing paw from Small Dog after my accident


Releasing our catch of crabs, much to Small Dog's delight!


Relaxing on the beach at West Mersea


Outside our holiday home at Mersea Island

4 comments:

AM Minnaard said...

Hi Sandra, first of a big get well hug! Hope your feeling beter soon. Small dog is adorable, dogs always sence when their owner is sick or sad. Mersea island looks and sounds like the perfect place to rest, relax and heal. Hug AM

Anonymous said...

Hello Sandra

I hope you are well recovered now but it must have been so scary for all. Look after yourself and take care.

Thank goodness for Small Dog's healing paw.

Joyce

Karin F. said...

has anyone said what the cause of it all was???
So glad everything turned out well.
big hugs & take good care of yourself

Sandra Morris said...

Thanks for all the good wishes. I'm much better now.
I still don't know what caused the collapse, apart from a sudden drop in blood pressure, which persisted for hours. If it happens again I'll have to have more tests.
Fingers crossed it was a 'one off'
Sx