On the other side

So as you can see from Kat's post her visit didn't go quite as planned!
We met up on the weds 11th march, I had an appt at the hosp that day so it was a quick dash back to mine and then on to the hosp with a few nebs in between, I hate the train lol!
The hosp didn't go quite as I liked as my chest is very productive and has been for months sometimes though the bug I grow in my sputum acts up a bit and causes me more symptoms, this is what it has been doing lately so I gave a sample and was told to do 10 mins of chest physio every hour pffft every hour! Lung function was down from 40% to 26% oops. Collected some subcut supplies and con told me he would call with the results and then get started on abx.
So after the Hosp we were pretty much to knackered to do anything. Kat had her neb out alot but I know when I'm not right I hate the fuss so just ignored it.
The next day Kat was still nebbing quite a bit but she said she was ok so off we went bowling and then the pictures.

Whilst in the pics Kat checked her sats on her portable monitor but we both refused to believe the 73% that showed up! Anyway we went to nandos after and Kat seemed a bit better!
Back to mine and Kat gets into her pjs lays on the sofa nebbing away, I think to myself shes laying down she cant be too bad, i usually have hands on knees shoulders up panting away!
She mentions maybe she needs IVs and will see how she is in an hour, Shes still talking full sentences and laying on the sofa! I decide that nope we are going to the hosp weather Kat like it or not! So I call a cab, Kat doesn't argue and gets ready getting all the more breathless eek!
We get to the hosp and Kat deteriorates further I demand that shes seen right now, so shes whisked through to triage where a silly nurse fiddles about trying to get access, straight into majors after he gives up seeing how tough Kat is to cannulate, within seconds shes seeing a doctor who listens to her chest and gets another doctor after some mumbling of silent chest shes whisked into resus.

I'm quite surprised I was allowed to stay there the whole time and only left for the x-ray.
I like to think I was quite helpful knowing Kat's history and complications, allergies etc! She was in no fit state to talk! After a few hours of nebs iv magnesium, aminophylline, copious amounts of hydrocortisone due to her addisons she was a tiny bit better but still has the silent chest. So ITU are called and its decided its best if she goes there.

Its so different being on the other side, I felt like I should have been helping in some way, suggesting the next step in treatment, its not good when you know what can happen! You see all the procedures going on that are usually happening to you in that situation. I felt so helpless!
Thankfully after a few hours in Itu and the addition of iv bricanyl she improved quite allot! phew.
I somehow felt responsible for her and even after being told to leave ITU at 2am for coughing and told to go home an rest I couldnt. I slept in the waiting room, well I dint really sleep the chairs were to uncomfy! I think I left the hosp at 7pm the next day after being there nearly 23 hours and that was only because i had not broughtt enough subcut stuff with me!
So for the next few days kat was in itu finally getting to the ward early Sunday morning after a blip Sunday night she started to improve quickly.

I on the other hand was soooo knackered and trying to not let it show, My con was on the ward on the monday and gave me my sputum results and said he was going to talk to the microbiologist as this had been going on too long and I had already had soo many different abx and I was already on them long term too grrrr.
I had a surprise for Kat on the Tuesday a fellow auker who she had not yet met but I have met twice. Lots of fun was had there!
Anyhoo I was banned from visiting from Tuesdayy by my con and resp nurse who said I was too poorly to be at the hosp everyday and needed to rest, I was soooo upset when Jackie rang me at home and said I wasn't allowed to come up to the hospital and that she was getting my abx delivered!

Kat was discharged on the Friday and after a palaver about how she was getting home she eventually sorted something out for the next day. So we had a fun last night together which included pizza yum.
Kat left on Saturday a week later than planned.
Its an experience I hope I don't have to repeat anytime soon. Seeing someone else have an asthma attack was scary and also makes me realise we are not all the same chest wise and just because I have an attack one way doesn't mean we all will if you get what I mean. We don't all wheeze and well nobody has a textbook attack!
Sorry for the ramble
Here's a pic lol!

TTFN
Clarebear
x x x