Asked Johan what I should blog about as wanting to blog, he came up with the title 😛
Being this up and down is frustrating. Johan thinks it’s because of my cold. He’s probably right. Although ME is a fluctuating illness, I’m not used to it fluctuating so much in so short a time span. I’m going from being able to play WoW on my computer to curled up in a ball hoping my body will behave or vice versa within a couple of hours, rather than the usual few days. The computer playing isn’t even the cause as there are days I’m waking up in agony and struggling to cope with anything then a few hours later I’m doing much better and can go on my computer. It’s visible to Johan and the carers as well. I don’t go on my computer every time I feel up to it but it’s an amazing distraction and is much easier to pay bills, do the food shop and stuff on there so I’m glad I can do it some of the time at least.
The main downside of this is my nausea is worse than usual. I’m having to take cyclizine more often, and that makes me dopey, and often needing to sleep. With taking it nearly everyday (and sometimes twice a day) I have no sleeping pattern at the moment, which is difficult for Johan and planning things. I wanted a wash this morning but by the time the carer arrived I was feeling very sick and in too much pain to be touched so I’ll have to wait until I’m up to it. I was doing okay (and on my computer) before that as well.
Next week I have an appointment with my consultant. Johan made all the phone calls needed yesterday so hopefully it will actually happen this time. Stretcher transport has been booked, and they’ve been informed it’s time critical and it’s been rearranged twice because of them. The clinic at the hospital know I’m coming by stretcher, are arranging a clinical room to wait in (as stretchers can’t fit in the waiting room – fine by me) and they’ll transfer me onto a bed in there, where my consultant will see me. Hopefully it’ll all go to plan, though the appointment is at 9.15am which is going to be fun. We’ve not been given a time to be ready by so I’m going to aim for 8am, with as much stuff prepared beforehand as possible.
I’ve got to think of what things are most important to discuss with my consultant. Muscle spasms are the big one, as my GPs haven’t wanted to treat it without the consultant having input. My inability to digest food in a timely manner is probably important too, as is discovering I’m more hypermobile than I thought. I’m expecting there’s not much he can do, but he’s pretty good at figuring out what’s ME and what is something else and he might have some ideas that will help. If he had any ideas to make my hands less useless I’d be so happy, but that’s probably asking too much.
I’m desperate for a shower or bath. Bed baths just don’t make me feel clean, especially since the carers don’t wash me how I want to be and I’m not well enough to go explaining it. One of Johan’s difficulties right now is he can’t print or scan anything, so even though I’ve got it typed up they can’t read it. I’m also not well enough to have my hair washed and body washed on the same day, which doesn’t help. I’m also really wanting my hair shaved off again as it’s too long, itchy and making my scalp really sore but that’s not likely to happen any time soon.
I feel like this post has been really negative. I’m still mostly happy, and I have penguins. They make everything better 🙂
Hi Danni, Just wanted to say I so relate to your post. Just coming through a crash myself that seems to be related to some kind of throat infection and it’s not completely cleared up. These things just seem to want to move in and stay. Also I am with you on wanting to be clean so badly. I can’t have hair and bath on the same day either and it’s so frustrating and demoralizing not to be as clean as you want to be on top of everything else. I’d love to have my hair shaved off too, it would make things easier and better for me but no way would anyone do it – they’d think it meant I had some kind of problem. But I also know I am lucky right now as at least I am on the computer a little bit. I hope everything with your appointment goes as well as it can. Fingers crossed!