3 traumatic injuries to me
Visits to hospital
Multiple Sclerosis was the the one factor that joins these 3 traumatic injuries together. None of them could be described as fun but hey, I survived.
Sepsis December 2013
I have used intermittent self-catheterisation to empty my bladder since 2005. this visit to hospital occurred in 2013.
I had just received a new type of catheter that is the size of a pen and it extends to 14”. and had already used quite a few of them. One Friday evening a group of us went out for a curry at our favourite Indian restaurant. After a couple of hours and a couple of Tiger lagers I had to go to the loo. When I used the catheter this time it was a different story. The end of the catheter that is supposed to go into my bladder cut my urethra and I saw a few drops of blood but I did not pass any urine. I spoke to my MrsB about the incident when returning home at about 10 pm.
I went to bed at about 11 and my balance was appalling but I did not fall over. After a few minutes in bed I was panting, cold, shivery, and could not settle, tossing and turning. Somehow I knew something important was not right with me. I told MrsB to phone an ambulance. It arrived an hour later.
I arrived at A&E at 1 am
Immediately I was put on an uncomfortable A&E trolley, impossible to get into a comfortable position. I do not remember much about the next few hours. Apparently my temperature was now nearly 40 with a low blood pressure. The hospital inserted an indwelling catheter at about 5 am. Finally at 4 pm, 15 hours after admission I was transferred to a men’s ward surgical ward. The relief to be off the trolley and in a comfortable bed was truly awesome.
The hospital now pumped me full of antibiotics and put me on a drip. Everything was now looking rosy but no one explained why I was admitted to hospital. A couple of days later I was about to be discharged when the doctor told me that bacteria had been seen on the blood sample. I now had to stay in for at least two more days and receive more antibiotics. Only then did I discover that I had sepsis. I was discharged a couple of days later.
Bladder issues, Summer 2019
MS now means significant bladder issues for me and I am now incontinent. Every 5 – 6 months 1 receive a Botox injection into the bladder, this makes the muscles of the bladder permanently relaxed. I am unable to have a pee (pass urine) naturally because I cannot squeeze the urine out of my bladder, I have to drain my bladder by inserting a catheter into it. One day quite suddenly I’m unable to insert catheter into my bladder so not able to have a pee ;-(. Not good news which ever way you look at it
I took myself to A&E, arrived at 15.00 and it was not crowded, phew. I even remembered to take mobile phone, charger, pills and catheters.
Triaged in A&E shortly after arriving. At 18.00 an indwelling catheter was eventually inserted, with great difficulty, and now I could empty bladder, it was very full.
The hospital wanted me to see doctor who was a bladder specialist the next morning so kept me in overnight. That was OK by me because I could listen to Liverpool playing in the Champions League final.
Next morning
I talked with the doctor who was doing the rounds He put me down for a CT scan and discharged me. Now I also had an indwelling catheter with an on/off switch.
About 4 weeks later I had the CT scan and 2 weeks after that I saw the same bladder specialist doctor. He insisted on calling me young man and could not see any problem with my bladder. He also said that next time I come into his hospital there is no option but to have a suprapubic catheter. I thought his attitude was quite shocking. He dismissed me and told to see nurse in the hospital to have the catheter removed.
The nurse was very helpful, she could see I was in distress. I wanted to know more about the problem and was there a solution which would not involve a suprapubic catheter. She thought that I must have an enlarged prostate gland. I must get a prescription for Finasteride, a drug that slightly shrinks the prostate gland which will make it a lot easier to insert a catheter.
Problem solved and I have not had another the problem of not being able to insert a catheter.
No one at the hospital except the continence nurse seemed to understand why I could not insert a catheter. The whole experience was frightening.
Poor balance Summer 2021
It was a hot summer’s day and I was watering the garden at 1 pm on a Sunday. Pulling the hose and I fell over onto hard concrete. I don’t really remember falling over.
Immediately I knew that I had dislocated my left shoulder. When I moved there was intense pain in my upper arm. Lying on rough concrete I could not move and I felt very uncomfortable. Could not even sit up or change position. MrsB called an ambulance which arrived at 3 pm. In hospital on an uncomfortable trolley by 4 pm. There was an enormous queue of people waiting in A&E
Triaged fairly quickly but the big queue was not moving. No pain relief for hours. I eventually got some morphine at about 8pm but only when I was in tears with the pain. No food or water + A&E trolleys are very uncomfortable.
At last
X-Ray at midnight, at 2 am shoulder relocated and back home by 6 am, 15 hours after I fell over. As I left the hospital at 5am on Monday morning the corridors were still full of people waiting to be treated. At home I had to be carried upstairs and helped into bed. My arm in a sling but not given any exercises. I stayed in bed for 2 days, unable to do anything except lie on my back. Getting out of bed was not optional I could barely use my left arm or put any weight through my shoulder. Also I was too frightened of falling over again.
A couple of weeks later a referral to a physiotherapist arrived. The physiotherapist explained what happens when a shoulder is dislocated. I had six one hour one hour sessions over the next couple of months and I did all the exercises he suggested. Now I have no problems with the shoulder.
So that’s my story of 3 traumatic injuries, never to be forgotten.
Associated blogs
Emergency visit to Stoke Mandeville
An MS crisis with my dysfunctional bladder
October 2023
Hi Patrick!
Sorry to hear of your problems, there’a lot of it about!
I have in the past week discovered that since Nov. 2012 I have been assiduously taken Indapamide. 1.5 mg daily for blood pressure control.
I have just acquired a new GP who seems to be on the ball as I consulted him due to inter alia postular hypotension and a persistent itchy rash with scabby bits I have been suffering for some time and controlled with copious quantities of Loratidine antihistamine.
He took me off the Indapamide as he observed it produced both the above results.
After a week or so the rash has cleared, I no longer feel dizzy when I stand up and in fact feel better in general than i can remember for as long as i can remember.
Here is a list of side effects and interactions, I cannot understand how I missed checking this out myself, I’m usually pretty on the ball with such things.
https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/indapamide-oral-route/side-effects/drg-20064293
On a more positive note, the Travelscoot I acquired via a post on your blog some time ago is giving sterling service!
Cheers and regards
David Walker
Hello David,
The notes that come with pills are easily thrown away without been read, guilty as charged.
Pleased the Travelscoot is being loved, cherished and appreciated.