Home for Christmas!

So here I am writing from my bed at home - hurrah! The last 8 days have been quite an adventure and not at all what anyone had been expecting. As ever nothing I have done has been normal. 

If you don't like details stop reading now! 

On 26th November I began methotrexate (a disease modifying drug used to treat rheumatoid arthritis). It is known that you need to reduce the dose for patients who have kidney disease which the drs did for me. When I took methotrexate before I did have some side effects - d &v but only for  a couple of weeks. So when I had that this time I expected it to get better but after 1!/2 weeks it was getting much worse and my mouth and throat were full of ulcers and sores. I was only able to drink water. After the first visit to a&e and having fluids I did improve slightly. However by Thursday I was feeling very, very poorly. I was admitted to RBH and it was decided that I had methotrexate poisoning probably due to my kidneys holding onto to the methotrexate too long. I was given fluids and an antidote. Unfortunately that night I had a very heavy bleed which was very scary. The next day was spent having blood transfusions, platelet transfusions, more fluids, high dose antibiotics. As ever taking blood and putting in canulas has been very difficult they have had to use every trick in the book to try and get into my veins. I have felt so sorry for the Drs, especially in the middle of the night, when they have been attempting to find veins they could use. There have been plenty of discussions about what was happening with quite a bit of interest in the puzzle. At one point I asked a consultant if we needed to know as I was getting better and he said 'of course we do - it's interesting'. So they think I had methotrexate poisoning and a rare infection (as yet unidentified as all tests have come back negative) and the bleeding was probably due to very low platelets. On an ultrasound scan I have inflammation in my tummy which needs some more investigations by the gastric team and I am having an MRI scan in January. Yesterday I turned a corner and started to feel better and this morning they said I could go home. I go back to see the consultant on Tuesday and have blood tests on Monday. 

I am so, so thankful to be home. I was very grateful to be in hospital when I was feeling so ill but once I started to feel better I longed to be home. The staff couldn't have been kinder or more patient with me. I saw many very young Drs over the weekend and at night who all were working so hard. Apart from one rather arrogant, young man they were all delightful. The ward I was on was very busy and the nurses worked their socks off. I have had a delightful registrar looking after me who  explained carefully everything that was happening as best she could always listening to my questions and even meeting with Chloe to answer her questions too. I have had visits from some lovely Drs, (friends) who have popped in and kept me company, buying me coffee and answering my questions when I haven't quite understood what I have been told.

I have had plenty of dark night moments and have been doing lots of thinking ( as you can imagine from me). Once I have sorted out my thinking I will write about it.

Thank you so much for all your messages, texts, emails, cards, thoughts and prayers. I now need to recover, particularly  after over 3 weeks of only fluids and very little moving. I  need to be careful not to get any more infections and I am beginning a new drug over the weekend. But I am one happy bunny to be home and to be thinking of Christmas.