People often comment to me that I always seem to be doing something; that I appear to never 'sit still' for very long. In this post you will get some idea of why I try to live life to the fullest extent. I am going to show you 2 photos . These photos were taken in 2002 and were taken approximately 6 weeks apart.
Here I am in April...
Just before the long weekend in early May, I started to feel unwell...quite vague symptoms... I cancelled a day trip to Toowoomba with friends on the Monday which was the Labor Day holiday. On Tuesday, I awoke still feeling unwell but went into work as a medical certificate was required to take a day off after a public holiday...I got sent home within an hour because the other staff, said that 'I didn't look very well' and I didn't disagree. I stayed home from work on Wednesday but when I still didn't feel well on the Thursday I made an appointment with the GP.
The doctor didn't think I looked very well either and took my temperature...it was 39.9 Celcius. Within the hour I was at the hospital casualty section. The staff took one look at me and ordered a gurney. The rest of that day (as well as the next few days) is a blur...canulas, drips, doctors, tests, scans, ultra sounds, x-rays, nurses checking vital signs, ECGs, EEGs etc etc....Over the next few days I was tested for so many diseases and all were negative results. I would have raging fevers especially early in the morning, although for most of the time I wasn't aware of time.
Doctors came up with hypotheses but no tests confirmed any...and the fevers continued and my liver started to fail... Two of my workmates came to visit me on my second day in hospital and apparently went back to school and told the principal that they thought that I was dying, because I was grey in the face...
My brother was my next of kin as I had only know the man who would become DH, for a few months by then. The doctors told my brother that I was not expected to live, which distressed him no end as he had taken 44 years to find me after he had been adopted at birth. He would go to work each day but sit with me all night...even though I wasn't fully aware that he was there.
Then after 9 days like that, one morning I woke up with a clear head...but still with a raging temperature. Eventually on the 11th day they let me go home even though the temp wasn't normal...I was weak but pining for home. This next photo is the one DH took of me on that first day home from hospital...My wonderful female GP took over my care then, with her ringing me several times a week to check up on me, plus one, sometimes 2 visits to her surgery each week. I was a total of 7 weeks off work. By then, my liver function was back to near normal, but I took many more months to feel really well again...and to this day, it is a mystery to what illness struck me down so suddenly...the specialist at the hospital decided to call it 'an unknown virus'...
So after being so sick I decided that life must be lived to the fullest...and that's what I try to do. DH can't understand why I keep the second photo...but it's a good reminder that your life can change in a matter of weeks.
Here I am in April...
 |
| With the cheeky grin I inherited from my father! |
Just before the long weekend in early May, I started to feel unwell...quite vague symptoms... I cancelled a day trip to Toowoomba with friends on the Monday which was the Labor Day holiday. On Tuesday, I awoke still feeling unwell but went into work as a medical certificate was required to take a day off after a public holiday...I got sent home within an hour because the other staff, said that 'I didn't look very well' and I didn't disagree. I stayed home from work on Wednesday but when I still didn't feel well on the Thursday I made an appointment with the GP.
The doctor didn't think I looked very well either and took my temperature...it was 39.9 Celcius. Within the hour I was at the hospital casualty section. The staff took one look at me and ordered a gurney. The rest of that day (as well as the next few days) is a blur...canulas, drips, doctors, tests, scans, ultra sounds, x-rays, nurses checking vital signs, ECGs, EEGs etc etc....Over the next few days I was tested for so many diseases and all were negative results. I would have raging fevers especially early in the morning, although for most of the time I wasn't aware of time.
Doctors came up with hypotheses but no tests confirmed any...and the fevers continued and my liver started to fail... Two of my workmates came to visit me on my second day in hospital and apparently went back to school and told the principal that they thought that I was dying, because I was grey in the face...
My brother was my next of kin as I had only know the man who would become DH, for a few months by then. The doctors told my brother that I was not expected to live, which distressed him no end as he had taken 44 years to find me after he had been adopted at birth. He would go to work each day but sit with me all night...even though I wasn't fully aware that he was there.
Then after 9 days like that, one morning I woke up with a clear head...but still with a raging temperature. Eventually on the 11th day they let me go home even though the temp wasn't normal...I was weak but pining for home. This next photo is the one DH took of me on that first day home from hospital...My wonderful female GP took over my care then, with her ringing me several times a week to check up on me, plus one, sometimes 2 visits to her surgery each week. I was a total of 7 weeks off work. By then, my liver function was back to near normal, but I took many more months to feel really well again...and to this day, it is a mystery to what illness struck me down so suddenly...the specialist at the hospital decided to call it 'an unknown virus'...
So after being so sick I decided that life must be lived to the fullest...and that's what I try to do. DH can't understand why I keep the second photo...but it's a good reminder that your life can change in a matter of weeks.
11 comments:
Gosh Maria. What can we say. A good reminder to us all to do the same. Live life to the fullest.
Thanks for sharing that.
What an unusual illness, but so pleased you made a full recovery. It certainly is good to make the most of every opportunity.
I was telling people just last night at my knitting group how fortunate I am to have you in my blogging life, I didn't know just how lucky. The will to live can be so strong but sometimes we see how fragile we are. We also like to think in this day and age that our doctors have all the answers but there is still times when they just don't know. Your body certainly worked very hard to bring you through, hope it is good and strong again, keep building that immune system. So pleased you are still with us ;)
Those two photos are extraordinary Maria. Keep the second one as a reminder of what you survived. You have a lovely Mona Lisa smile in the second photo although you were obviously very weak.
I feel very touched by your story today. I have become very fond of you and of your blogging stories. I love the way you monitor your journeys. I sometimes think I travel with my eyes only half open. You take such an interest in the smaller things as well as the larger picture and I think that is what makes your travel blogs so interesting.
I don't need to go anywhere - you do it for me. Ha ha.
I am so pleased to see you looking so well these days. Take care of yourself.
You go girl xx
Thank you for sharing your story. It makes me think that the saying 'Live every day as if it is your last' is how we should live our lives. Hugs....
There is no doubt about it.... live every day to the full....make the most of every opportunity and enjoy whatever chances that come along. Jx
Thank you soooo much for reminding us all how fragile our lives are and not to take them for granted :-))))))
Definitely, a good reminder Maria. Thank you for telling us your story - what a worrying time back then.
You make such a difference to peoples' lives with your attitude :D)
Hi Maria, Yes I'm still here popping in and catching up on your posts. Sometimes I'm just a little late with my comment, but i'm sure you must be so used to me 'dragging the chain' so to speak. I came across this post and had to say ... I'm so grateful that you made it through. Everything happens for a reason and I think you found what the reason was ... to make you live life to the fullest. Hugs Sue
Wow, Maria!
Thank you for posting this. It's a lesson I need to learn.
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