Down’s and Up’s

It began yesterday. By the end of the day Sheila became tired and felt more and more pain in her throat. She tried to sleep, first on the couch but later she went to bed. However, she could not sleep and in the middle of the night she took an Ibuprofen. That was not a good idea. It stuck in her esophagus and the pain got worse. Initially we thought she had Candida, because her tongue and palate saw white. She could not talk anymore because of the pain. Around 7 in the morning I called the house doctor services. They could not help, so I called the specialist in this field and we arranged an appointment at 9.10. A clinic nearby the hospital. The doctor examined Sheila and stated that there was no sign of candida. But she could see that her throat was red and pretty swollen and she was developing fever. In the meantime Sheila was shivering and looked more and more worse in the eyes of her observers. The doctor advised us to go to the hospital (merely around the corner) to take a blood test, at least. With the latest experiences in mind, Sheila refused to go to the emergency services. We were convinced that the studies of a few days ago (which took more than three and a half hours) would be re-executed, resulting in the same conclusion: ‘we cannot find anything’. We went to the outpatient oncology. The attending nurse retrieved Sheila’s file and consulted her oncologist. Sheila was shivering more and felt really bad. She could only whisper and stopped talking finally. Her blood was taken and she got a bed on a ward. Her temperature had been risen to 39.9 degrees. After a few hours we got the message that she suffered neutropenia: the chemo had flattened her immune system. She received intravenous antibiotics. Meanwhile, she send me home to buy some initial requirements. I bought a small suitcase (of course, the one we just had discarded!), underwear, bathrobe, sleeping shirt, socks, you name it, etc., etc…Meanwhile in the hospital a lung picture was taken from her. When I came back she was still in pain, in spite of the intravenous antibiotics and pills she got. No real doctor seen or spoken yet, no complain. Sheila ordered me to get more analgesics. So, I bought dissolving paracetamol at the pharmacy of the hospital. That was a real relief for her. Pfffft. I cannot stand that my love is suffering in pain while everybody around her is busy with procedures and protocols that take a real lot of time and solve nothing concrete for her sake. Due to an empty battery of my phone, I was unable to take a picture of her lying, but now smiling in the bed of the hospital. And by now her loving mother is with her!

22 Replies to “Down’s and Up’s”

  1. Lieve Sheila en Victor, Veel sterkte in deze bijzonder heftige tijd. Ik steek een kaarsje aan. en wens jullie kracht, licht en warmte, Carien

  2. Top hoor Victor, je goede zorg en en het relaas er van! Geef Sheila een pakkert en ik hoop dat het beter gaat als we begin Oktober komen! Groetjes van Paul en Isabelle

  3. Lieve Victor, bedankt voor het verslag. Wat goed dat je dit zo moeiteloos overneemt. We leven erg mee met jou en Sheila. Heel fijn om te horen dat Sheila weer wat is opgeknapt. Veel liefs van ons.

  4. Verdorie Victor, waarom wordt er niet gelijk met pijnbestrijding gestart vanuit het ziekenhuis. Daar zijn die mensen toch voor. Jij ook sterkte. Geef Sheila een “hug” van mij.

  5. Beste Victor,
    Gelukkig eindig je met ‘smiling in the bed of the hospital’.
    Ik hoop dat de pijn weg blijft en dat Sheila haar volgende bericht weer zelf kan schrijven, maar wat goed dat jij het even overneemt..
    Veel sterkte, ook namens Lodewijk.

  6. Fijn dat je een verslag schrijft, Victor, sneu dat ze zo ziek is.
    Ze zeggen dat je heel ziek wordt van de chemo, en dat men dan er weer boven op komt…Even duimen, denk aan jullie hier in Gdansk. Kom zaterdag weer even langs 😉
    X
    Ng

  7. Loyaliteit voor ziekenhuizen en artsen opzij zetten voor wat er werkelijk toe doet! Goed gedaan…maar zou niet nodig moeten zijn. Sterkte voor jullie!

  8. Victor, my heart goes out to you and Sheila. What you’re going through would test anyone’s mettle, and at the same time break everyone’s heart. Your strong, you have each other, you have the love of your friends and family, and you have the love of life… all of which will help you through this ordeal. Thinking of you always. Love and hugs

  9. Beste Victor en lieve Sheila,
    Het doet pijn om te lezen wat jullie beleven, maar toch is het goed. Heel veel sterkte met het knokken tegen de ziekte en vooral ook in het vinden van de weg in de doolhof van onze gezondheidszorg.

  10. Lieve Sheila en Victor,

    Wat vreselijk allemaal, ik hoop dat Sheila snel weer opknapt!! Ik leef met jullie mee!

    XXX,
    Veel liefs,
    Sandra

  11. Beste Sheila en Victor,

    Ik las net je blog… Wat een schrik en ellendige toestand! Ik wens jullie beiden heel veel sterkte! Maar vooral beterschap!

    Liefs,
    Marianne

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