Newfoundfreedom Posted May 28, 2020 Share Posted May 28, 2020 ......but to be fair, I have a good excuse. I almost died! I doubt anyone noticed, but I haven't been around much the past few weeks. About 5 weeks ago I went to the doctors in agony after being up all night with chest and stomach pains, he sent me to the the local hospital just around the corner, where after an examination and explaining my symptoms as best I could (I live in Bulgaria and I'm not exactly fluent with the language) the head doctor said I had to stay in for three days for observation and intravenous antibiotics. Not the worst thing in the world I thought, and sent my wife off for a few supplies. The next couple of days are a bit hazey as there was a fair bit of pain and a lot of drugs involved, but on the second night I was in agony. The Doctor came in late in the evening, gave me a quick examination and immediately bundled me into an ambulance to the main regional hospital about 45 minutes away. I remember I arrived there some time just after midnight, and within an hour or so, I'd had blood and urine tests, x-rays, an ultrasound, and an MRI. Then another Doctor came and examined me yet again and looking extremely concerned uttered the word "peritonitsia". Now, as I said, I'm not exactly fluent, but it didn't take much working out that I had peritonitis, which I'd heard of, but I didn't exactly know what it was. So I whipped out my phone and Googled it, and saw that it has a mortality rate of up to 40%. At which point I thought, oh poo, this is serious! They moved to to a ward and I got to bed about 4 a.m. Then a doctor came around at about 8 who luckily spoke a little English and happened to be the head surgeon. He explained that my gallbladder had burst, which had in turn given me peritonitis and appendicitis, and I would have to have my gallbladder and appendix removed. So at 2 o'clock that afternoon, one day before my 45th birthday, I was in the operating theatre and opened up like a duffle bag. I could go into a lot more detail, but suffice to say the following few days were rather uncomfortable, I couldn't move and had several tubes coming out of various places. Then, after 10 days, just when I thought I was finally going to get to go home, I had to stay in another week in quarantine and have a Covid test. So I eventually got home about 3 weeks after my initial doctors visit with a nice zipper from breasticles to testicles, and strict instructions not to lift anything heavy for six to twelve weeks. As my sixer weighs over 10lbs.....as far as excuses for not practicing go, I think it's a reasonable one. But I'm alive! I can't praise the Bulgarian healthcare system enough. They don't have much funding, the hospitals are run down and resemble Victorian asylums. The bedside manner could be better. But the actual healthcare was superb. I'm thankful that everyone was in the ball at every step of the way. From my GP, to the local hospital, the A and E department and my surgeon. I reckon another 24 hours and I'd have been a gonner. Not exactly how i'd planned to spend my 45th birthday. But at least I was surrounded by beautiful women in nurses outfits being given copious amounts of free drugs. 14 3 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BreadBin Posted May 29, 2020 Share Posted May 29, 2020 Wow, that sounds horrendous. Welcome back 👍 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SICbass Posted May 29, 2020 Share Posted May 29, 2020 5 hours ago, Newfoundfreedom said: Not exactly how i'd planned to spend my 45th birthday. But at least I was surrounded by beautiful women in nurses outfits being given copious amounts of free drugs. Honestly, some people are never satisfied. But seriously, that was a close call. I’m glad you pulled through. All the best for your further recovery. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chezz55 Posted May 29, 2020 Share Posted May 29, 2020 Welcome back and hope you make a full and speedy recovery. Best wishes to Mrs NFF too, must have been an ordeal for her. Take care and stay safe. Chris 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gary mac Posted May 29, 2020 Share Posted May 29, 2020 What a scary time for you and yours. Good to hear that you're making a good recovery 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewblack Posted May 29, 2020 Share Posted May 29, 2020 Well, what can I say? Happy birthday mate. What a terrifying ordeal. I hope you have learned the obvious lesson here. You need to buy another bass. Something light weight. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newfoundfreedom Posted May 29, 2020 Author Share Posted May 29, 2020 34 minutes ago, stewblack said: Well, what can I say? Happy birthday mate. What a terrifying ordeal. I hope you have learned the obvious lesson here. You need to buy another bass. Something light weight. Every cloud.......and all that. 😂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newfoundfreedom Posted May 29, 2020 Author Share Posted May 29, 2020 1 hour ago, Chezz55 said: Best wishes to Mrs NFF too, must have been an ordeal for her. Yeah it must have been pretty scary when I started to send here bank details and passwords at 4 o'clock in the morning "just in case". It wasn't helped by the Covid situation which meant she couldn't even visit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
la bam Posted May 29, 2020 Share Posted May 29, 2020 Glad you're ok. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger2611 Posted May 29, 2020 Share Posted May 29, 2020 Welcome back. I am glad it worked out OK in the end after what sounds like a pretty scary time, belated happy 45th birthday 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reggaebass Posted May 29, 2020 Share Posted May 29, 2020 Belated birthday wishes NFF, and I’m glad you’re making a good recovery, take it easy 🙂, Tony 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted May 29, 2020 Share Posted May 29, 2020 Great that you got through that NFF, wish you well on your recovery. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newfoundfreedom Posted May 29, 2020 Author Share Posted May 29, 2020 (edited) Forgot to say. This is the bugger that caused all the problems. Garry gallstone. Don't be fooled by his size. I'm 6 feet tall and 15 stone, and he kicked my ar$e! Edited May 29, 2020 by Newfoundfreedom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trav Posted May 29, 2020 Share Posted May 29, 2020 Glad you got the care you needed and in time too! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maude Posted May 29, 2020 Share Posted May 29, 2020 Not the best way to spend a birthday but happy birthday all the same. You have my total sympathy as I know the level of pain involved in peritonitis, did they do 'the rebound test'? I went from slight flu-ish symptoms in the morning to hallucinating and losing consciousness by late afternoon. I have never gone downhill from something so quickly. Blue lights to hospital but not operated on until the following afternoon as they weren't totally sure what was wrong. After lots of similar tests to yours they opened me up for an exploratory precedure. They didn't think it was appendicitis as the scans showed an organ that spread the entire stomach cavity from left to right, it turned out that organ was my appendix but had bloated to that size and eaten a hole into my bladder and leached all of its contents into it. Infected bladder, kidneys and related pipework, ruptured appendix, peritonitis and septicemia. Although I had no idea what was going on at the time, due to generally being off my face on either morphine or my own poison, I had a pretty close call, but I've got a cool scar. 😁 Take it easy and here's to a speedy recovery. 🙂 🍻 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newfoundfreedom Posted May 29, 2020 Author Share Posted May 29, 2020 12 minutes ago, Maude said: Not the best way to spend a birthday but happy birthday all the same. You have my total sympathy as I know the level of pain involved in peritonitis, did they do 'the rebound test'? I went from slight flu-ish symptoms in the morning to hallucinating and losing consciousness by late afternoon. I have never gone downhill from something so quickly. Blue lights to hospital but not operated on until the following afternoon as they weren't totally sure what was wrong. After lots of similar tests to yours they opened me up for an exploratory precedure. They didn't think it was appendicitis as the scans showed an organ that spread the entire stomach cavity from left to right, it turned out that organ was my appendix but had bloated to that size and eaten a hole into my bladder and leached all of its contents into it. Infected bladder, kidneys and related pipework, ruptured appendix, peritonitis and septicemia. Although I had no idea what was going on at the time, due to generally being off my face on either morphine or my own poison, I had a pretty close call, but I've got a cool scar. 😁 Take it easy and here's to a speedy recovery. 🙂 🍻 Ooh that sounds nasty. Yeah they did the rebound test, and a lot of pressing and prodding which was really painful at the time. The worst thing for me though through the whole ordeal, even worse than the pain before and after the surgery, was having a tube up the nose and down my throat. I felt like I was choking for four whole days and nights after the surgery. Definitely something I don't want to experience again in a hurry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markoire Posted May 29, 2020 Share Posted May 29, 2020 Wish you a full recovery mate 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maude Posted May 29, 2020 Share Posted May 29, 2020 I didn't have a tube down my throat, was that for feeding? As they laid all of my insides on the table for cleaning (surgeons words not mine 🙂) I wasn't allowed to leave until I'd eaten and it had completed the journey so to speak, to make sure nothing was twisted or blocked. The only thing on the menu I could even contemplate eating was soup. I was on a naval ward that did all the intestine issues, in the bed next to me was a fella who must've had problems with the final stages of the foods journey as his final contents were being slowly drained into a bag on frame beside his bed (I'm trying my best not to be disgusting here). Anyway with his clear bag on full view they brought me oxtail soup. 🤢 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newfoundfreedom Posted May 29, 2020 Author Share Posted May 29, 2020 7 minutes ago, Maude said: I didn't have a tube down my throat, was that for feeding? 🙂 🤢 No. It was to stop the build up of gas. Because you can't pass wind for a few days after surgery they put I tube down into the stomach to stop you exploding. 😂 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewblack Posted May 29, 2020 Share Posted May 29, 2020 22 minutes ago, Newfoundfreedom said: No. It was to stop the build up of gas. Because you can't pass wind for a few days after surgery they put I tube down into the stomach to stop you exploding. 😂 My god, your first natural fart must have been a thing of splendour 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newfoundfreedom Posted May 29, 2020 Author Share Posted May 29, 2020 17 minutes ago, stewblack said: My god, your first natural fart must have been a thing of splendour It was certainly a relief because they wouldn't remove the tube until I did one. After 4 days I was considering faking it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewblack Posted May 29, 2020 Share Posted May 29, 2020 Joking aside, the pipe down the throat sounds absolutely hideous. So glad you got through it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Starr Posted May 30, 2020 Share Posted May 30, 2020 Glad to hear you are mending. Welcome back. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drax Posted May 30, 2020 Share Posted May 30, 2020 Yeah welcome back NFF. Fabulous you’ve got the offending item - what are your plans for him? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geek99 Posted May 30, 2020 Share Posted May 30, 2020 14 minutes ago, Drax said: Yeah welcome back NFF. Fabulous you’ve got the offending item - what are your plans for him? Is it any good for metal ? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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