Finally able to get on to wish everyone a Happy New Year, I certainly hope yours is going better than mine. So Boxing Day 2021 my Hubby tested positive for COVID and was immediately banned from any interaction with the rest of the family in the hope that we could stop it spreading in our home.
In our home we have a TV downstairs which has a bathroom next to it so from December the 26th that became the Hubbys room, it has a really comfortable couch so he wasn’t too put out. Yet on the 28th Decemeber I tested positive and luckily didn’t have it too bad. My ME symptoms left me laid up after pushing myself to do things with my Daughter to ensure we had a fantastic Christmas Day.
After we had quarantined , Becks our daughter headed back to university so she could get everything done before the start of the new university year, when she started feeling ill I insisted she came straight back home. Unfortunately on 14th January she too tested positive and of course I pushed myself to try to keep her spirits up as well as doing anything I could to allow her to rest. With her being a singer it was very important that she protected her voice so hot tea with honey was taken several times a day and no singing or straining her voice.
Unfortunately that wasn’t the end of it as on the 20th January I had to call an ambulance, I had been monitoring my blood oxygen levels since my positive test for COVID as evidence shows that poor levels can indicate something bad happening in your body, catching it early can make a big difference . My blood oxygen levels started hitting as low as 88 so I knew I had to take action and called my Drs office for advice, as I also had severe pain in my jaw I was instructed to call an ambulance immediately. Of course me being the idiot I am I left it a few days until the right side of my face was totally swollen and I was unable to talk properly.
I called the ambulance at 4am as I was in a lot of pain and unable to talk properly due to the swelling around my jaw/chin , it was so painful that I couldn’t bear to touch it or have it touched without wincing. I can’t fault the team at Aintree for the way I was dealt with that morning, when I arrived I was taken to the back of a long row of beds in the corridor. Yet after my first set of observations they picked something up in my results and within 20 minutes I was going over everything with a Dr.
I must stress again that the team at University Hospital Aintree excelled that morning, we must remember that hospitals are so understaffed due to the pandemic but within 20 minutes I was put on an antibiotic drip, fluids and pain relief. I do have to admit that my life flashed before me that day as at first they suspected angina. I was monitored from the minute they picked something up in my first observation and put on the resuscitation side of A&E. Within an hour I had had a CT scan as well as X-rays on my jaw. Luckily the Angina was dismissed and they focused on the X-rays for my Jaw which showed a lot of damage.
They kept asking if I had fallen or hit something as the damage was very bad and the only thing I could think of was the infection I kept getting in my mouth. Thankfully they allowed me to go home with 2 doses of antibiotics and advice to see my own dentist immediately as they can do different X-rays than the hospital can, if I am honest I was just happy to be able to go home.
So Thursday 27th January I went to an appointment with my wonderful dentist Nicola , unfortunately I got there before the hospital sent the X-rays across. So Nicola gave me a full examination and the only thing that caused her concern was an abscess on the other side of my mouth from the pain I was getting, It does mean that I have to have another tooth out as the abscess has gotten under my tooth causing a lump on the right side of my jaw. So 10th February I am booked in for an extraction which I am worried about as this will be the 2nd tooth out of the bottom row, I worry that it will make a difference to my jaw shape but I suppose that it’s a conversation I will have with them moving forward.
So far it’s been the worst start to any new year I have had in my lifetime and one of the loneliest. I truly feel alone now more than ever and that really hurts. I don’t think I got any messages over Christmas or the New Year from people other than the ME community and that hurts so much as more than ever I feel like I don’t matter, after all how hard would it be for someone to send a message.
It’s been a really tough few months but we are going to get through it all and I know that we will come out the other side stronger than before. This year I am trying desperately to work through the loneliness and pain of feeling like I no longer matter, I know that this will be one of the biggest things I have ever gotten over and I know it’s not going to be easy.
What are you looking to change or get over this year ? Did you set any goals or resolutions for 2022 ?
If you feel alone or struggling with your ME I am always here for you. I truly understand what you are going through so please don’t feel that you are alone.
I run several ME groups filled with the most amazing people who understand as they are going through it or have been through it. Go to my Facebook/Twitter or Instagram page to find the best group or social media platform for you
Sending love always, Alisha 😘