Couldn't Make it Up!

So far 2024 hasn’t rated very highly in my catalogue of months to remember with fondness!   
 
I haven’t been very communicative lately because I have been rather unwell. 

​It started in earnest at the beginning of February; I shan’t give the tedium of what happened when, who I saw and what tests were undertaken but needless to say it was a long-drawn-out affair and at times I thought I was going mad [with pain and frustration] and also wondering if I was making it all up?  That’s what taking copious amounts of painkillers will do to you! 

For about a week the medics were insistent that the pain in my back was a muscular strain and demonstrated some stretches to practice and advised to take over the counter pills.  It was only when my mother threatened to call 999 that I visited the medical centre for the fourth time and convinced someone to take blood tests.  Thank goodness … a day later the blood test results breakdown explained the urgency in which the surgery contacted me saying “can you get into us to see the doctor in the next hour or so?”. 

The ‘sick note’ from the doctor gives an official diagnosis as “pyelonephritis and as a result hyperglycaemia’ .  Basically, it was a pretty bad kidney infection which affected my blood sugar levels- I experienced a few scary ’hypos’ which is when the sugars are very low.  Thankfully I haven’t had many of these in the past but some of the symptoms are distressing – especially if you don’t know why – and I had all of the following or a variation on a theme, on several occasions:

• feeling hungry
• feeling dizzy
• feeling anxious or irritable
• sweating
• shaking
• heart palpitations
• feeling tired or weak
• changes in your vision such as blurred vision
• feeling confused
  
• ....actually I was making even less sense than usual!

​
Last summer my diabetic nurse had advised that should my BGLs go below 5mmol/L then this was getting serious and to take a high glucose something-or-other.  My readings went down to 3.2mmol/L – and it was awful!  Apparently, if you have severe low blood sugar levels there is a danger of having a seizure or fit or becoming unconscious.  Also, diabetes means that one is at a higher risk of future kidney problems,  Deep joy.
 
Anyway, the heavy-duty antibiotics kicked in after a couple of days and obviously worked as things have calmed down significantly over the past week.  Thank goodness! 
 
As an aside, I am convinced that I have had a low-level kidney infection for months.  As some of you are aware, I was off work for a number of weeks prior to Christmas and looking back I was suffering from many of the symptoms – including back pain – from October at least. Unfortunately, no blood tests were taken at that time and the focus was predominantly on anxiety because I was so tired and “not right” and certainly “not myself”. In the future I will insist on more tests!
 
BUT to add insult to injury; on Monday last (26th Feb) I visited the dentist and was subjected to four or five attempts at anaesthetising the lower left jaw and then – when that eventually kicked in - to an hour of tugging and yanking and the triumphant removal of a large molar tooth! AND, I had to pay for the privilege…a snip at £200.00 (!)
 
Still, I figure, that’s it – all the problems are over and done with and the rest of the year will be hale and hearty and healthy!

Onwards and Upwards!