So there I was lying prone on an operating table in a ice cold theatre - trussed up like a chicken, puking blood and guts - and all I heard was:
'We're going to have to cut you from your sternum to your WHOO HOO; unpack all your organs to try and find WHERE the hell you are spurting blood from! Just relax...' HA!
And Yip - they did it - literally unpacked what feels like THE LOT - gave my liver to Muhammed Ali for 15 round of sparring - my spleen they just chucked on the floor and stomped on for a couple of minutes and then they found the source of my 'Ol Faithful' spurter - (a ruptured Artery in the Lower Duodenum) which at this point had cost me the princely sum of 5 - yes FIVE - litres of blood. And so they promptly cut and sewed me up - in what lasted as a two hour operation.
In the words of the surgeon 'We came DANGEROUSLY close to losing you on the table'... Nice - very nice thought!
It appears that 'Ol Faithful' had been contributing to the cause of my malaise over the last year - and it all came to a head - so to speak - on the 27th of September - when I started to puke blood. Ever the optimist - I left it until the Monday - in the hopes that it would resolve itself, cos I didn't want to worry Robs!
By the time we hit the hospital I had lost about a litre of blood over three days - but by the time they had done two endoscopes to try and see if they could find the bleed - which they couldn't - I had lost about three litres of blood and then by the time they realised I was in serious trouble and shipped me off to theatre - I had lost about 4 litres of blood - and yes peeps it was LITRES - not pints - my blood pressure had plummeted to a top pressure of 45!
So after a massive operation in which they removed a foot of my intestines and a humongous blood transfusion, they managed to stablise me enough to move me to the High Dependancy Unit - where I spent 4 and a half days in a hazy bliss mist of Morphine; Ketamine and the constant bleep of heart machines.
I have only just been released - but came home to a mass of cards; and emails. So thanks to everyone who was so concerned and sent your love and wishes - it is VERY much appreciated!
I just wanted to tell you all I am okay - just a bit sore - and feel like me insides are gonna fall out the scar everytime I stand up - but I am on the mend and will keep you all posted.
On the migraine and headache front, the results of the MRI scan I had just before going in to hospital has come back and shown a cyst in the septum pellucidum and is related to the ventricular system - WHAT that means at this stage - I don't know - but I have an appointment to see a new Neurosurgeon soon - so I'll keep you posted on that front too! Good Lord - only a few pips shy of forty and I nearly fell apart!
Clearly I have a mission I haven't completed just yet - and for that I am grateful!
All my Love
Ryan
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