Dear Allycat, I was just reading one of your responses on this forum and my heart went out to you. You mentioned that you were in an induced coma and were bedridden for 12 months. Would you mind sharing what happened to you and, more importantly, how you made it through what must have been an unbelievably difficult time? You must be a very strong woman to get through something like that and still have the positive, wonderful attitude that you have now. Love and hugs to you, juliah
Hi Juliah, sorry I just noticed this post.All my family have said how strong and determined i have been to get where i am now. but believe me there have been many days where i just didnt want to go on.,and wished i had never come back. The last 4 years have been so hard. My children were 15,13 and 11 when i suffered a massive asthma attack. I have been asthmatic since birth, hospitalised many times as a child.but being stubborn and pulled by peer group pressure ,i began smoking at age 14. many times during my teenage years and 20s and 30s i would end up in emergency or being hospitalised . even while on oxygen and lungs filled i would still smoke. well at age 37 i had a flu that just wouldnt leave . i would start to get better and it returned. i continued to smoke like train. i remember leaning over my kitchen counter telling hubby i needed to go to hospital. it was the middle of winter and at night. as soon as i got to the cold air i was gasping for breath. i climbed into back of car and held on for dear life with every bit of air i could get into my lungs. that was the last i remember until i woke from the induced coma 10 days later. hooked up to all sorts of machines in the I.C.U i was paralised from the medications and muscle wastage and could only open my eyes. nothing else. i was so scared. i was sure i had suffered a stroke . over the next 4 weeks i gradually got some movement back but i was in so much pain. i learned to walk with a frame , but dressing ,showering ,eating etc were near impossible. my hubby and kids were my carers and it was so degrading. i would scream shout cry and throw bad tantrums. eventually i had a councillor come to the house and showed me a book on P.T.S.D post traumatic stress dissorder. it was reading me out of a book. i started taking antidepressants and they made me worse. my daughter moved out of home due to the stress and my marriage was near over. life was hell. then my doc sent me to a rheumy as he didnt know why i was still in so much pain. she diagnosed PA on the 1st visit and my life started turning for the better. then my daughter told me that her and her fiance were having a baby , i finally had something to look to the future for. The PTSD lifted(although always hiding in the background) and life has got better. My husband and I now get on better than ever and granchild number 3 is due in April.I run a pain management support group at my local hospital and i have trained as a leader in the moving toward wellness course for the arthritis foundation.I hate the daily pain I suffer but at least I know what it is. I blame myself for the life I now have to live. If I didnt keep smoking I wouldnt have had the asthma attack. (I have had none since) cigarettes KILL. and even if they dont, they ruin your life. life is too important. I KNOW THAT NOW. I cherish every moment. Sorry if I have rambled too much.My hands hurt now from the typing. Thank you so much for sharing your story. I can't imagine how that must have been for you and your family. The fact that you are using your experiences to help others is very inspiring. You are an amazing woman and I know you bless everyone who comes to know you. Love and hugs, Juliahthankyou juliah, a big problem has been losing a lot of memories. some have come back but many seem to be lost forever. Ally