This Too Shall Pass

Note: These posts are written from notes I made at the time. Some days they are reflections; some days they are simply a record of getting through the next hour.

The honeymoon period seems to be over.

After feeling reasonably OK for the first few days, things really caught up with me overnight. The stomach cramps became increasingly painful and I was sick again at around 2:30am. I still had a sore throat too, although sipping cold water seemed to help a little.

I was keeping an eye on my temperature, which thankfully remained below the level that would have been a major concern, but the pain was becoming increasingly difficult to manage. At one point I tried lying face down with my stomach on a folded towel, just for the pressure — I know now it sounds strange, but sometimes you try anything that might bring a little relief.

I was already taking amoxicillin, so the sore throat didn’t appear to be linked to an infection, but it was another unpleasant symptom to add to the list.

By 3:53am my temperature was 37.5°C and the pain had become too much, so I took some pain relief. It took around half an hour to work, but unfortunately the effect only lasted about an hour.

Then came the next challenge: diarrhoea.

By 7:30am it had started, and I began taking the medication I’d been advised to use. Breakfast was a small amount of melon — nothing ambitious, just trying to get something in.

The morning became a cycle of feeling unwell, trying to drink, taking medication, and hoping the next hour would be easier.

At 9:55am I spoke to Ellie on the 24-hour SACS line. She was brilliant: reassuring, practical and calm. She advised me to continue with the medication for the diarrhoea, keep hydrated, and she would arrange for stronger pain relief to be prescribed.

A little later Ellie called back. Medoc had prescribed codeine for the pain and ondansetron for the sickness. I collected the medication from my local pharmacy, usually about ten minutes walk away, but this had now extended to about half an hour each way. Disappointingly, they were out of stock of the ondansetron, so I was given an “owing slip” to collect on Monday. Another reminder of the many moving parts involved in getting treatment and support sorted.

Unfortunately, the sickness continued through the day:

• 10:30am
• 11:20am
• 6:50pm

There were a few small attempts at food and drink along the way: two TUC biscuits, some water, and whatever medication I could manage.

By the evening I was exhausted.

It was a difficult day. There wasn’t much to celebrate, other than the fact that I kept communicating with the team, followed their advice, and kept going.

Sometimes getting through the day is the achievement.