On
Thursday 28th December, the oil man had just delivered our heating oil
and we were having a chat and tea in our kitchen, when I suddenly felt
ill. I went to the bathroom and immediately vomited a lot
of blood into the toilet. I hadn't a clue as to why it had happened, but I knew it was serious. Imelda and I immediately left for Roscommon hospital.
At the hospital I vomited blood again in the toilet and was immediately rushed into the casualty ward. The next couple of hours were taken up with questioning, blood tests, ultra-scans, x-rays, etc., and this was followed by an operation. Approximately ten oclock in the evening I was aware that I was going to be taken by ambulance to St Vincent's Hospital in Dublin. I was drifting in and out of consciousness, but still noticed that apart from Imelda, myself and the ambulance driver, there was also a doctor, paramedic and a nurse in the ambulance. It appeared that the operation hadn't stopped all the bleeding. The ambulance left Roscommon with sirens and flashing lights. The ambulance driver was obviously practicing for the Dakar Rally, as we arrived at St Vincent's in less than two hours.
I had another operation shortly after arriving using banding to stop the bleeding veins in my Oesophagus. The third operation a few days later added further banding. They also found that I had been bleeding in my stomach, as well. The fourth operation involved putting a pressure pump down a large vein in my neck to measure the portal pressure, near my liver. I shared a ward (St Brigids) with Paul, James and Barry. Melly stayed with me during the first few days, but had to leave to attend for a permanent job interview (which she got). On Sunday 31st December Melly, Pearl and Sorcha came up and spent most of the afternoon with me. A very vivid memory was celebrating the New Year with apple juice, whilst looking out of the fourth floor window of St Vincent's and surveying Dublin, its bay and the fireworks exploding nearby.
On the 5th January I was released from hospital and Melly drove me home. They are not really sure what caused the bleeding, but my pneumonia in October played a part. However, the blood tests, scans and portal vein pressure measurement have all shown that I am returning to normal. Initially it was a possibility that I would go onto a liver transplant waiting list, but this isn't a consideration anymore. That is why I went to St Brigid's Ward in St Vincent's hospital. It is the liver transplant ward for Ireland. On the 25th January I went for a further banding operation. Everything went well and I left the next day. I have had other (banding) operations in March, June & August. The last time they didn't have to band. They will probably check the situation again before Christmas and then I am hoping that this will be the last.
At the hospital I vomited blood again in the toilet and was immediately rushed into the casualty ward. The next couple of hours were taken up with questioning, blood tests, ultra-scans, x-rays, etc., and this was followed by an operation. Approximately ten oclock in the evening I was aware that I was going to be taken by ambulance to St Vincent's Hospital in Dublin. I was drifting in and out of consciousness, but still noticed that apart from Imelda, myself and the ambulance driver, there was also a doctor, paramedic and a nurse in the ambulance. It appeared that the operation hadn't stopped all the bleeding. The ambulance left Roscommon with sirens and flashing lights. The ambulance driver was obviously practicing for the Dakar Rally, as we arrived at St Vincent's in less than two hours.
I had another operation shortly after arriving using banding to stop the bleeding veins in my Oesophagus. The third operation a few days later added further banding. They also found that I had been bleeding in my stomach, as well. The fourth operation involved putting a pressure pump down a large vein in my neck to measure the portal pressure, near my liver. I shared a ward (St Brigids) with Paul, James and Barry. Melly stayed with me during the first few days, but had to leave to attend for a permanent job interview (which she got). On Sunday 31st December Melly, Pearl and Sorcha came up and spent most of the afternoon with me. A very vivid memory was celebrating the New Year with apple juice, whilst looking out of the fourth floor window of St Vincent's and surveying Dublin, its bay and the fireworks exploding nearby.
On the 5th January I was released from hospital and Melly drove me home. They are not really sure what caused the bleeding, but my pneumonia in October played a part. However, the blood tests, scans and portal vein pressure measurement have all shown that I am returning to normal. Initially it was a possibility that I would go onto a liver transplant waiting list, but this isn't a consideration anymore. That is why I went to St Brigid's Ward in St Vincent's hospital. It is the liver transplant ward for Ireland. On the 25th January I went for a further banding operation. Everything went well and I left the next day. I have had other (banding) operations in March, June & August. The last time they didn't have to band. They will probably check the situation again before Christmas and then I am hoping that this will be the last.
