On 11th February 2017, my 34th birthday, I dived into a swimming pool, hit my head and broke my neck. I didn't realise what I had done at first. Continuing to party that night, I drove myself to the doctors two days later with intense pain across my upper back and shoulders and unable to fully move my neck (great story for the grandkids). I later found out that if I had moved my neck too far in the wrong direction or sneezed too hard I could have severed my spinal chord and paralysed myself. Eek.
It escalated quickly from there. Having been referred for X-rays at Geelong Hospital, I drove there, parked in a 3 hour parking zone, fully expecting to be sent home with a neck brace and some painkillers. The severity began to sink in when the nurse came back with my results and said "now, I don't want to panic you...", which is the worst thing to say to someone you don't want to panic, "...but you have damaged your neck. We need to take spinal precautions and you have to go straight to emergency."
I called my partner, asking him to come to the hospital and bring someone to pick up his car as I "probably couldn't drive". About 10 minutes before he arrived I was informed I had fractured my C5 vertebrae in 3 places and was being transferred to the trauma ward at The Alfred Hospital in Melbourne. I was also told I was very lucky to be able to move my arms and legs. Shit.
C arrived and I lay on my back staring at a ceiling for what seemed like forever (I have never wanted a ciggie and beer so much in my life) until I was vac-packed into a stretcher. The paramedic asked if I had ever been in an ambulance before. Telling her I have never even broken a bone, she joked "Well, you picked a bloody good one to start with!"
What followed consisted of the usual hospital stuff; strong painkillers, concerned visitors, needles, X-rays, CT and CAT scans, being woken up at 7am to be bombarded with a heap of confusing information about my condition and options. Options. My fantastic prospects were either having neck surgery to fuse three of my vertebrae together or wearing a halo brace for the next 12 weeks, allowing my neck to heal naturally. I'm making this sound light-hearted. It was awful. My original thought was surgery. Get it over with, I do NOT want to wear one of those things for 3 months. Lots of discussions with professionals and loved ones convinced me otherwise. The halo was my best option. C was by my side for most of this and I have never been more grateful for someone's unconditional support and strength. He was basically my PA for a week, handling a multitude of phone calls, asking the questions I was too overwhelmed to think about, fetching everything I needed, driving here, there and everywhere and holding my hand through the tough stuff.
I had the halo fitted on 16th February. The fitting was one of the most unpleasant things I have ever experienced (and apparently I have a high tolerance to pain). Unlike other blogs I have read, there was no morphine, only local anaesthetic. There is immense pressure when the pins are screwed and I could hear every click and turn. I probably made it worse as my mind was completely rejecting the though of having to wear the Halo so it really freaked me out. The docs said "I did really well", I felt like I was a total wuss.
Reading other people's experience has really helped me through this ordeal, and writing this has been a form of therapy. This is a blatantly honest account and, although I may joke, I have not sugar coated the experience. If you are in / going to be in a halo, I hope that I can shed some light on what to expect, although everyone is different. This is merely my humble advice:
- It DOES get easier. You are probably sick of hearing this but it's true.
- Don't let people tell you how to behave or what you can and can't do, although listen to advice and be cautious with your actions. You don't want to be in a halo any longer than you need to be.
- Being in a Halo can be really boring. Don't feel you have to fill your time with anything productive. By all means, read War and Peace and learn 3 languages if that's your thang but if you want to binge watch the pits of TV in your jammies for 3 months you have every right. Healing is your job for now.
- You will be asked the same questions over and over and over and over...("I sleep ok, on my side with the corner of a pillow under my cheek so I feel less like I'm floating"). Be patient. People are curious and interested which is better than being ignorant and dismissive.
- With a bit of luck you will learn to appreciate your family and friends in a way you never thought possible. Allow them to help you and vow to yourself to repay them in any way you can, when you are able.
- Recognise your mind and body have been through a traumatic experience. A positive attitude helps, but allow yourself the tears, tantrums and frustrated rants. Then get over it, and move on.
- 12 weeks is a long time but the Halo is temporary. This too shall pass...
No comments:
Post a Comment