My week - 23rd Feb - 29th Feb

I started writing this when in hospital, and I'm just getting around to finishing it - it might take a couple of posts...

Saturday - decided not to do my 5k run as I was feeling slightly coldly. Had Ian's parents and felt reasonably normal.

Sunday - went out to the park even though I was feeling rough and it was so so so freezing. I soon felt even worse. My throat became unbearably painful and I never thought I would make it home to be honest. We went to the coffee shop and I managed to swallow down the most painful hot chocolate ever and tried to eat some muffin but it was too hard. We to home and I basically went to bed for the rest of the day. My childminder Nicola kindly agreed to have Harry for the morning.

Monday - it was immediately clear that I was much worse. I seriously regretted not going to out of hours - it's much easier when you have little ones and one parent can watch the kids. Not only was there no way I was carrying Archie anywhere (I wasn't even safe going up and down stairs - I had to go on my bottom like a toddler, and once down Daddy brought is Harry's toddler bed mattress down so I could lie and watch the poor baby play. I couldn't talk, sing, smile or play poor treasure. I called the doctor and she prescribed co-codamol and an anaesthetis throat spray. Sadly, looking back I think these only served to mask the symptoms in this case and really made the matter worse. in hindsight I should have got my husband to take me to out of hours but the doctor's advice was not to
worry and I was so ill I didn't want to move. Ian came home early and I went to bed.

Tuesday - I woke feeling dreadful. My face was horrendously swollen and 'mumpy'. I got on the phone to NHS direct as soon as possible - they called me back at half 8 by which time I was on hold to my Doctor's Surgery. I managed to hear her say 'You must see the GP this morning and if they can't see you go straight to A &E - I suspect a quinsy' 'a what?' I think and quickly pass the information onto the receptionist who booked me in for 9.40, a perfect 10 minutes after dropping the big boy off to the childminder. He suspected mumps but still prescribed antibiotics as he wasn't sure. At least Ian was working from home but work means work and I had to give him a chance to do that. I tried to hard but had to give up. I went up to bed. My paretns agreed to come up.

Wednesday -  My dad took me to the doctor again. My chest had become red, puffy, painful and swollen. My throat was worse. The earliest I could get an appointment was 3pm. He called ENT and sent me to A&E. My husband met me there. I was admitted although the first doctor was a bit confused, saying 'We don't usually admit people who can swallow!' I had cameras stuck down my throat through my nose, a needle in my mouth to try to extract any infection and a canula inserted to have IV antibiotics, steroids and fluids. I had to huddle on a hard A&E trolley with no pillow (not nice with a horrendously swollen face) until they found me a bed. I finally got to a bed around 3am ish I think.

Thursday - I was in hospital getting pumped full of drugs. I was in the Medical Assessment Unit -   and to be honest, it's not the most pleasant place to spend time, but I was just relieved to be getting a little better. I was moved to a side room off another ward at 3am. I got a little bit of sleep before being woken at 6am for my antibiotics!

Friday - The doctors came around and I was much better - the swelling on my face and chest had receded. They decided to let me go home with oral antibiotics and painkillers and approved my discharge. I was asked to vacate the room asap and wait in the waiting room as they needed my bed so I had a wash and moved over waiting for my husband to arrive. We left at about lunch time and headed home where I went to bed. It was a massive relief to see my babies, and Archie nursed briefly. I was still too poorly to care for them much though. We were hopeful that we may still make one night of our holiday that was booked Saturday night-Monday night.