[8] I Won't Give Up

-- We're still looking up. --

Sometimes, my hospital stays don't go as I plan. This time around I planned to be on a full dose of cipro by the end of the first 24 hours, and by 52 hours my temperature would be normal. Alas, we're almost 120 hours in and my temperature is still high. I've only been on the antibiotic two full days thanks to my tube exploding half of the oral suspension all over my dad.

My temperature has moments when is goes down to normal, but it's incredibly frustrating when it doesn't stay down for two sets of observations. In other news, my heart rate is now sitting under 100, and my oxygen saturations are up from 97 to 100. My CRP infection level measurement has come down from 96 to 34 without being on the full dose, so today will tell all when we finally get a CRP reading from being on 500mg of cipro.

My numbers all look good, and I'm managing to stay out of bed most of the time. I still have times where I'm woozy, and I accidentally drove into a bay with no beds and loads of chairs because I thought that was where my bed was. I've seen the nephew a number of times, and the dutiful sisters have delivered me a Cookie Box milkshake most days. The nephew did threaten to box a doctor for taking blood while he was there though!

I've been increasingly well enough to escape from the ward and go downstairs for a little while. Although at first I was driving in wacky lines, I've finally figured out how to drive straight and not hit people. I've also tried numerous times to watch the first Iron Man, but my deafness has been defeating me this far. I did take a quick trip to the vending machines the other night, and listened to BBC NI programme Talkback on the ward looking like an eejit with a crisp packet on my head.

Yesterday I had an awesome visit from a university friend who I met while campaigning for Chris Murray to get the VP post in the Students Union. It was then that, after days of not eating and just barely drinking enough, that I developed a crazing for pizza. Not just any pizza though - a Little Wing pizza. By evening, I was actually hungry and managing to eat a little, so the parents brought me one back from the shop and I surprised even myself by eating a full slice!

This morning, my body has decided to wreak madness. I have two mouth ulcers, and now two cold sores. This is a common thing for me while I fight this infection.

I wear my #BandOfOrange and #SmashSMA bands with pride while I fight, knowing I am not the only one. We fight together to win the fight against muscle disease, so that a doctor won't laugh as I ask for my CRP levels and talk in his lingo.

The good news is that my sarcasm is well and truly back, and I'm still running up that hill, with mum and dad helping along the way. I am locked up in here until Tuesday at the earliest, but I'm not giving up yet!