At ER

I slept badly, kept on hearing mum wake up and rustle with plastic bags, a sound that she's either vomiting or coughing out phlegm. Or so it sounded like that, or perhaps I'm just paranoid now...

I woke up early today because I have a thorough physical due tomorrow and must today start a strict regime of liquid diet. Though the bowel pains have more or less subsided, I still need to check my colon and stomach to see if there are risks of cancer developing.

I squeeze some apples and carrots, and added a bit of ginger too. It tasted good, at least to me, and I saved a cup for mum. She drank a bit, and said she didn't feel like drinking more. Within a few minutes, she threw up again. She's been having constipation, and said since last night been feeling very dizzy (literally, "seeing stars..."). Time to head to ER.



The doctor attended to her within minutes of arriving, and asked various questions. A blood test and xray was done, and results came back within half an hour.



Inflamed pancreas, the doctor assessed, otherwise all other signs are normal. It's not because of alcohol intake, or cholesterol levels, I don't think. The only possible reason is stones collecting in the pancreas. Or, as I checked online, there may be a rupture in the pancreatic duct, causing enzymes necessary to break down proteins and lipids to leak into the stomach, and causing her an upset stomach (vomiting..) We cannot know until further tests are conducted, and the doctor suggested an ultrasound. She will still need to have an endoscopy and perhaps even colonoscopy done to see if there are abnormalities, but the earliest either of those can be done is tomorrow. The other problem is that the invasive look at mum's bowels at this hospital is conducted using the traditional method, ie without anaesthesia. If she wants to arrange for anaesthesia, then indeed she would have to wait for two weeks, as the doctor two days ago planned. But she cannot wait two weeks. She just cannot after vomiting on and off for a month and vomiting daily and severely for the three two days...

Mum is very scared of the endoscopy without local anaesthesia, for the last time she did it, she gagged so uncomfortably and felt like her stomach was going to come out... But she must do the examination as soon as possible, for she is vomiting so much that she's really losing weight and becoming dehydrated. It's very worrying.

Back to the hospital again, and mum is now lying next to me, having an IV drip to provide her with much needed nutrients. I rushed home quickly to get her a blanket and her memory cushion and back rest, so she can rest better.

It's very hectic here, with so many patients lining the walls of corridors, so many nurses and doctors rushing back and forth, and so many relatives waiting in the lounge. Mum told me that day, on 26 December, when she checked herself into ER, she was by herself. She could barely walk and had to be assisted by a hospital staff while they did scans and tests on her... At least I am here with her this time..
I am here with her... But I myself feel weak and faint, partly from not eating well over the past few days, and partly because of the bad sleep last night.

Mum is sleeping now , after I gave her a massage of her back and arms. It feels like back in January, when I would spend hours by her side and take care of her needs.

Only, how long will mum have to stay in hospital this time...?